This year we are pleased to share our Advent Calendar of Research Support with you!

We will be posting links every day on our Bluesky account. If you’re not on Bluesky yet, don’t worry — we’ve shared the calendar below for you to view at your own time. We will also keep this post updated throughout the month with an accessible version of the content.

1 December: On the first day of advent, improve the visibility of your research by updating your UCL public profile, recently revamped with key fields in RPS, including the new UN Sustainable Development Goals section, to align your research with global initiatives.
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/open-science-research-support/ucl-profiles/getting-started-your-public-profile

• UCL front quad, looking towards Cruciform, an elegant red brick building. It is dark and the picture is lined with trees with purple and blue lights.

2 December: Countdown to Christmas with Citizen Science…Join UCL’s first Citizen Science community event on 9 December! Let’s discover, share and network this season. Don’t forget to join our online network too! https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/open-access/2024/11/13/get-involved-ucls-first-citizen-science-community-event-on-9-december-join-our-online-network/

• Image by Alejandro Salinas Lopez “alperucho” on UCL imagestore. A group of three women in warm clothing toasting with cups of coffee at night.

3 December: Is Santa’s Christmas naughty or nice list copyrighted? Think of it as research data…Take our Christmas copyright quiz to learn more! https://ucl-global.libwizard.com/f/copyright_Christmas_quiz Image created using Copilot on 22 November

• Image: cartoon of a copyright symbol with a white beard and Christmas hat.

 

4 December: Today we are celebrating the 10 years since the IOE’s merger with UCL. Check out the action on the UCL Press channels.

• Image from UCL Press. A perspective shot of the IOE looking up, looks like a stack of big concrete blocks.

 

5 December: Learn how to connect your ORCID to UCL’s Research Publications Service (RPS) for up-to-date records and easier #OpenAccess compliance. More info: https://buff.ly/3WALW3s

• Image by Mary Hinkley on UCL imagestore. UCL front quad at twilight. In front of the portico is a Christmas tree decorated with yellow lights. To the right of the image is a leafless tree decorated with purple and pink lights which can be seen reflecting off the white building beyond.

 

6 December: Tis the season…for data management planning!
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/open-science-research-support/research-data-management/policies/managing-data-across-research

• Image by Alejandro Salinas Lopez “alperucho” on UCL imagestore. Image shows a Christmas garland over and arch with people walking through, slightly out of focus. The garland is threaded with yellow lights and the words Happy Holiday Season are written in pink lights.

7 December: Ever wondered if your publications are being cited in policy documents, and where? With policy and grey literature databases like Overton, you can discover who is citing your work and how it’s influencing decision-making documents. https://library-guides.ucl.ac.uk/research-metrics/overton

• Image by Mat Wright on UCL imagestore. A girl with dark hair and wire rimmed glasses wearing a yellow jumper sits at a laptop. In the background can be seen colourful book stacks.

8 December: Explore this year’s Open Science Conference collections available on UCL’s Media Central and Research Data Repository! Access talks, posters, and insights from UCL researchers advancing open science, and share in the wealth of knowledge supporting our open research community.
https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/open-access/2024/07/11/from-policy-to-practice-ucl-open-science-conference-2024/

• Image by John Moloney on UCL imagestore. A group of people in business attire socialising with drinks. Picture is taken from a distance and slightly above.

9 December: Early Christmas Present?.. Yes please! Learn more about archiving your research outputs using the UCL Research Data Repository: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/open-science-research-support/research-data-management/ucl-research-data-repository

• Image by UCL Media Services on UCL imagestore. A close up of a bright purple bauble on a tree with some blue lights.

 

10 December: What did the copyright support team bring you this year? Read our Christmas blog!
https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/copyright/2024/12/02/the-twelve-gifts-of-copyright/

• Image by Tony Slade from UCL imagestore. A top-down photograph of four students working individually at wooden desks. To the right of the image are wooden bookcases full of colourful books.

11 December: It’s UK Disability History Month (14 Nov – 20 Dec)! Take this opportunity to learn about the UCL Digital Accessibility team’s work to make research and resources more inclusive. Catch up on our profile with Ben Watson, leading the way on digital accessibility at UCL!
https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/open-access/2024/07/08/spotlight-on-ben-watson-champion-of-digital-accessibility-at-ucl/

 

12 December: Preprints as a way to share your initial findings to influence decision-makers: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/open-access/2020/11/06/case-study-disseminating-early-research-findings-to-influnce-decision-makers/

• Image by Tony Slade on UCL imagestore. A close-up perspective shot of a bookcase. Black books with gold writing are in the foreground and red, orange and blue volumes are further back.

13 December: Want to learn how UCL Press is committed to providing free, high-quality educational resources to support students and educators globally? Read Dhara Snowden’s blog on how #OpenAccess textbooks are reshaping the future of learning and education! https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/open-access/2024/10/23/oa-textbooks-ucl-press-perspective/

• Image by Alejandro Salinas Lopez “alperucho” on UCL imagestore. A plate of mince pies.

 14 December: This holiday season, we’re celebrating meaningful partnerships between researchers and the public with the Principles for Citizen Science at UCL. The principles ensure that projects involving citizen scientists are inclusive, ethical, and impactful – a perfect recipe for success!

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/open-science-research-support/open-science/citizen-science/principles-citizen-science

• Image by Mary Hinkley on UCL imagestore. A close up of a Christmas tree covered in yellow lights and small silver leaves. In the background can be seen a grey building, some leafless trees and a dark grey statue of a man.

15 December: An RDM film recommendation – Coded Bias (Netflix)- When MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini discovers that many facial recognition technologies misclassify women and darker-skinned faces, she delves into an investigation of widespread bias in algorithms. https://youtu.be/_84k600_6bg?feature=shared

• Image by Alejandro Salinas Lopez “alperucho” on UCL imagestore. An arm and hand in profile holds up a mobile phone with the camera open. The phone shows the UCL portico and Christmas tree. The background is out of focus but appears to show Christmas lights.

16 December: Creative Commons licences embrace the spirit of Christmas. Learn how they work: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/open-access/2023/10/23/how-creative-commons-licences-support-open-scholarship/

• Image by James Tye on UCL imagestore. Image shows a view through a gap in books to a woman with light brown hair holding the books open and appearing to be searching the shelf.

17 December: Earlier this year, we introduced the UCL Statement on Principles of Authorship, created through community consultation and co-creation. This document is designed to promote more equitable and transparent authorship practices across UCL. Learn more: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/open-access/2024/10/25/announcing-ucl-statement-on-principles-of-authorship/

• Image by Alejandro Walter Salinas Lopez on UCL imagestore. Six people in office attire facing a bright yellow wall covered in postit notes

18 December: Have you ever questioned which university ranks highest for collaboration or open access? Explore the Leiden University Rankings, based exclusively on publication data, to find the answer. https://www.leidenranking.com/ranking/2024/list

• Image by Mat Wright on UCL imagestore. A student with long blonde hair studies in the foreground. Behind her are rows of wooden desks and book stacks in arches sit further back.

