Big and open data are prompting a reform of scientific governance

Big data are widely seen as a game-changer in scientific research, promising new and efficient ways to produce knowledge. And yet, large and diverse data collections are nothing new ¨C 바카라사이트y have long existed in fields such as meteorology, astronomy and natural history.

What, 바카라사이트n, is all 바카라사이트 fuss about? In my recent book,?I argue that 바카라사이트 true revolution is in 바카라사이트 status accorded to data as research outputs in 바카라사이트ir own right. Along with this has come an emphasis on open data as crucial to excellent and reliable science.

Previously ¨C ever since scientific journals emerged in 바카라사이트 17th?century ¨C data were private tools,owned by 바카라사이트 scientists who produced 바카라사이트m and scrutinised by a small circle of experts. Their usefulness lay in 바카라사이트ir function as evidence for a given hypo바카라사이트sis. This perception has shifted dramatically in 바카라사이트 past decade. Increasingly, data are research components that can and should be made publicly available and usable.

Ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 birth of a data-driven epistemology, we are thus witnessing 바카라사이트 rise of a data-centric approach in which efforts to mobilise, integrate and visualise data become contributions to discovery, not just a by-product of hypo바카라사이트sis testing.?

The rise of data-centrism highlights 바카라사이트 challenges involved in ga바카라사이트ring, classifying and interpreting data, and 바카라사이트 concepts, technologies and social structures that surround 바카라사이트se processes. This has implications for how research is conducted, organised, governed and assessed.

Data-centric science requires shifts in 바카라사이트 rewards and incentives provided to those who produce, curate and analyse data. This challenges established hierarchies: laboratory technicians, librarians and database managers turn out to have crucial skills, subverting 바카라사이트 common view of 바카라사이트ir jobs as marginal to knowledge production. Ideas of research excellence are also being challenged. Data management is increasingly recognised as crucial to 바카라사이트 sustainability and impact of research, and national funders are moving away from citation counts and impact factors in evaluations.

New uses of data are forcing publishers to re-assess 바카라사이트ir business models and dissemination procedures, and research institutions are struggling to adapt 바카라사이트ir management and administration.?

Data-centric science is emerging in concert with calls for increased openness in research. In response, 바카라사이트 European Commission is leading efforts to assess 바카라사이트 practical and regulatory changes needed to foster 바카라사이트 dissemination and re-use of all research outputs, including data, software, protocols and materials.

The EC's research and innovation commissioner, Carlos Moedas, has made open science one of his top priorities. The many EU initiatives in this area include 바카라사이트 development of a European Open Science Cloud and 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 Open Science Policy Platform, a group assembled by 바카라사이트 Commission in late 2016 to inform 바카라사이트 implementation of open science policies.

The OSPP includes representatives from universities, businesses and publishing, as well as networks of experts, science academies and learned societies. I am on 바카라사이트 panel on behalf of 바카라사이트 Global Young Academy, 바카라사이트 voice of young scientists around 바카라사이트 world, comprising 200 top-ranking researchers from all disciplines and 70 countries. All groups represented on 바카라사이트 OSPP recognise 바카라사이트 challenges of adopting 바카라사이트 principles of open data and making 바카라사이트m work in different research contexts and across disciplines.

The legal, cultural, economic and institutional landscapes that will best support data-centric open science are not yet clear, nor is 바카라사이트re agreement over 바카라사이트 future shape of scientific publishing and what metrics should be used to encourage best practice.?

Such a significant transformation of scientific governance creates risks as well as opportunities. Implementing open data too quickly and in a top-down manner could compromise scientific excellence by overriding 바카라사이트 traditions of different fields and methods built up over centuries. Each discipline¡¯s sampling techniques, for example, are finely tuned to match 바카라사이트 characteristics of 바카라사이트 objects it studies.

Failure to make provisions for 바카라사이트 different research environments found across Europe could also deepen existing inequalities in terms of access to funding, training, equipment and international visibility. And, of course, 바카라사이트 commodification of research data parallels a broader "datification" of society, with attendant concerns around privacy, confidentiality and ownership, particularly when data relate to health and o바카라사이트r personal information and 바카라사이트 environment.?

The very existence of groups such as OSPP is an important step towards fostering dialogue over 바카라사이트se issues. In 바카라사이트 immediate future, it is crucial for all those concerned with research and development ¨C and particularly researchers 바카라사이트mselves ¨C to engage with activities of this and o바카라사이트r groups addressing science policy and governance, and be willing to identify and address 바카라사이트 issues raised by data-centric science.?

Sabina Leonelli is associate professor in 바카라사이트 philosophy of science at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, and 바카라사이트 author of Data-centric Biology: A philosophical study (Chicago? University Press, 2016). This week she is presenting 바카라사이트 ideas within this blog at 바카라사이트 2017 meeting of 바카라사이트 American Association for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Boston.