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embedding-the-ospo-as-research-infrastructure.md

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Embedding the OSPO as Research Infrastructure

Pattern Summary

The OSPO can be embedded as a core research facility of its university through a range of strategic, value-led actions.

Problem / Challenge

Academic OSPOs need to demonstrate relevance to senior leadership at its institution and ensure their long term future.

Pattern Category

  • Advocacy & Policy
  • Demonstrating value as an Academic OSPO
  • Funding & Financial Support
  • OSS Education & Skills
  • Supporting OSS development

Context

A research university creating large volumes of research outputs across every discipline.

An OSPO has been established on a short-term funding model.

There is a gap in long-term funding and it’s unclear whether the OSPO will be sustained afterwards.

Forces

When decision makers and OSPO champions move to other organizations, their original priorities and support for the OSPO may shift under new leadership.

New senior leaders may not be fully aware of the importance of OSS or the value that an OSPO adds across the institution.

Other offices may not know of the university OSPO and how it can support them.

Solution

Strengthen the OSPO’s prospects for sustainable funding and support by establishing it as an integral part of the university’s research infrastructure and an essential component of its research environment.

The solution below outlines some core activities to consider:

Seek partnership with or sponsorship from the Provost or Research Vice President

  • Connect early and regularly.

  • Clearly outline and align the OSPO with university research goals.

Engage with and develop cross-campus partnerships with other key stakeholders

  • Develop approaches for marketing OSPO support with relevant faculty, researchers and senior leadership.

  • Attend regular meetings with senior leadership as a platform to share resources, identify needs and to demonstrate value. This may include meetings with the Provost’s Office, Research Administration Office, Office of Development, College, School and Unit (CSU) Research Deans and the Research Compute/Information Office.

  • Provide Development Office staff with facility statements, templates (e.g. open source grant commitment letters) and ‘how to’ resource guidance on funding requests.

  • Request inclusion in all communications and learning offerings from the CSU Research Deans and Research Compute/Information Offices.

Operate as a core research function

Typical activities may be to:

  • Create a research facility statement, resource statements and/or grant fulfillment/requirement templates that may be included as part of grant applications and grant reporting.

  • Connect the facility statement and resource statements to grant templates, data management planning tools and reporting templates.

  • Include facility and resource statements and templates with the Office of Development, research administration, faculty and researcher development, libraries, research resources databases, university and library help desks.

  • Request inclusion in annual research communications from CSUs to researchers, Principal Investigators (PIs) and resource communications.

  • Participate in the Research Administration Office, faculty, PI, researcher, and graduate student orientations, research events and communications.

  • Anchor service to existing open education, science, research efforts.

Map the needs of key user groups to inform OSPO activity

  • Create a methodology for ecosystem activity (e.g. the UT OSPO Participation Pathway).

  • Craft training and guidance to help users at different points of open source development in their research.

Evaluate and communicate resources

  • Provide a regular account of offerings. (Being able to relate services back to operational methodology or a participation pathway provides additional clarity for key stakeholders.)

  • Communicate to audiences across the institution of the OSPO’s successes, Challenges (use this an opportunity to request input), facilities and resources, and Support services.

  • Communicate alignment with University priorities and goals and the OSPO's role in fulfilling those goals.

Resulting Context

The intended outcome is that an OSPO becomes a sustainable department that is core to the university research environment.

Additional learning from the UT Austin OSPO

Building relationships in the leadership space; communicating about the OSPO and getting it on every database; providing templates and resources; and designing training based on listening to the community is where we’re finding success.

Known Instances

References

Contributors & Acknowledgement

  • Dr. Angela Newell (University of Texas at Austin)
  • Dr. Alex Marden (University of Texas at Austin)
  • Dr. Jennifer Schopf (University of Texas at Austin)
  • Michael Shensky (University of Texas at Austin)
  • Michelle McDermott (University of Texas at Austin)
  • Ciara Flanagan, https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3153-7673