19 December: UCL Press Play: Check out the new podcast series from @uclpress.bsky.social hosted by Philip Schofield (UCL’s Bentham Project). Join UCL experts as they explore Jeremy Bentham’s legacy, covering utilitarianism, queer aesthetics, historical views on non-binary diversity, and more.  Listen now: shorturl.at/Nvqzl

• Image by KamranAydinov on Freepik. Blue headphones surrounded by christmas decorations, stockings, candles, tree lights and pine cones.

20 December: Ever hit a paywall when trying to access scholarly publications? Get the popcorn ready, and be prepared to have your eyes opened by watching this documentary ‘Paywall: the Business of Scholarship’ at https://paywallthemovie.com/ #OpenAccess #ResearchSupportAdvent

• Image by Mary Hinkley on UCL imagestore. A mixed group of people around a table working at laptops.

 

21 December: An RDM stocking filler – Research Data MANTRA training – up your RDM skills with this external online course: https://mantra.ed.ac.uk/

• Image by Mary Hinkley on UCL imagestore. Two large and several small icicles against a wintery sky.

 

22 December: UCL staff and students: join our new Copyright Literacy Community on Teams!

• Image by KamranAydinov on Freepik. Top view of hand holding a pen on spiral notebook with new year writing and drawings decoration accessories on black background.

 

23 December: Interested in discovering which UCL department or faculty collaborates most with yours, or identifying the most common research theme in your department? Explore the My Organisation data in InCites to uncover trends for your department or faculty. https://library-guides.ucl.ac.uk/web-of-science/incites

• Image by Alejandro Salinas Lopez “alperucho” on UCL imagestore. A Christmas tree with white lights at night in front of columns lit with colours of the rainbow.

24 December: From all the team here at the UCL Office for Open Science & Scholarship we want to thank you all for your collaboration and interaction this year, and wish you all a great break! We’ll be back after 6th January!

• UCL portico in the background lit up in white at twilight. In the foreground and to either side trees are lit in a variety of rainbow colours.

Guest post by Ilan Kelman, Professor of Disasters and Health, building on his captivating presentation in Session 2 of the UCL Open Science Conference 2024.

Open Science brings risks and opportunities regarding privacy. Making methods, data, analyses, disagreements, and conclusions entirely publicly available demonstrates the scientific process, including its messiness and uncertainties. Showing how much we do not know and how we aim to fill in gaps excites and encourages people about science and scientific careers. It also holds scientists accountable, since any mistakes can be identified and corrected, which is always an essential part of science.

Given these advantages, Open Science offers so much to researchers and to those outside research. It helps to make science accessible to anyone, notably for application, while supporting exchange with those inspired by the work.

People’s right to privacy, as an ethical and legal mandate, must still be maintained. If a situation might worsen by Open Science not respecting privacy, irrespective of it being legal, then care is required to respect those who would want or might deserve privacy. Anonymity and confidentiality are part of research ethics precisely to achieve a balance. Irrespective, Open Science might inadvertently reveal information sources or it could be feasible to identify research participants who would prefer not to be exposed. Being aware of possible pitfalls assists in preventing them.

Disaster decisions

Some research could be seen as violating privacy. Disaster researchers seek to understand who dies in disasters, how, and why, in order to improve safety for everyone and to save lives. The work can examine death certificates and pictures of dead bodies. Publicising all this material could violate the privacy and dignity of those who perished and could augment the grief of those left behind.

Sometimes, research hones in on problematic actions for improving without blaming, whereas society more widely might seek to judge. A handful of studies has examined the blood alcohol level of drivers who died while driving through floodwater, which should never be attempted even when sober (Figure 1). In many cases, the driver was above the legal limit for blood alcohol level. Rather than embarrassing the deceased by naming-and-shaming, it would help everyone to use the data as an impetus to tackle simultaneously the separate and unacceptable decisions to drive drunk, to drive drugged, and to drive through floodwater.

Yet storytelling can be a powerful communication technique to encourage positive behavioural change. If identifying details are used, then it must involve the individuals’ or their kin’s full and informed consent. Even with this consent, it might not be necessary to provide the full details, as a more generic narrative can remain emotional and effective. Opportunities for improving disaster decisions emerge in consensual sharing, so that it avoids violating privacy—while also being careful regarding the real need to publish the specifics of any particular story.

Figure 1: Researching the dangerous behaviour of people driving through floodwater, with the number plate blurred to protect privacy (photo by Ilan Kelman).

Small sample populations

Maintaining confidentiality and anonymity for interviewees can be a struggle where interviewees have comparatively unique experiences or positions and so are easily identifiable. Governments in jurisdictions with smaller populations might employ only a handful of people in the entire country who know about a certain topic. Stating that an interviewee is “A national government worker in Eswatini specialising in international environmental treaties” or “A megacity mayor” could narrow it down to a few people or to one person.

A similar situation arises with groups comprising a small number of people from whom to select interviewees, such as “vehicle business owners in Kiruna, Sweden”, “International NGO CEOs”, or specific elites. Even with thousands of possible interviewees, for instance “university chiefs” or “Olympic athletes”, quotations from the interview or locational details might make it easy to narrow down and single out a specific interviewee.

Interviewee identification can become even simpler when basic data on interviewees, such as sex and age range, are provided, as is standard in research papers. Providing interview data in a public repository is sometimes expected, with the possibility of full transcripts, so that others can examine and use those data. The way someone expresses themselves might make them straightforward to pinpoint within a small group of potential interviewees.

Again, risks and opportunities regarding privacy focus on consent and on necessity of listing details. Everyone including any public figure has some level of a right to privacy (Figure 2). Where consent is not given to waive confidentiality or anonymity, then the research process—including reviewing and publishing academic papers—needs to accept that not all interviewee details or data can or should be shared. With consent, care is still required to ensure that identifying individuals or permitting them to be discovered really adds to the positive impacts from the research.

Figure 2: Ralph Nader, an American politician and activist, still has a right to privacy when not speaking in public (photo by Ilan Kelman).

Caution, care, and balance

With caution and care, always seeking a balance with respect to privacy, any difficulties emerging from Open Science can be prevented. Of especial importance is not sacrificing many of the immense and much-needed gains from Open Science.

Post by Sheetal Saujani, UCL Citizen Science Coordinator.

Are you passionate about citizen science, or curious about how to involve the public in research projects? Join us on Monday, 9 December, from 10:00-13:00 at UCL’s IAS Common Ground (Room G11, South Wing, UCL Wilkins Building) for a half-day event that will bring together the Citizen Science community at UCL to learn, share, and connect!

