Open data, open methods, and reproducible and transparent research are increasingly endorsed by funders, publishers, institutions, and learned societies. But is the current publishing system setup in a good way to enable transparent research and sharing of the undelrying data and code? Are there alternatives to publishing your research as a PDF?

In this edition of the Data Conversations, we will dive into Decentralized science, an initiative to rethink scholarly publication and to respond to its challenges by combining insights from metascience with cutting-edge technological solutions. Prof. Dr. Philipp Koellinger co-founded DeSci Labs, will intoruduce the ideas behind Decentralized science and give a practical demo.

Researchers, Students and Staff from different Faculties, Institutes, Services and disciplines will have a chance to hear and learn from each other about their experiences.

Come and share your stories and hear others. Find the registration button at the bottom of this page.

Location: the meeting is IN PERSON at VU Campus

Agenda

12:00 - 12:15 Grab your lunch and get comfortable

12:15 - 12:30  Introducing Decentralized science

12:30 - 12:45  DeSci: a practical demo

12:45 - 13:00  Q&A

13:00 - 13:30 (optional) Further discussion, sharing ideas and experiences and networking

Abstract

Decentralized Science

Decentralized Science (DeSci) is rethinking scholarly publication from first principles, recognizing the inadequacies of the current system in addressing contemporary challenges and opportunities. These challenges encompass a widespread replication crisis, problematic incentives for scientists, flawed publisher business models, an outdated publication infrastructure lacking persistent identifiers, a static and incomplete unit of knowledge (PDFs only), and the widespread loss of valuable scientific artifacts such as data and code, despite the escalating availability and importance of such resources. DeSci responds to these concerns by combining insights from metascience with cutting-edge technological solutions.

A tangible illustration of DeSci's potential is the DeSci Nodes publication platform. Nodes empower the creation of versionable, interactive, and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) digital research objects that encompass all essential components of a research project, such as text, data, code, and videos. These components are seamlessly interconnected, facilitating computational reproducibility. Researchers can effortlessly import data or code from a published Node into their local computing environment through a single line of code, streamlining the research process. Moreover, computational tasks can be offloaded to servers where the data resides, reducing egress costs and download times. Cryptographically signed attestations from trusted third parties can vouch for critical aspects of research, such as data and code availability, FAIR metadata, and reproducibility.

Nodes leverage modern peer-to-peer technology for data storage, employing the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), and introduce a novel protocol for persistent identifiers (dPID) that resist link rot and content drift. Importantly, Nodes are built on open-source software segregating the data and application layers, safeguarding against vendor lock-in, and enabling institutional autonomy.

In summary, DeSci reimagines scholarly publishing by addressing pressing issues through a synergy of metascience insights and advanced technology. The DeSci Nodes platform exemplifies this vision by enabling the creation of comprehensive and interactive research objects that promote computational reproducibility while leveraging modern data storage and identifier protocols.

About the speaker

Philipp Koellinger

Prof. Dr. Philipp Koellinger co-founded DeSci Labs, developing next-generation technologies to promote replicable, open, and FAIR scientific publishing. He is also the president of the DeSci Foundation, which supports the development of a more verifiable, open, and fairer ecosystem for science and scientists. In addition, Philipp is a full professor of economics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a principal investigator and co-founder of several scientific research consortia, including the Social Science Genetic Association Consortium (SSGAC), the BIG BEAR Consortium, and the Externalizing Consortium. His research has been published in journals such as Nature, Science, Nature Genetics, Nature Neuroscience, Nature Human Behaviour, and the Review of Economics and Statistics.

What to expect?

Data Conversations will feature two short talks from researchers or colleagues who support research. Each talk will be about 10 minutes long. There will be a joint Q&A after the talks.

If you attend in person, don't miss the free lunch at the beginning of the event! Those who are willing to stay longer than an hour are welcome to continue discussion and networking after the presentations. 

Who should attend?

Data Conversations brings together researchers, research support staff and data management and data science experts from all subject areas. Early career researchers, as well as experienced academics, are welcome to attend.

For those who can join us in person, there will be lunch which includes vegetarian and vegan sandwiches and wraps.

About Data Conversations

Data Conversations started at the University of Lancaster in the UK. The Lancaster Data Conversations aim to bring data practitioners together to talk about how researchers create, collect, use and share data. The Data Conversations at the VU Amsterdam share the same aim and are intended to provide a forum for researchers from different subjects and disciplines to exchange practices and ideas around open data, FAIR data, research data management and related open science topics.

Call for Talks

You can attend and benefit from your colleagues' experiences or come and present your own experiences. We welcome short talks on topics related to Open Science and Reproducible Research from early career researchers as well as from more experienced academics and research support staff. This is an informal and inclusive event, so whether you are a seasoned presenter or a first-timer, your contribution will be welcome.

If you would like to propose a talk, please complete this form.