NORF fest 2025

Graphic Recording of ROCHE Workshop at NORF fest 2025
Graphic Recording of ROCHE Workshop at NORF fest 2025
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Nearing the end of a busy and productive year,  ROCHE had a strong presence at this year’s NORF fest, held Nov. 6-7 at the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) in Dublin.

In addition to attending sessions both days, on day one ROCHE co-PI Professor Kalpana Shankar participated as a panel member in a session focused on Open Science and Innovation. 

On day two Prof. Shankar delivered an update on the ROCHE project and then facilitated a workshop with a group of data managers, open science librarians, researchers, and staff from Irish funding agencies.  The session used two real-world “what-if” scenarios to focus the session on the practical challenges of Open Science in Public Private Research Partnerships (PPRPs).  Graphic recordist Orlagh O’Brien was also in attendance, taking notes on the various discussions and then turning them into a lively visual representation of participant feedback and key talking points.

Funding Acknowledgement – NORF, HEA, Irish Government

ROCHE at Arqus Alliance Workshop

At a recent Arqus Alliance online seminar series on Sept. 11, Dr. Gail Sheppard presented a lightning talk and led an interactive workshop on “Emerging Issues in Open Science” as part of the  “Libraries of the Future Communities of Practice Seminar”. Maynooth University is part of the Arqus Alliance, which brings together nine longstanding comprehensive research universities with deep regional engagement in medium-sized cities.

courtesy of Arqus Alliance

ROCHE at STI-ENID in Bristol, U.K.

At the 29th Annual International Conference on Science and Technology Indicators (STIENID) held at The University of Bristol, U.K. (Sept.3-5), Prof. Kalpana Shankar (of UCD) presented “Mediating Tensions in Public-Private Research Partnerships: The Role of Ideology”.  Research Assistant Marie Dunne has moved on to a position as a librarian with Dublin City Council and the team wishes her well. Kalpana also presented as part of a panel on “EDI in Turbulent Times: Science Policy and Inequality Research under Political Pressure”.   

Bristol, U.K._photo courtesy of Pexels and Boys in Bristol Photography

White Paper: Research Funding Organisations’ Policies on Open Research in Ireland

ROCHE team members Prof Kalpana Shankar, Dr Gail Sheppard and Sara Dunny Fox have released a white paper on open research funder policies in Ireland in the context of university industry collaboration. The paper highlights the gap in supportive infrastructure for the implementation of Open Research in Ireland.

Further information and access to the full paper can be found on the Public Policy website.

Copenhagen University Visit

Professor Kalpana Shankar was at the University of Copenhagen 23-29 November 2023 as a visiting researcher and guest of Dr Alesia Zuccala in the Department of Communication.  

In addition to giving a talk in the Department on the ROCHE project, she discussed the policies and practices around open science, commercialization, and research funding/evaluation in Denmark with colleagues.  

They raised the importance of research funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation for biotechnology and other disciplines and encouraged the ROCHE team to consider Denmark as a comparator given its population (comparable to Ireland) and other factors.

The Open Discovery Innovation Network (ODIN) at Aarhus University is an example of an open innovation collaboration that Novo Nordisk has funded.