This year’s International Open Access Week took place between 21-27 of October 2024. Last year’s theme of Community over Commercialisation has been carried forward, enabling a continuing global conversation regarding approaches to open scholarship that prioritise the best interests of the public and the academic community.
On 23 October, UOW Library hosted an award ceremony and panel discussion in celebration of Open Access Week. The event was attended by over 45 people, including UOW students, academics, and Library staff.
UOW’s Open Access Week Awards
UOW Library, Researcher Development Unit, Indigenous Strategy Unit, and the Graduate Research School co-sponsored the Open Access Week Awards. Awards were presented in three categories: Early Career Researcher, Indigenous Researcher and Higher Degree Researcher.
The winner of each award was determined by the number of open access publications claimed in Elements between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024. These awards recognise and celebrate UOW’s commitment to open access publishing. The winners each received a prize pack and certificate.
Front row: 2024 Open Access Week award winners and highly commended: Denelle Cosier, Dr Nelly Liyanagamage, Crystal Arnold, Dr Summer Finlay, Catherine Moyle, Jesse Michael, Dr Xinlei Zhou, Dr Rebecca Campbell and Ruichen Ma. Back row L-R: Library Associate Director Georgina Konstanta, Library Associate Director James Conroy, Professor Simon Moss Dean of Graduate Research and Distinguished Professor Sharon Robinson.
Congratulations to our Open Access Award winners:
- Early Career Researcher – Dr Xinlei Zhou
- Indigenous Researcher – Dr Summer Finlay
- Higher Degree Researcher – Qilong Wu.
Congratulations also to our Highly Commended Award recipients:
- Early Career Researchers – Dr Rebecca Campbell, Dr Nelly Liyanagamage, Denelle Cosier and Dr Lucy Armitage
- Indigenous Researchers – Catherine Moyle and Crystal Arnold
- Higher Degree Researchers – Jesse Michael, Lihai Tan, Emily Arnold and Ruichen Ma.
Thank you to the judges for their expertise in determining the Open Access Week Award winners in 2024:
- Professor Peter Kelly, Acting Executive Dean, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (ASSH)
- Professor Danielle Skropeta, Associate Dean (Higher Degree Research), Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health
- Dr Anthony McKnight, Curriculum Transformation Lead, Indigenous Strategy Unit
- Lia Sherwood, Research Quality and Impact Manager, Research Services Office
- Georgina Konstanta, Associate Director Research and Learning, Library.
Open Access Week panel discussion
Professor Susan Thomas, Dean of Research Integrity Development and Ethics chaired a panel of UOW academics discussing approaches to open scholarship, equity, fair access and what it means to be an open researcher.
Our esteemed panel included:
- Senior Professor Sue Bennett – Interim Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and Student Life)
- Margie Jantti – Director Library Services
- Senior Professor Michael Lerch – Associate Dean Research (Engineering & Information Sciences)
- Professor Simon Moss – Dean of Graduate Research
- Catherine Moyle – Conscious Community Lead
- Professor Julia Quilter – School of Law.
The panel comprised multidisciplinary researchers and experts, across different disciplines at UOW.
We heard the panel's expert opinions on the increased rate of open access publishing in Australia; how research is now available to a broader audience that moves beyond the boundaries of academia; how supporting the institutional repository allows for increased integrity and replicability; and how increasing our understanding of the open access journal landscape will bolster the open scholarship agenda.
Artwork
Artwork used throughout Open Access Week 2024 was generously shared with us by the Indigenous Strategy Unit with the Library team curating the individual elements.
Learn more about the talented artist, Brittany Angus, Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal woman, on the Indigenous Education and Engagement Strategy website.
Collective Journey: Weaving Indigenous Futures by Brittany Angus, Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal woman, and UOW graduate.