“Science goes farther when more people have access.”
Say hello to Philip Loring — ecological anthropologist at the University of Guelph and two-time FACETS author.
This post is part of our Open A Conversation Q&A series for Open Access Week.
What does open access mean to you?
Open access to me symbolizes an ongoing, fundamental transformation in science, a reorientation towards problems and people and collaboration. It is both a symbolic and practical way for us to break down some of the walls of the ivory tower, so to speak, by recognizing that science goes farther when more people have access.
What do you think the future of open access will look like?
I think we will have far more venues than we have now, and I think the cost of publishing open access is going to continue to stabilize (as the more traditional publishers realize they can’t keep charging absurd amounts). This means we will see a rapid growth in the amount of information available, which will then [create] the role of curation, whether along subject lines or problem areas.
The role of the curator could indeed come to replace the current, gate-keeper model of journal editing. We will still need editors no doubt, but this new role will be important as well I think. We can look to the emerging world of curatorial journalism as a model, perhaps.
Why did you choose FACETS as the home for your science?
Many reasons. The editorial board is outstanding. The organization and interface [are] also really great, as is the commitment, with such things as plain language summaries, to make the research accessible in multiple senses of the word. More so, I also recognize the importance of early adopters in these sorts of transitions to innovative new practices; I think choosing FACETS first, rather than as a fallback so to speak, contributes to the movement in an important way.
How has open access helped your research reach users?
I can absolutely say that my open access papers are downloaded more and generate more inquiry/interest from the public. I’ve also had freelance journalists thank me for publishing open access because it makes their lives easier.
Responses to questions are the views of the author (Philip Loring).
Read Philip’s papers in FACETS:
