Jan. 22 Seminar To Focus on Goal of Strengthening Science in The Developing World by Enabling Free Access to Published Research

Open access is an increasingly important though controversial subject in the scientific journal publication process. The 2013 Open Access Week program encompasses hundreds of events on open access throughout the fall and winter around the globe. These events vary from the China Open Access Publishing Day to the Conferencia Internacional “Acceso Abierto, Preservación Digital y Datos Científicos” in Costa Rica to “Open access: Going for Gold?” at Imperial College London.

Furthering this discussion, the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is hosting a seminar Jan. 22 to discuss the economics of open access, current international policies, and the implications for development of US policy.
This seminar will focus on the economics and current international policies and their impact on open access. One of the primary goals of open access is to strengthen science in the developing world by enabling free access to published research, especially in important fields such as medicine, environment, and agriculture.

To achieve this objective, the international community, particularly countries with significant R&D investment, must collectively introduce laws, regulations, funding requirements, and other edicts to promote or require open access publication. This requirement for communal action, however, begs the question of who should pay for open access. In fact, many doubt the economic sustainability of the current income model for open access. Nonetheless, several countries have already undertaken initiatives to support open access.

In the United Kingdom, for example, the Research Council UK, which funds research at 170 universities, requires grant recipients to publish in open access journals. In addition to evaluating the international and economic trends surrounding open access, the Potomac Institute seminar will examine several countries and regions around the globe and how they have instituted open access policy and regulation, particularly highlighting the challenges and opportunities.

Using the case studies of other countries’ policy attempts, the seminar will focus on the current status and future development of US policy. Specifically, it will highlight current US policies, such as the NIH mandate and the recent OSTP memorandum, as well as various legislative policy attempts to require open access publication, including the Federal Research Public Access Act of 2006, 2010, and 2012 and the Fair Access to Science and Technology Research Act of 2013. Building on this context, participants in a panel format will evaluate the implications of open access and deliberate future policy needs. Overall, the aim of the seminar is to assess what the US can learn from international attempts, successes, and failures in instituting open access legislation and to develop suggestions and recommendations for future policy efforts.

Economics, Challenges, Opportunities and Implications Are Key Topics for Experts to Discuss

Open access is an increasingly important though controversial subject in the journal publication process.

The Potomac Institute is hosting a seminar Jan. 22 to discuss the economics of open access, current international policies, and the implications for development of U.S. policy.   Specifically, a panel of experts will examine the challenges and opportunities surrounding open access policy and regulation around the globe. The seminar will also highlight the current status of U.S. open access policy. From the seminar, future U.S. policy suggestions and recommendations will be developed.

Potomac Institute CEO Mike Swetnam will provide opening remarks.  Featured panelists include:

• Michael Stebbins, PhD, Assistant Director for Biotechnology, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)
• James Gavigan, PhD, Minister-Counselor Research & Innovation, Delegation of the European Union to the United States.
• Alan I. Leshner, PhD, CEO, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Executive Publisher, Science
• Heather Joseph, Executive Director, Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC)

Institute Brings 20 Years of Insightful Analysis Experience to Major Review, Discussion

The House Armed Services Committee has recently undertaken an effort to significantly reform the defense acquisition process – and the Potomac Institute is contributing to this important work by chartering a high level study.

The output of the analysis by the Potomac Institute will inform lawmakers on the complicated issues of defense acquisition reform and will recommend strategies and approaches for fixing, streamlining, and even restarting the process of acquisition for the good of the nation.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon announced in October that Vice Chairman Mac Thornberry would lead a long-term effort to reform the Department of Defense, including a hard look at acquisition, which is often criticized as being costly and inefficient. Defense Acquisition Reform is a critical national security issue intensified by continued international threats and budget pressures.

The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is an independent, 501(c)(3), not-for-profit public policy research institute. The Institute identifies and aggressively shepherds discussion on key science, technology, and national security issues facing our society, providing in particular, an academic forum for the study of related policy issues. From these forums, the Institute develops meaningful policy options to ensure implementation at the intersection of business and government.

Over the last 20 years, the Potomac Institute has proven its ability to focus high-level discussion and conduct insightful analysis to elevate dialogue on science and technology policy issues. The Institute has built its reputation as a “Think and Do” Tank by maintaining its principles of objectivity, credibility and independence, and fostering collaboration with business, government and academia, leading to important contributions to national S&T and security policy, processes, legislation and more.

CReST Members Are Committed to Study of Revolutionary Scientific Development and the Impact on Society and Policy

A unique convergence of pure scientific research and policy. A willingness to consider new ideas because of the value of expanding thinking.  Adding a national security perspective to science and technology policy.

These are just some of the views of Potomac Institute from a recent group of applicants for the Fellow Program at the Institute’s Center for Revolutionary Scientific Thought (CReST).  Many applicants from academia, government, industry and other fields applied for the opportunity.  After interviews, the Institute selected Mark Ridinger, MD, as a CReST Senior Fellow, and Ewelina Czapla as a CReST Fellow.

CReST is composed of members and Fellows devoted to the study of revolutionary scientific development of today and the future, and even more importantly, the potential impact of these developments on society and policy.  One of the Institute’s academic centers, CReST addresses complex problems with creative, revolutionary solutions regarding how science and technology will change our world, engendering thought and discussion on how science and technology can be used to serve the needs of societies of the future.

While Ridinger and Czapla followed different paths to the fellowship, both commend the Institute on its uniqueness.  As Czapla says, “The work that we do as CReST fellows seems to catalyze the development of new ideas and new research at the institute. Put simply, I think we keep things fresh.”

Ridinger was researching a local healthcare IT startup and noticed the CEO was an Institute Fellow; a visit to the Institute website led him to the CReST fellowship announcement. 

“I was looking for a new challenge in my career. I have mostly had a background initially in academia, then clinical medicine and in the last 15 years, in the private sector and as an entrepreneur in healthcare IT. One area that I had no exposure to was policy, and I thought it would be interesting and valuable to add that dimension to my professional background,” Ridinger explained.
Czapla heard about the Fellow program while job hunting and decided the program offered a unique merging of scientific research and policy. 

“It is refreshing that the policy approach is truly non partisan and focused on hard science,” Czapla said. “The Potomac Institute brings in great minds currently working in the field of science to provide their take on policy rather than leaving it to some policy analysts.”

CReST members are expected to pursue CReST tasks in addition to their sponsored work and duties of employment, and the Center engages in daily discussions of current events in science and technology, reviews relevant books and publications, and explores divergent concepts through the works of innovative thinkers and authors. 

To Ridinger, the non-partisan affiliation and the emphasis on informing policy based on sound science and technology evaluation are important qualities of the Institute.

“My roles here are to be part of the meetings and discussions intended to discuss and develop bold ideas across interdisciplinary realm, while providing medical and healthcare industry expertise to several initiatives underway,” Ridinger said.  “I think the fact that I have had a diverse and eclectic professional life is key. I hope to be able to call on and leverage my past experiences and broad areas of study, as well as current interests, to help bring new ideas and approaches to the group.”

Ridinger’s primary focus is the analysis of biomedical technology trends: what disruptive technologies and discoveries are happening and will happen that effect healthcare. Additionally, he is part of the study of the impact of Big Data and artificial intelligence, and neuroscience advances, among other topics.
“I’m looking forward to understanding and participating in how informed policy initiatives are developed here, and how that can be applied in a manner that benefits the country,” Ridinger said. “I also hope to continue to meet and exchange ideas with bright, accomplished people, both within the Institute and guests that frequently visit for seminars and round table discussions.”

Czapla is interested in IT and governance, which involves investigating how scientific developments can and will alter our mode of governance.

“I think my degrees in combination (BS Geology, BA Philosophy & JD) have provided me with enough scientific knowledge and enough understanding of policy to contribute in a substantial way,” Czapla said.  “As a CReST fellow, my goal is to ensure that I keep up on my areas of interest, energy and environment, and insert them into the discussion. They are important fields in our current national debate that are very tied to science.”

Founded on the ideals of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and its core mission, the Center for Revolutionary Scientific Thought forms a think tank within a think tank, serving as both an apprenticeship for those who participate, and an incubator for ideas and activities moving the Institute toward future endeavors.

The CReST team sponsors symposia, invites speakers and visitors for engaging discussions, meets with luminaries, and produces briefings, articles, opinion pieces, editorials, and blog postings.  The team also engages in research through interviews and readings, contributing to both mini-studies and in-depth technical analyses.  Most products are collaborative efforts, but at least once per year each individual member is responsible as the prime author and owner for one or more major products of publishable quality.

For more information, visit the CReST web page - https://potomacinstitute.org/academic-centers/crest.