Repurposing LNG terminals for Hydrogen Ammonia: Feasibility and Cost Saving
Making your research social: using social media as a pathway for sharing research
1. BEYOND THE SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE-MAKING YOUR RESEARCH SOCIAL: SOCIAL MEDIA AS TOOLS FOR SCIENCE COMMUNICATION At: Training of Trainers workshop on CIARD, By Nadia Manning-Thomas (CGIAR Communications and Knowledge team) Wednesday 5 th October 2011, Amman, Jordan)
This seminar is aimed at giving you some food for thought and inspiration about how scientific research can be conducted these days, working in a virtual environment and adopting new web tools that can increase the efficiency of your work, and improve impact of your research outputs. We’ll look at your specific context . We’ll talk about possible ways to collaborate with others, in the research project cycle and we’ll look at information and communication processes at the different stages of the project cycle, to see how they can be supported and improved by the adoption of online collaboration tools and social media.
Papers, articles etc are very important. But should not be the end of the line or the only thing we do!
We have to keep in mind another important element. Related to the overall mission of the CG centers, according to Robinson and Elliott. [Meta-evaluation of External Program and Management Reviews (EPMRs). Washington DC: CGIAR. ww.cgiar.org/pdf/agm07/agm07_epmr_meta_evaluation.pdf] “The comparative advantage of the Centers is seen to be in contributing to poverty reduction in the provision of international public goods (or significant regional public goods).” Research organizations like the CGIAR (and its centers) not only have to produce high quality science. Indeed, it is critical that the research outputs are well communicated and disseminated. Further, they need to be put into use where needed. CGIAR research on IPGs – or PIGs, Public Information Goods - needs to generate outputs that can and will be used by others to provide local, national and regional benefits. This means CGIAR research outputs should be easily accessible to other actors that will adapt, build on and apply this knowledge. This is the objective we should always keep in mind when conducting our research.
We therefore then have to look at how to address the needs and challenges in our work with all the various actors. There are very real, practical needs within our everyday work all the way to achieving our larger goals. We therefore need to think about how to map our knowledge sharing and collaborative tools onto a framework which represents our research processes and practical needs. This seminar is to look at the new opportunities that exist for communicating, sharing, co-creating and developing research. The social media and many new Web2.0 tools as we have seen are useful at all stages of the research cycle. Particularly social media has been used to help us with promoting research (millions fed), social reporting of research meetings (Twitter, blogs etc)
We therefore then have to look at how to address the needs and challenges in our work with all the various actors. There are very real, practical needs within our everyday work all the way to achieving our larger goals. We therefore need to think about how to map our knowledge sharing and collaborative tools onto a framework which represents our research processes and practical needs. This seminar is to look at the new opportunities that exist for communicating, sharing, co-creating and developing research. The social media and many new Web2.0 tools as we have seen are useful at all stages of the research cycle. Particularly social media has been used to help us with promoting research (millions fed), social reporting of research meetings (Twitter, blogs etc)
How can we address these challenges? Start with this: dare to be different What does this imply? Bottom line, it’s about adopting a new paradigm and changing the way we work – with a different toolset and mindset that enables new forms of science sharing, communication, and information
We as ICT=KM Team are working on this and supporting the move towards this new way of collaboration and communication along the research project cycle and making use of social media to enhance your communication, sharing and visibility. Indeed, the ICT-KM Program helps the CGIAR develop and sustain a culture of active information and knowledge sharing. This involves timely yet cost-effective multi-directional communications, the know-how to collaborate, and the tools to support multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams. The Program also supports champions of these changes throughout the System, explores and encourages incentives for change, and sponsors projects that show demonstrable value and impact.
Introduce ways to ‘publish’ posters, presentations and pictures in ways that make other parts of their research more accessible ad visible Triple A framework In this regards, CG committed to the CIARD Manifesto and adopted the Triple A – availability, accessibility, applicability – framework to make the most out of research outputs. The Coherence in Information for Agricultural Research for Development (CIARD) initiative is working to make agricultural research information publicly available and accessible to all. With the Triple A framework, the objective is to make research outputs: Available: Research outputs are stored in appropriate open digital formats and described using public metadata standards so they can be found through structured search and access systems. Availability means assembling and storing content so it will be permanently accessible, and describing it in systems so others know, and can find, what outputs have been produced. Accessible: Research outputs are publicly available online using accepted public formats and appropriate licenses so they can be queried, viewed, and obtained in full. Accessibility means making outputs as easy to find and share and as open as possible, in the sense that others are free to use, reuse, and redistribute them, with appropriate acknowledgement and without restrictive legal, technological or financial barriers. Applicable: Research processes are open and inclusive so that all perspectives and knowledge are taken into account during research design, planning, implementation and communication. Applicability means research and innovation processes that are open to different sources of knowledge, and outputs that are easy to adapt, transform, apply and re-use. Source: Ballantyne, P. 2008. Making CGIAR Research Outputs Available and Accessible as IPGs http://www.sciencecouncil.cgiar.org/fileadmin/user_upload/sciencecouncil/EVENTS/AGM08IPG_WRKSHOP/BallantyneW.ipg4sciencecouncil.pdf
Looking at Pathways
One pathway is social media!
There are a lot of tools and methods out there now but often it is hard to figure out what tools to use for what purpose at what time, where and with whom
Introducing blogs Anyone seen, used, read or has a blog? We will get back to this more at the end of this presentation
Why blogs? The reasons to use blogs in research can be very different: - you can think about blogging to create spaces for discussing issues and having conversations without being filtered by size or editorial limitations; - you can use blogs to expanding your audience; - by blogging on a regular base, you can document the research process as it happens; - you can make your research findings and outputs more open and available for different stakeholders; - you can offer your reader quick informal updates on your domain of interest
Organize research, collaborate, and discover new knowledge Mendeley Desktop organizes your research paper collection and citations. It automatically extracts references from documents, generates bibliographies, and is freely available on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Mendeley Web lets you access your research paper library from anywhere, share documents in closed groups, and collaborate on research projects online. It connects you to like-minded academics and puts the latest research trend statistics at your fingertips.
Be the dj Brew your own beer
We can help you to find your way in this new environment and move towards ‘science 2.0’ but ultimately, it’s all about you. You are the one responsible for engaging in conversations with other users, for opening up your data, for exposing your knowledge and find the right pathways for collaboration, information and knowledge sharing. “We have to move towards the next generation of science communication where individuals and groups are empowered to document and communicate their own activities in different channels and social media.”