π¦πππ§πππ π₯ππππ‘π§ππ¬: The Issue of Open Science
By: Ellaine Quilates and Rhodel Arzaga
In celebration of this yearβs Science week, UST College of Scienceβs Department of Biological Sciences held its Departmental Lecture entitled βOpen Science, Science Communicationβ at the Central Laboratory Auditorium on March 19, 2024, from 1 PM to 4 PM.
Prof. Reuel M. Bennett, Dr. rer. nat., Chairperson of the Department of Biological Sciences, emphasized the critical role of communicating science in bridging the gap between scientific research and the general public in his opening remarks. He stated that the task of the scientific community is to β...share how we can communicate science effectively and open science to the general publicβ¦β by combatting the rampant problem of misinformation and miscommunication.
The main speaker of the Departmental Lecture, Prof. Thomas Edison Dela Cruz, promotes the open scientific movement, which aims to democratize research by publicly making available techniques, data, and discoveries. He emphasized that openness and cooperation encourage creativity, hastening discoveries and improving the repeatability of results.
In his response to the paywall controversy, Prof. Dela Cruz pointed out that the reviewers' voluntary contributions support his claim that publicly sponsored research should be accessible. He promotes open access to publications, mentioning support from organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union. Furthermore, he emphasizes the significance of excellent science communication in building trust, increasing scientific knowledge, and engaging the public.
In the second part of the discussion, he elaborated on the importance of Science Communication, in which the scientific content must be effectively communicated by capturing the audience's attention and encouraging them to take action. Dela Cruz mentioned that the problem of science communication is due to misinformation and miscommunication exacerbated by influential figures.
In the realm of scientific inquiry, Open Science and excellent Science Communication are essential. As Prof. Thomas Dela Cruz clearly stated, "Nothing in science has any value to society if it is not communicated," echoing the sentiment that knowledge unshared is like a melody unheard. By combining the tenets of Open Science with captivating communication techniques, researchers open doors to curiosity and invite everyone to join them on their journey of discovery.