This event is a fantastic opportunity for UCL staff and students interested in Citizen Science —whether you’re already engaged in a project or just exploring the field. The event will feature inspiring lightning talks, two hands-on workshops, and a look into a standout citizen science initiative—the UCL Memory Workshop. You’ll gain insights into cutting-edge citizen science practices at UCL and beyond, as well as guidance on skills development, research funding, and collaborative projects.

Our agenda includes:

• Lightning talks: Discover citizen science units, resources, and support across UCL.
• Skills development workshop: Led by Prof. Muki Haklay from UCL ExCiteS, this session will build core competencies in citizen science.
• Interactive workshop: Develop compelling grant applications for citizen science and map out UCL expertise in the field.
• Citizen science project highlight: An introduction to the UCL Memory Workshop, our showcase citizen science initiative. 
• Speed networking session (optional): Meet others passionate about citizen science and grow your professional network.

This event is more than just a chance to learn: it’s designed to connect you with like-minded peers and foster collaborations across departments. Plus, with light refreshments provided, it’s the perfect way to spend a Monday morning in great company!

Please see the Eventbrite page for more information and book your place today!

Don’t miss out on the chance to grow, learn, and become part of a vibrant, diverse community. Register now and help shape the future of citizen science at UCL!

This event is for UCL staff and students only.

Get involved and join the Citizen Science MS Teams Community!

In October 2023, we launched the UCL Citizen Science community on MS Teams, and we want you to be part of it! Whether you’re a student, staff member, or researcher at UCL with a passion for or interest in citizen science, this informal network is your chance to connect and grow. Join a community where you can share knowledge and experiences, exchange ideas, advice, and stories that inspire. It’s more than just a platform—it’s a space for building networks, sparking creativity, and driving citizen science forward.

Become part of the online network today and help shape the future of citizen science!

This is the last article of our Copyright and Open Science series by Christine Daoutis, UCL Copyright Support Officer, which explored important aspects of copyright and its implications for open research and scholarship.

In this post, we conclude our Copyright and Open Science series by focusing on open education. Broadly defined, open education is “a philosophy about how people should produce, share, and build on knowledge” (source: What is open education? Opensource.com). It refers to values, practices and resources that aim to make scholarship more accessible, equitable, sustainable, transparent and collaborative.

The UNESCO definition of OERs highlights the importance of freely accessible educational materials in advancing open education practices globally. This includes the creation and reuse of OERs—materials that are either out of copyright or licensed to allow reuse. However, open education extends beyond resources to include practices such as integrating open science into teaching, sharing educational practices, and co-creating resources with learners.

OERs include a wide range of materials, such as open textbooks, open access articles, lecture handouts, images, film, slides, lecture recordings, assessment resources, software and whole courses such as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS). By default, all these resources are protected by copyright. If you’re planning to create open educational resources, here’s some copyright advice.

Addressing copyright in OERs

1. Know who owns what. If you are creating or collaborating on a teaching resource, it is essential to clarify who holds the copyright. This could be you, the author; your employer, if the work was created in the course of employment; or the resource could be co-owned with others, including students or sponsors. To license a resource for reuse (for example, to make it available under a Creative Commons licence), you must own the copyright to the resource and/or agree such licensing with co-owners. ♦ Copyright ownership at UCL is addressed in the UCL IP Policy.

2. Make the resources openly available and reusable. Once you are certain that the resource is yours to license, consider making it openly available, under a licence that allows reuse. Open access repositories support the discovery and access of different types of materials, including OERs. UCL has a dedicated OER repository, which accepts materials created by its staff and students.

As for licensing: we have explained in a previous post how Creative Commons licences work; and you can read more on how CC licences support OERs on the Creative Commons wiki. Licensing under the most permissive of the licences, the Creative Commons Attribution licence (CC BY), supports the ‘five Rs’ of OERs: enabling others to “retain, revise, remix, reuse and redistribute the materials”. (David Wiley, Defining the “Open” in Open Content and Open Educational Resources, Improving Learning blog).

3. Address any third-party materials. If the resource contains materials you don’t own the copyright to (such as third-party content), you have a few options:

• Reuse works that are out of copyright (public domain) or openly licensed. These might include Creative Commons images and videos, open access articles, and OERs created by others. ♦ See UCL’s guidance on finding OERs and a reading list with links to many openly licensed resources.
• Get permission from the copyright owner. If the material is not openly licensed, you might consider seeking permission to reuse it. Be clear about how the resource containing the material will be shared (i.e., as an OER). Third-party materials included in an OER should be shared under their own copyright terms (e.g., their reuse may be more restricted than the rest of the resource) and this should be communicated when sharing.
• Rely on a copyright exception. In some cases, instead of getting permission you may decide to rely on a copyright exception, notably the quotation exception in UK copyright law. Using exceptions requires judgement. You’ll need to determine whether the use of the material is ‘fair dealing’: does the purpose justify the use? Does it affect the copyright owner’s market? Overall, is it “fair” to all parties involved? Be aware that copyright exceptions vary by country, which is important when making a resource globally available. The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Open Educational Resources explores these approaches further, putting forward a framework that could be applied internationally.

Putting the copyright advice to practice: examples from UCL’s copyright online tutorials.

While creating UCL’s Copyright Essentials and Copyright and your Teaching, two online tutorials introducing copyright, the UCL Copyright support team drew on its own advice. Specifically:

• Copyright ownership and attribution were addressed. Copyright Essentials is an adaptation of an original resource, which was also openly licensed. Attribution to all original authors was included.
• Both tutorials are publicly available online, allowing anyone to access and complete them. They are also licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution licence, permitting others to adapt and redistribute the materials with appropriate attribution.
• Third-party materials mostly included openly licensed images and links to lawfully shared videos and documents. However, for some materials, we opted to rely on copyright exceptions, which involved a degree of interpretation and risk. This was highlighted in the tutorials, inviting learners to reflect on the use of exceptions.

It should be noted that using proprietary e-learning tools (like Articulate Rise) to develop the tutorials restricts reuse. While the shared resources can be accessed, they cannot be downloaded or edited. Authors wishing to adapt the resources have the option to recreate the materials under the licence terms or contact us for an editable copy. Ideally, these resources should be created with open-source tools, but there’s a trade-off between the advantages of user-friendly, accessible proprietary tools and these limitations.

For more advice on copyright and OERs please contact copyright@ucl.ac.uk.

