As research becomes more globalised and its output grows exponentially, especially in data, the need for open scientific research practices is more evident — the future of modern science. There is now a concerted global interest in open science uptake, but barriers exist. The formal training curriculum in most, if not all, universities in the global South do not equip students with the knowledge and tools to practice open science in their research or develop open-source tools. To work openly, collaboratively, and build a community, there is a need for awareness and training in using and developing open science tools. Through the OpenScienceKE framework, we developed a model to narrow the gap: the sensitize-train-hack-collaborate model. Using the model, we sensitised through seminars, trained on the use of tools through workshops, applied the skills learned in training through hackathons to develop open-source tools collaboratively. In this talk, I will demonstrate the need to Contextualize open source to ensure that no one is left behind, especially the Global South, and highlight some of our work in building an empowered community.
Speakers: Caleb Kibet