Join us between 2-3.30pm GMT on Thursday, December 12 for Mapping the Open Science Landscape in the Global South, a free webinar dedicated to exploring the forces shaping open science across this dynamic region.
Chaired by Olavo Amaral, with guest speakers Nida Denphaisarn (ThaiLIS, Thailand), Susan Veldsman (Academy of Sciences in South Africa [ASSAf], South Africa), and Washington Segundo (Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology [IBICT], Brazil), this event will discuss how local and international policy frameworks influence open science practices, explore the socioeconomic challenges influencing research funding, technology access, and infrastructure, and delve into the role of cultural contexts – such as indigenous knowledge – in fostering community engagement.
With a focus on interdisciplinary collaborations and their potential to enhance open science initiatives, our speakers will offer insights aimed at mapping the unique open science landscape of the Global South.
This session aims to foster understanding and collaboration among all participants, and we welcome your questions during the dedicated Q&A segment.
Chair
Olavo Amaral, Chair of eLife’s Global South Committee for Open Science.
Panellists
Nida Denphaisarn has led strategic initiatives at Uninet, a network under Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, fostering educational partnerships to expand digital resources and learning networks nationwide. As Head of Learning Resources at ThaiLIS, she leverages her expertise to enhance research accessibility and strengthen Thailand’s library network, positioning ThaiLIS as a central hub for knowledge sharing. Her work supports collaboration, innovation, and accessible resources for academic and research communities across Thailand.
Susan Veldsman is Director of the Scholarly Publication Unit at the Academy of Sciences in South Africa, responsible for driving the Open Science agenda, to raise the visibility, discoverability and accessibility of South African scholarly journals, improve the quality of SA research output, and support the development of policy frameworks in order to facilitate optimal use and access to publicly funded research. In 2017, she received the Electronic Publishing Trust (EPT) award for her outstanding contribution to the promotion of Open Access in Developing Countries. Recently, she was the Co-chair of the IAP Report on “Combatting Predatory Journals and Conferences”, which was launched on the 16 th March 2022. She also received special recognition for her role in establishing the SciELO SA platform in South Africa at the most recent SciELO 25 years celebrations.
Washington Segundo, Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology (IBICT) holds a Doctor and Master's degree in Informatics from the University of Brasília, with a Sandwich Doctoral Internship at King's College London. He holds a degree in Mathematics (Bachelor and Licentiate) also from the University of Brasília. He is Technical Coordinator of the Area of Treatment, Analysis and Dissemination of Scientific Information at the Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology (Ibict/MCTI). He is a member and coordinates projects, committees in the areas of Open Science and Data Science. He is the leader of the Brazilian Scientific Research Ecosystem Laboratory and Research Group (LaEPeCBr) (http://dgp.cnpq.br/dgp/espelhogrupo/9750187028652303, https://pnipe.mctic.gov.br/laboratory/3911).
eLife’s Global South Committee for Open Science guides eLife in promoting inclusive, equitable and diverse scientific communications by supporting researchers in the Global South and amplifying their work on a global scale. Read about the Committee's collective vision.