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Read more from the Copyright and Open Science Series:

• Developing a Copyright Literacy Community at UCL (UCL Copyright blog, 29 April 2024): An introduction to building a community around copyright literacy at UCL.
• Copyright Literacy Matters: Developing a Copyright Literacy Strategy at UCL (UCL Copyright blog, 14 October 2024): A deep dive into UCL’s strategy for copyright literacy across the institution.
• Keeping it Fair and Honest: How Copyright Exceptions Can Support Your Thesis, Publications, and Teaching (UCL Copyright blog, 22 February 2024): This post explores copyright exceptions, with practical examples for researchers and educators.
• Copyright and Open Science in the Age of AI: What Can We All Do to Ensure Free and Open Access to Knowledge for All? (Open@UCL blog, 24 October 2024): A discussion on the intersection of copyright, open science, and AI, focusing on access and equity.
• Copyright and AI Part 1: How Does Copyright Apply to AI-Generated Works? (Open@UCL blog, 21 June 2024): An exploration of the implications of AI in copyright law, particularly concerning AI-generated works.
• Copyright and AI Part 2: Perceived Challenges, Suggested Approaches, and the Role of Copyright Literacy (Open@UCL blog, 15 August 2024): A follow-up on the challenges AI presents to copyright, along with potential solutions and the role of copyright literacy in addressing these challenges.
• Text and Data Mining (TDM) and Your Research: Copyright Implications and New Website Guidance (Open@UCL blog, 13 May 2024): Insights into how copyright affects text and data mining (TDM) in research, including new guidance.
• How Understanding Copyright Can Help You as a Researcher (Open@UCL blog, 4 April 2024): A beginner’s guide to understanding copyright and its importance for academic research.

On behalf of the UCL Office for Open Science & Scholarship and the UKRN local leads, we would like to thank everyone who engaged with the nominations and showed us how amazing the research community at UCL is. We were overwhelmed by the support for this process, and the judging panel had a really hard job selecting just a few winners from the over 50 applications and nominations we received!

We will be presenting the awards in a small ceremony during International Open Access Week on 2-3:30pm, Wednesday 23rd October (for the full list of events for that week, check our blog post). A selection of winners and honourable mentions will present their work, followed by a small reception sponsored by UCL Press.

We have limited tickets available due to the small venue, but tickets are available on Eventbrite for UCL staff and students.

Full information about all of these projects will be available on the day of the awards, so watch this space!

Category: Students

Winners:
• Sophie Ka Ling Lau and Divya Balain, postgraduate students at the Faculty of Brain Sciences and Life Sciences

Honourable mentions:
• Beth Downe, MSc in Ecology and Data Science at Division of Biosciences
• Gabrielle Pengyu Shao, Undergraduate student in Geography

Category: Non-academic Staff

Winners:
• Dr Eirini-Christina Saloniki, Senior Research Fellow in Health Economics (NIHR ARC North Thames) in the Department of Applied Health Research
• William Lammons, Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Lead for the Applied Research Collaboration North Thames

Category: Open Publishing

Winner:
• Dr Emily Gardner, Research Fellow in the Department of Genetics & Genomic Medicine

Honourable mentions:
• Dr Deborah Padfield, Associate Professor at the Slade School of Fine Art
• Dr Adam Parker, Lecturer in the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences (with David Shanks, Courtenay Norbury, and Daryl Lee)

Category: Open-Source Software/Analytical Tools

Winner:
• Alessandro Felder (on behalf of the BrainGlobe team), Research Software Engineer in the Neuroinformatics Unit at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre and technical lead for the BrainGlobe initiative

Honourable mentions:
• Hengrui Zhang, PhD student at the Institute of Health Informatics
• Mathilde Ripart, PhD student at the Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
• Prof Justyna Petke, Professor of Software Engineering at the Centre for Research on Evolution, Search and Testing
• Dr Enny van Beest, Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Ophthalmology, and Dr Célian Bimbard, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Ophthalmology

Category: Advocating for Open Science/Community Building

Winner:
• Dr Joseph Cook, Lead of the UCL Citizen Science Academy at the Institute for Global Prosperity

Honourable mentions:
• Claire Waddington, PhD student at the Dementia Research Centre
• Fan Cheng, PhD student at the Faculty of Population Health Sciences

Book your tickets now and join us in celebrating the incredible open science work happening at UCL!

For more information about the UCL Open Science and Scholarship Awards, visit our webpage. You can also stay connected by following us on LinkedIn or BlueSky, and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on the awards and all things open science at UCL!

We’re excited to announce a packed programme of events for this year’s #OAWeek at UCL! Throughout the week, we’ll be sharing daily blog posts and updates on social media that highlight the latest activities from UCL Press and the UCL Copyright team, alongside exciting news on our growing Citizen Science Community on MS Teams. This year’s theme, ‘Community over Commercialisation’, will be at the heart of our discussions, exploring how we can prioritise openness and collaboration in research to benefit the public and academic communities rather than profit-driven initiatives.

Read more about Open Access week and this year’s theme.

Tuesday 22 October (11:00am-2:00 pm) – Open Science and ARC Roadshow

As part of this year’s Open Access Week activities, we’re launching the first in a series of pilot roadshows, jointly organised by the UCL Office for Open Science & Scholarship and the Centre for Advanced Research Computing.

Come and find us outside the Academic Staff Common Room in the North Cloisters between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm, where our team will be on hand to answer all your questions about Open Access publishing, Research Data Management, Research IT, Data Stewardship, Citizen Science, and any other Open Science-related topics you’re curious about! Stop by to find out more—we might even have some goodies waiting for you!

No registration needed – find the event location on the webpage.

Tuesday 22 October (2:30-4:00 pm) – Copyright, Open Science & Creativity

One event we’re particularly excited about is happening on Tuesday, 22 October (2:30–4:00 pm). We’ll be hosting a brand-new card game designed by Christine Daouti, titled ‘Copyright, Open Science, and Creativity’. This engaging game provides a fun and interactive way to explore key topics like equity in open science, authors’ rights, and open access publishing. You’ll have the opportunity to debate various aspects of copyright with fellow participants and explore issues such as open licences, AI in research, rights retention, and the challenges of equity in open science.

Spaces are limited, so be sure to sign up early! For more details and registration information, visit the event page.

Wednesday 23 October (2:00–3:30 pm) – Annual Open Science & Scholarship Awards

We’re also really glad to invite you to our second Annual Open Science & Scholarship Awards! Join us in celebrating the incredible contributions of colleagues and students to the future of open research and scholarship. The event will feature short talks from the winners in each category, followed by the award presentations. Afterwards, stay for drinks, nibbles, and a chance to network with peers.

Register today via our Eventbrite page!

Thursday 24 October, 2.30 pm – 4 pm, drop-in session on Copyright, Licences and Open Science

Join the UCL Copyright team for an online drop-in session where they’ll be available to answer your questions about copyright, licensing, and how to share your research openly. This is a great opportunity to clarify any issues related to your research, thesis, publications, or data. Feel free to drop in on Teams between 2:30 and 3:50 pm or send your questions in advance to copyright@ucl.ac.uk.

To get you started, here are a few questions you might want to consider:

• Why do research funders prefer CC BY licences for journal articles and monographs?
• What copyright considerations should you keep in mind when making your data open and FAIR?
• Can you use someone else’s copyrighted materials in your own thesis or publication that you plan to make open access?

This session offers a chance to resolve these and other copyright and licensing concerns so you can better understand the open research landscape.

