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Background

Transparency and reproducibility of research methods and results are important hallmarks of high-quality research in areas from biomedical to social and physical sciences. In the last few years, many novel, often web-based tools and technologies have emerged that allow for a comprehensive representation of the scientific process that goes far beyond descriptions of research methods and results as found in traditional journal articles. These novel tools and technologies have the potential to revolutionise the way research methods and results are communicated and facilitate research collaborations and sharing of research data in an unprecedented manner. However, using these novel tools and technologies in a qualified and responsible manner requires knowledge and skills that are not normally taught in undergraduate or graduate degrees. To close this gap, we offer a five-day summer school to guide early career researchers (PhD students and postdocs) towards an open, transparent, and reproducible research workflow. These topics will be embedded in a more general curriculum on research ethics and stakeholder involvement.

Program

The five-day summer school will consist of a series of lectures that cover the following topics:

  • Biases in research
  • Reproducibility
  • Publishing, Open Data, and Open Materials
  • Meta-research
  • Ethical conduct of research
  • Citizen science

The lectures will be complemented by interactive workshops that participants can choose based on their research interests. Workshops topics are very diverse and range from workshops aimed at specific research areas (e.g. neuroimaging or preclinical biomedical research) to more general workshops (e.g. introduction to R and Python, science communication, reproducible workflows, and preregistration). Beyond the lectures and workshops, participants will work, under supervision of the lecturers, on plans for their own projects to increase reproducibility and openness in their current or upcoming research project.

We are pleased to be able to provide you with all presentations at this point.

Application

Interested participants should send a letter of motivation (300 words), a project outline (300 words) and a short CV (2-3 pages). The letter of motivation should contain a brief statement how the applicant has applied or intends to apply open research practices in their current work, if any other courses were attended, and what particular challenges were encountered in their work that this summer school addresses. The project outline should give a brief overview of future or recently started research projects, in which participants would like to apply open/ reproducible research practices. Applicants with projects in any area of empirical research are encouraged to apply. If applicants are accepted, we require a signed form from the applicant’s supervisor to show that they will support the use of transparent and reproducible practices in the applicant’s research project.

Applications should be in a single pdf and adhere to the file format: FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME_APPLICATIONSUMMERSCHOOL.pdf

Please send your application to: summerschool_berlinoxford@bihealth.de

The application deadline is 30th of August at midday (GMT).

Costs

The course is free to attend but participants will need to cover the cost of accommodation and travel. We are able to support travel costs for a limited number of applicants with up to 500 Euro if applicants cannot cover the costs from their own funding. Please state in your letter of motivation if you would like to apply for funding. Preference will be given to participants from low income countries.

Venue 

The summer school will be conducted online.

Organised by

The QUEST Center for Transforming Biomedical Research, Berlin Institute of Health
and Reproducible Research Oxford, University of Oxford
in collaboration with: Freie Universität Berlin, Charité University Hospital, Bodleian Libraries Oxford

Dates

28 September - 01 October 2020

Additional Funding

“Funded from the Berlin University Alliance as part of the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government and Countries”

Application

Deadline 30 August 2020

Contact

Please send your application to: summerschool_berlinoxford@bihealth.de