[okfn-discuss] Royal Society consulting on "Science as a Public Enterprise"

[Tim McNamara]

The Royal Society is currently conducting a study to do with openness
within science, Science as a Public Enterprise (SAPE). The society is
requesting participation from interested parties. Submissions are
invited via the completion of a web form:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?pli=1&formkey=dGdTbnh2a1NickhkQkdOdjJUbll0MEE6MQ#gid=0

About the study. "[SAPE] aims to identify the principles,
opportunities and problems of sharing and disclosing scientific
information and asks how scientific information should be managed to
support innovative and productive research that reflects public
values."

See also

http://royalsociety.org/policy/projects/science-public-enterprise/
http://royalsociety.org/policy/projects/science-public-enterprise/call-for-evidence/

Here are the questions for reference:

1. What ethical and legal principles should govern access to research
results and data? How can ethics and law assist in simultaneously
protecting and promoting both public and private interests?

2 a) How should principles apply to publicly-funded research conducted
in the public interest?

2 b) How should principles apply to privately-funded research
involving data collected about or from individuals and/or
organisations (e.g. clinical trials)?

2 c) How should principles apply to research that is entirely
privately-funded but with possible public implications?

2 d) How should principles apply to research or communication of data
that involves the promotion of the public interest but which might
have implications from the privacy interests of citizens?

3. What activities are currently under way that could improve the
sharing and communication of scientific information?

4. How do/should new media, including the blogosphere, change how
scientists conduct and communicate their research?

5. What additional challenges are there in making data usable by
scientists in the same field, scientists in other fields, ‘citizen
scientists’ and the general public?

6 a) What might be the benefits of more widespread sharing of data for
the productivity and efficiency of scientific research?

6 b) What might be the benefits of more widespread sharing of data for
new sorts of science?

6 c) What might be the benefits of more widespread sharing of data for
public policy?

6 d) What might be the benefits of more widespread sharing of data for
other social benefits?

6 e) What might be the benefits of more widespread sharing of data for
innovation and economic growth?

6 f) What might be the benefits of more widespread sharing of data for
public trust in the processes of science?

7. How should concerns about privacy, security and intellectual
property be balanced against the proposed benefits of openness?

8. What should be expected and/or required of scientists (in
companies, universities or elsewhere), research funders, regulators,
scientific publishers, research institutions, international
organisations and other bodies?