Visit the event page for more information and sign up now!

Stay connected!

While we prepare for the events coming up, make sure you stay informed about new articles, events, and projects by signing up for your mailing list to receive the next issue of our Open@UCL newsletter. Also, join in the conversation during #OAWeek by checking this blog page for daily updates, and following us on LinkedIn or our newly created BlueSky account.

See you there!

 

Guest post by Julie Fabre, PhD candidate in Systems Neuroscience at UCL. 

As a neuroscientist who has designed several open source software projects, I’ve experienced firsthand both the power and pitfalls of the process. Many researchers, myself included, have learned to code on the job, and there’s often a significant gap between writing functional code and designing robust software systems. This gap becomes especially apparent when developing tools for the scientific community, where reliability, usability, and maintainability are crucial.

My journey in open source software development has led to the creation of several tools that have gained traction in the neuroscience community. One such project is bombcell: a software designed to assess the quality of recorded neural units. This tool replaces what was once a laborious manual process and is now used in over 30 labs worldwide. Additionally, I’ve developed other smaller toolboxes for neuroscience:

• YAHT: Yet Another Histology Toolbox
• prettify_matlab: MATLAB Code Formatter
• brain_street_view: Interactive Brain Mapping

These efforts were recognized last year when I received an honourable mention in the UCL Open Science and Scholarship Awards.

In this post, I’ll share insights gained from these experiences. I’ll cover, with some simplified examples from my toolboxes:

1. Core design principles
2. Open source best practices for academia

Disclaimer: I am not claiming to be an expert. Don’t view this as a definitive guide, but rather as a conversation starter.

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Follow Julie’s lead: Whether you’re directly involved in open source software development or any other aspect of open science and scholarship, or if you simply know someone who has made important contributions, consider applying yourself or nominating a colleague for this year’s UCL Open Science and Scholarship Awards to gain recognition for outstanding work!

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Part 1: Core Design Principles

As researchers, we often focus on getting our code to work, but good software design goes beyond just functionality. In order to maintain and build upon your software, following a few principles from the get go will elevate software from “it works” to “it’s a joy to use, maintain and contribute to”.

1. Complexity is the enemy

A primary goal of good software design is to reduce complexity. One effective way to simplify complex functions with many parameters is to use configuration objects. This approach not only reduces parameter clutter but also makes functions more flexible and maintainable. Additionally, breaking down large functions into smaller, more manageable pieces can significantly reduce overall complexity.

Example: Simplifying a data analysis function

For instance, in bombcell we run many different quality metrics, and each quality metric is associated with several other parameters. In the main function, instead of inputting all the different parameters independently:

[qMetric, unitType] = runAllQualityMetrics(plotDetails, plotGlobal, verbose, reExtractRaw, saveAsTSV, removeDuplicateSpikes, duplicateSpikeWindow_s, detrendWaveform, nRawSpikesToExtract, spikeWidth, computeSpatialDecay, probeType, waveformBaselineNoiseWindow, tauR_values, tauC, computeTimeChunks, deltaTimeChunks, presenceRatioBinSize, driftBinSize, ephys_sample_rate, nChannelsIsoDist, normalizeSpDecay, (... many many more parameters ...), rawData, savePath);

they are all stored in a ‘param’ object that is passed onto the function:

[qMetric, unitType] = runAllQualityMetrics(param, rawData, savePath);

This approach reduces parameter clutter and makes the function more flexible and maintainable.

 2. Design for change

Research software often needs to adapt to new hypotheses or methodologies. When writing a function, ask yourself “what additional functionalities might I need in the future?” and design your code accordingly. Implementing modular designs allows for easy modification and extension as research requirements evolve. Consider using dependency injection to make components more flexible and testable. This approach separates the creation of objects from their usage, making it easier to swap out implementations or add new features without affecting existing code.

Example: Modular design for a data processing pipeline

Instead of a monolithic script:

function runAllQualityMetrics(param, rawData, savePath)
% Hundreds of lines of code doing many different things
(...)
end

Create a modular pipeline that separates each quality metric into a different function:

function qMetric = runAllQualityMetrics(param, rawData, savePath)
nUnits = length(rawData);
for iUnit = 1:nUnits
% step 1: calculate percentage spikes missing
qMetric.percSpikesMissing(iUnit) = bc.qm.percSpikesMissing(param, rawData);
% step 2: calculate fraction refractory period violations
qMetric.fractionRPviolations(iUnit) = bc.qm.fractionRPviolations(param, rawData);
% step 3: calculate presence ratio
qMetric.presenceRatio(iUnit) = bc.qm.presenceRatio(param, rawData);
(...)
% step n: calculate distance metrics
qMetric.distanceMetric(iUnit) = bc.qm.getDistanceMetric(param, rawData);
end
bc.qm.saveQMetrics(qMetric, savePath)
end

This structure allows for easy modification of individual steps or addition of new steps without affecting the entire pipeline.

In addition, this structure allows us to define new parameters easily that can then modify the behavior of the subfunctions. For instance we can add different methods (such as adding the ‘gaussian’ option below) without changing how any of the functions are called!

param.percSpikesMissingMethod = 'gaussian';
qMetric.percSpikesMissing(iUnit) = bc.qm.percSpikesMissing(param, rawData);

and then, inside the function:

function percSpikesMissing = percSpikesMissing(param, rawData);
if param.percSpikesMissingMethod == 'gaussian'
(...)
else
(...)
end
end

3. Hide complexity

Expose only what’s necessary to use a module or function, hiding the complex implementation details. Use abstraction layers to separate interface from implementation, providing clear and concise public APIs while keeping complex logic private. This approach not only makes your software easier to use but also allows you to refactor and optimize internal implementations without affecting users of your code.

Example: Complex algorithm with a simple interface

For instance, in bombcell there are many parameters. When we run the main script that calls all quality metrics, we also want to ensure all parameters are present and are in a correct format.

function qMetric = runAllQualityMetrics(param, rawData, savePath)
% Complex input validation that is hidden to the user
param_complete = bc.qm.checkParameterFields(param);

% Core function that calcvulates all quality metrics
nUnits = length(rawData);

for iUnit = 1:nUnits
% steps 1 to n
(...)
end

end

Users of this function don’t need to know about the input validation or other complex calculations. They just need to provide input and options.

4. Write clear code

Clear code reduces the need for extensive documentation and makes your software more accessible to collaborators. Use descriptive and consistent variable names throughout your codebase. When dealing with specific quantities, consider adding units to variable names (e.g., ‘time_ms’ for milliseconds) to improve clarity. You can add comments to explain non-obvious logic and to add general outlines of the steps in your code. Following consistent coding style and formatting guidelines across your project also contributes to overall clarity.

Example: Improving clarity in a data processing function

Instead of an entirely mysterious function

function [ns, sr] = ns(st, t)
ns = numel(st);
sr = ns/t;

Add more descriptive variable and function names and add function headers:

function [nSpikes, spikeRate] = numberSpikes(theseSpikeTimes, totalTime_s)
% Count the number of spikes for the current unit
% ------
% Inputs
% ------
% theseSpikeTimes: [nSpikesforThisUnit × 1 double vector] of time in seconds of each of the unit's spikes.
% totalTime_s: [double] of the total recording time, in seconds.
% ------
% Outputs
% ------
% nSpikes: [double] number of spikes for current unit.
% spikeRate_s : [double] spiking rare for current unit, in seconds.
% ------
nSpikes = numel(theseSpikeTimes);
spikeRate_s = nSpikes/totalTime_s;
end


5. Design for testing

Incorporate testing into your design process from the beginning. This not only catches bugs early but also encourages modular, well-defined components.

Example: Testable design for a data analysis function

For the simple ‘numberSpikes’ function we define above, we can have a few tests to cover various scenarios and edge cases to ensure the function works correctly. For instance, we can test a normal case with a few spikes and an empty spike times input.

function testNormalCase(testCase)
theseSpikeTimes = [0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5]; totalTime_s = 1;
[nSpikes, spikeRate] = numberSpikes(theseSpikeTimes, totalTime_s);
verifyEqual(testCase, nSpikes, 5, 'Number of spikes should be 5');
verifyEqual(testCase, spikeRate, 5, 'Spike rate should be 5 Hz');
end

function testEmptySpikeTimes(testCase)
theseSpikeTimes = [];
totalTime_s = 1;
[nSpikes, spikeRate] = numberSpikes(theseSpikeTimes, totalTime_s);
verifyEqual(testCase, nSpikes, 0, 'Number of spikes should be 0 for empty input');
verifyEqual(testCase, spikeRate, 0, 'Spike rate should be 0 for empty input');
end

This design allows for easy unit testing of individual components of the analysis pipeline.

Part 2: Open Source Best Practices for Academia

While using version control and having a README, documentation, license, and contribution guidelines are essential, I have found that these practices have the most impact:

Example Scripts and Toy Data

I have found that the most useful thing you can provide with your software are example scripts, and even better, provide toy data that loads in your example script. Users can then quickly test your software and see how to use it on their own data — and are then more likely to adopt it. If possible, package the example scripts in Jupyter notebooks/MATLAB live scripts (or equivalent) demonstrating key use cases. In bombcell, we provide a small dataset (Bombcell Toy Data on GitHub) and a MATLAB live script that runs bombcell on this small toy dataset (Getting Started with Bombcell on GitHub). 

Issue-Driven Improvement

To manage user feedback effectively, enforce the use of an issue tracker (like GitHub Issues) for all communications. This approach ensures that other users can benefit from conversations and reduces repetitive work. When addressing questions or bugs, consider if there are ways to improve documentation or add safeguards to prevent similar issues in the future. This iterative process leads to more robust and intuitive software.

Citing

Make your software citable quickly. Before (or instead) of publishing, you can generate a citable DOI using software like Zenodo. Consider also publishing in the Journal of Open Source Software (JOSS) for light peer review. Clearly outline how users should cite your software in their publications to ensure proper recognition of your work.

Conclusion

These practices can help create popular, user-friendly, and robust academic software. Remember that good software design is an iterative process, and continuously seeking feedback and improving your codebase (and sometimes entirely rewriting/refactoring parts) will lead to more robust code.

To go deeper into principles of software design, I highly recommend reading “A Philosophy of Software Design” by John Ousterhout or “The Good Research Code Handbook” by Patrick J. Mineault.

Get involved! 

The UCL Office for Open Science and Scholarship invites you to contribute to the open science and scholarship movement. Join our mailing list, and follow us on X, formerly Twitter and LinkedIn, to stay connected for updates, events, and opportunities.

 

 

 

Guest post by Christine Daoutis (UCL), Alex Fenlon (University of Birmingham) and Erica Levi (Coventry University).

This blog post is part of a collaborative series between the UCL Office for Open Science and Scholarship and the UCL Copyright team exploring important aspects of copyright and its implications for open research and scholarship. 

A previous post outlined copyright-related questions when creating GenAI materials—questions related to ownership, protection/originality, and infringement when using GenAI. The post discussed how answers to these questions are not straightforward, largely depend on what is at stake and for whom, and are constantly shaped by court cases as they develop.

What does this uncertainty mean for students, academics, and researchers who use GenAI and, crucially, for those in roles that support them? To what extent does GenAI create new challenges, and to what extent are these uncertainties inherent in working with copyright? How can we draw on existing expertise to support and educate on using GenAI, and what new skills do we need to develop?

In this post, we summarise a discussion we led as part of our workshop for library and research support professionals at the Research Libraries UK (RLUK) annual conference in March 2024. This year’s conference title was New Frontiers: The Expanding Scope of the Modern Research Library. Unsurprisingly, when considering the expanding scope of libraries in supporting research, GenAI is one of the first things that comes to mind.

Our 16 workshop participants came from various roles, research institutions, and backgrounds. What they had in common was an appetite to understand and support copyright in the new context of AI, and a collective body of expertise that, as we will see, is very useful when tackling copyright questions in a novel context. The workshop consisted of presentations and small group discussions built around the key themes outlined below.

Perceived Challenges and Opportunities
Does the research library community overall welcome GenAI? It is undoubtedly viewed as a way to make scholarship easier and faster, offering practical solutions—for example, supporting literature reviews or facilitating draft writing by non-English speakers. Beyond that, several participants see an opportunity to experiment, perhaps becoming less risk-averse, and welcome new tools that can make research more efficient in new and unpredictable ways.

However, concerns outweigh the perceived benefits. It was repeatedly mentioned that there is a need for more transparent, reliable, sustainable, and equitable tools before adopting them in research. Crucially, users need to ask themselves what exactly they are doing when using GenAI, their intention, what sources are being used, and how reliable the outputs are.

GenAI’s concerns over copyright were seen as an opportunity to place copyright literacy at the forefront. The need for new guidance is evident, particularly around the use of different tools with varying terms and conditions, and it is also perceived as an opportunity to revive and communicate existing copyright principles in a new light.

Suggested Solutions
One of the main aims of the workshop was to address challenges imposed by GenAI. Participants were very active in putting forward ideas but expressed concerns and frustration. For example, they questioned the feasibility of shaping policy and processes when the tools themselves constantly evolve, when there is very little transparency around the sources used, and when it is challenging to reach agreement even on essential concepts. Debates on whether ‘copying’ is taking place, whether an output is a derivative of a copyrighted work, and even whether an output is protected are bound to limit the guidance we develop.

Drawing from Existing Skills and Expertise
At the same time, it was acknowledged that copyright practitioners already have expertise, guidance, and educational resources relevant to questions about GenAI and copyright. While new guidance and training are necessary, the community can draw from a wealth of resources to tackle questions that arise while using GenAI. Information literacy principles should still apply to GenAI. Perhaps the copyright knowledge and support are already available; what is missing is a thorough understanding of the new technologies, their strengths, and limitations to apply existing knowledge to new scenarios. This is where the need for collaboration arises.

Working Together
To ensure that GenAI is used ethically and creatively, the community needs to work collaboratively—with providers, creators, and users of those tools. By sharing everyday practices, decisions, guidance, and processes will be informed and shaped. It is also important to acknowledge that the onus is not just on the copyright practitioners to understand the tools but also on the developers to make them transparent and reliable. Once the models become more transparent, it should be possible to support researchers better. This is even more crucial in supporting text and data mining (TDM) practices—critical in many research areas—to limit further restrictions following the implementation of AI models.

Magic Changes
With so much excitement around AI, we felt we should ask the group to identify the one magic change that would help remove most of the concerns. Interestingly, the consensus was that clarity around the sources and processes used by GenAI models is essential. How do the models come up with their answers and outputs? Is it possible to have clearer information about the sources’ provenance and the way the models are trained, and can this inform how authorship is established? And what criteria should be put in place to ensure the models are controlled and reliable?

This brings the matter back to the need for GenAI models to be regulated—a challenging but necessary magic change that would help us develop our processes and guidance with much more confidence.

Concluding Remarks
While the community of practitioners waits for decisions and regulations that will frame their approach, it is within their power to continue to support copyright literacy, referring to new and exciting GenAI cases. Not only do those add interest, but they also highlight an old truth about copyright, namely, that copyright-related decisions always come with a degree of uncertainty, risk, and awareness of conflicting interests.

About the authors 

Christine Daoutis is the UCL Copyright Support Officer at UCL. Christine provides support, advice and training on copyright as it applies to learning, teaching and research activities, with a focus on open science practices. Resources created by Christine include the UCL Copyright Essentials tutorial and the UCL Copyright and Your Teaching online tutorial.

Alex Fenlon is the Head of Copyright and Licensing within Libraries and Learning Resources at the University of Birmingham. Alex and his team provide advice and guidance on copyright matters, including text, data mining, and AI, to ensure that all law and practice are understood by all.

Erica Levi is the Digital repository and Copyright Lead at Coventry University. Erica has created various resources to increase awareness of copyright law and open access through gamification. Her resources are available on her website.

Get involved!

The UCL Office for Open Science and Scholarship invites you to contribute to the open science and scholarship movement. Join our mailing list, and follow us on X, formerly Twitter and LinkedIn, to be part of the conversation and stay connected for updates, events, and opportunities.

 

 

 

Last month, we hosted our 4th UCL Open Science Conference! This year, we focused inward to showcase the innovative and collaborative work of our UCL researchers in our first UCL community-centered conference. We were excited to present a strong lineup of speakers, projects, and posters dedicated to advancing open science and scholarship. The conference was a great success, with nearly 80 registrants and an engaged online audience.

If you missed any sessions or want to revisit the presentations, you can find highlights, recordings, and posters from the event below.

Session 1 – Celebrating Our Open Researchers

The conference began with a celebration of the inaugural winners of the Open Science & Scholarship Awards, recognizing researchers who have significantly contributed to open science. This session also opened nominations for next year’s awards.

Access the full recording of the session 1 on MediaCentral.

Session 2: Policies and Practice

Katherine Welch introduced an innovative approach to policy development through collaborative mosaic-making. Ilan Kelman discussed the ethical limits of open science. He reminded us of the challenges and considerations when opening up research and data to the public. David Perez Suarez introduced the concept of an Open Source Programme Office (OSPO) at UCL and, with Sam Ahern, showcased the Centre of Advanced Research Computing’s unique approach to creating and sharing open educational resources.

Access the full recording of the session 2 on MediaCentral.

Session 3: Enabling Open Science and Scholarship at UCL

This session introduced new and updated services and systems at UCL designed to support open science and scholarship. Highlights included UCL Profiles, Open Science Case Studies, the UCL Press Open Textbooks Project, UCL Citizen Science Academy, and the Open@UCL Newsletter.

Access the full recording of the session 3 on MediaCentral.

Session 4: Research Projects and Collaborations

This session featured presentations on cutting-edge research projects and collaborations transforming scholarly communication and advancing scientific integrity. Klaus Abels discussed the journey of flipping a subscription journal to diamond open-access. Banaz Jalil and Michael Heinrich presented the ConPhyMP guidelines for chemical analysis of medicinal plant extracts, improving healthcare research. Francisco Duran explored social and cultural barriers to data sharing and the role of identity and epistemic virtues in creating transparent and equitable research environments.

Access the full recording of the session 4 on Media Central.

Posters and Networking:

We also hosted a Poster Session and Networking event where attendees explored a variety of posters showcasing ongoing research across UCL’s disciplines, accompanied by drinks and snacks. This interactive session provided a platform for researchers to present their work, exchange ideas, and foster collaborations within and beyond the UCL community.

Participants engaged directly with presenters, learning about research findings and discussing potential synergies for future projects. Themes covered by the posters included innovative approaches to public engagement by UCL’s Institute of Global Prosperity and Citizen Science Academy, as well as discussions on the balance between open access and data security in the digital age.

Explore all the posters presented at the UCL Open Science Conference 2024 on the UCL Research Data Repository. This collection is under construction and will continue to grow.

Reminder for Attendees – Feedback

For those who attended, please take a minute to complete our feedback form. Your input is very important to improve future conferences. We would appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.

A Huge Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the UCL Open Science Conference 2024. Your participation and enthusiasm made this event a great success. We appreciate your commitment to advancing open science and scholarship across UCL and beyond, and we look forward to seeing the impact of your work in the years to come.

Please watch the sessions and share your feedback with us. Your insights are invaluable in shaping future events and supporting the open science community.

We look forward to seeing you at next year’s conference!

This is the first instalment of our profile series, and we shine a light on Ben Watson, UCL’s Head of Digital Accessibility. Ben’s journey from teaching to digital accessibility shows his unwavering dedication to inclusivity. He works hard with the Digital Accessibility Team and together, they put in place and advocate for accessible digital practices. Below are the highlights of his conversation with the UCL Office for Open Science and Scholarship. Here, he shares his story and vision to make UCL more accessible.

Current Role

Ben Watson describes his role as putting in ‘ramps and lifts’ to information. He underscores the need of making digital resources not only available but accessible to all. ‘My role is about ensuring that all UCL systems and content, and the way we design, deliver, and share information, addresses potential barriers. If digital resources aren’t accessible to everyone, their full potential remains untapped’. 

Journey to Digital Accessibility

Ben’s path began with a background in teaching and librarianship. Early in his career, he worked at a school for blind and partially sighted students, where he discovered the transformative power of digital information. This experience ignited his passion for advocating better e-resources and focusing on accessible learning design. ‘I’ve always been fascinated by how people consume information. As a teacher, I saw how digital information should be the answer to many accessibility issues’.

Teaching Experience and Advocacy 

His teaching background provided him with insights into diverse learning styles and the adverse impact of inaccessible materials. Now at UCL, the Digital Accessibility team assists research and teaching staff in meeting accessibility standards, promoting the idea that highly accessible digital experiences can only benefit students, staff, and institutions. ‘One of the really lovely things about digital accessibility and promoting it is that genuinely it’s one of those things that benefits everyone’.

Addressing Challenges and Organisational Change 

Ben acknowledges the complexities of ensuring digital accessibility at a large institution like UCL. He emphasises the need to influence content creators to prioritise accessibility and integrate inclusive design from the outset. ‘To make UCL more digitally accessible, we must influence the entire information cycle. We need to support content creators to excel at what they are experts in while giving them confidence to deliver this accessibly. UCL can lead by example in many areas, including accessibility’. 

Progress, Not Perfection 

Ben champions the idea of progress over perfection in the evolving field of digital accessibility. ‘I always talk about progress, not perfection. In such a dynamic landscape, expecting 100% perfection is unrealistic, but we can certainly achieve significant, long-lasting positive progress’ 

Simple Steps for Digital Accessibility

Making digital content accessible can be straightforward with built-in tools in software applications such as Microsoft’s Accessibility Checker. Ben also highlights the importance of structured headings, alternative text descriptions, and other features to make documents navigable for all users. ‘Simple steps like using headings, alternative text and accessibility checkers can greatly enhance accessibility. UCL Accessibility pages offer extensive guidance on this to support UCL staff’

Accessibility and Open Science: Benefits for All

We asked Ben how accessibility principles can advance Open Science and Scholarship. He advocates for making research accessible to everyone. This involves adding accessibility standards to open science publishing. ‘Publishers need to meet these standards for Open Access to reach its full potential. This helps everyone by boosting the reach and impact of research.’ Challenges exist, but the benefits of accessibility are broad. Accessibility improves research impact, openness, and discoverability. ‘At the end of the day, this isn’t just about legal mandates for public sector bodies, although that’s a compelling reason. It’s about fulfilling ethical obligations to ensure that everyone can fully engage. Why should we prevent anyone from being inspired and affected by our work? With some effort, but not a huge amount, we could make our work future-proof and accessible to everyone’

European Accessibility Regulations 

Ben is enthusiastic about the European Accessibility Act, which extends obligations to commercial suppliers beyond existing legislation. He views this as a significant advancement for the education sector, making it easier to ensure accessibility compliance from the design stage. ‘The European Accessibility Act is a powerful addition to existing legislation. It mandates accessibility by default, simplifying our work to ensure compliance’

Proactive Accessibility and Legacy Content  

It’s much more challenging to retrofit accessibility into already published content, that’s why proactive measures are key. ‘It’s much more difficult to make something accessible after it’s been published. UCL collaborates with partners like the Royal National Institute for Blind People to review legacy content. We aim to integrate accessibility from the start and have clear processes for addressing older content’

Envisioning the Future 

Ben hopes for a future where digital accessibility is an integral part of everyday life and education. He highlights UCL’s research initiatives, like the Global Disability Innovation Hub, and the work of the Institute of Education at UCL (with telepresence robot projects like the one led by Jennifer Rode)  as examples of a commitment to global outreach and inclusive design. ‘I’d love the field of digital accessibility to become everyone’s business as usual. It should be included in standard training, teacher qualifications, and even the school curriculum because it’s really that important’

Accessibility is Not Just About Compliance

We should advocate for a holistic approach to accessibility, considering diverse needs, including those of neurodiverse individuals. Ben stresses the importance of inclusive design in education, promoting flexible assessment methods and delivery modes. ‘Accessibility isn’t just about compliance; it’s about creating inclusive experiences that anticipate diverse needs. By embedding accessibility into every aspect of education, we enable everyone to reach their full potential’

Librarians are Awesome 

Ben’s transition from librarianship to digital accessibility was one of the focal points of his career. Working as a librarian provided him with a unique perspective on accessibility and understanding on how people engage with information. ‘I think about information like a librarian—considering how people find and use it. This perspective is essential for ensuring digital content is accessible’. As a librarian, his involvement in e-book accessibility campaigns solidified his dedication to making digital resources accessible to all. ‘Librarians play a crucial, often underappreciated role in advocating for accessible information. It’s no wonder Michael Moore calls them the most important public servants in a democracy’

Accessibility Can Make a Difference 

He explains that his commitment to accessibility comes from a deep belief in equitable information access. He is driven by a desire to remove barriers to inclusion and citizenship. ‘I’ve seen firsthand the impact of inaccessible information—it can hinder potential and make people feel excluded. My motivation is to remove barriers and ensure everyone feels included and respected. Information is vital for education and broader citizenship. Accessible design, is good design, and ensures no one is excluded and that information is adaptable for new technologies like AI’.

Inspirations  

Ben draws inspiration from key figures in disability studies, such as British sociologist and activist Mike Oliver, a founding theorist of the social model of disability. ‘Meeting Professor Mike Oliver at the University of Kent profoundly influenced my work. His theories on disability have been foundational.’ He also acknowledges the contributions of colleagues like Kirsty Wallis in raising accessibility awareness in open science. ‘Kirsty’s work in promoting accessibility in open science has been outstanding.’

Passions  

Outside of his professional life, Ben takes greater pride in his daughters’ kindness: ‘I’m incredibly proud of my two daughters. They are kind, caring, and thoughtful young people who genuinely put the feelings of others before their own’. He also has a passion that takes him on quite a ride: ‘I love motorbikes. Riding them, fixing them, and generally thinking about them!’

UCL’s Vision: We Should Lead by Example  

Ben advocates for UCL to be a leader in digital accessibility and inclusive design. ‘UCL can lead by example, ensuring accessibility is integral to everything we do. Accessibility is not extra work; it’s about completing what was left unfinished. Embracing this ethos across UCL would ensure no work is deemed complete until it’s accessible to all’. 

Ben Watson’s work at UCL shows he is strongly committed to making information and education open and inclusive. He invites everyone to embrace inclusive design at UCL with the Digital Accessibility Team. Through a collaborative effort, we can pave the way for a better future.  

Follow Ben’s lead. Integrate accessibility into your work by following the steps provided on the UCL Accessibility Pages. You could also attend a Digital Skills training course, or join the Accessibility Champions Network. 

 For more information or help, check out the Digital Accessibility Services, or contact the Digital Accessibility Team. 

Get involved!

The UCL Office for Open Science and Scholarship invites you to contribute to the open science and scholarship movement. Stay connected for updates, events, and opportunities. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, LinkedIn, and join our mailing list to be part of the conversation!