Skip to main content

Accelerating the Pipeline: Building Equitable Global Research Pathways in Secondary Education

  • 2025-09-16 14:00
  • 14:00
  • Room: 81/R-003C - Science Gateway Auditorium C
  • Speaker:
    • Janna Mino, , As the Director of the Science Research and Engineering Program at Hathaway Brown School, I mentor hundreds of students as they conduct original research alongside university and industry scientists and engineers. Inspired by my own experience as a woman in physics research, I am passionate about encouraging girls to pursue pathways in STEM fields and working to remove barriers that deepen the gaps we see persisting in many areas of research. I design inquiry-based, interdisciplinary curriculum that brings the ethos of open science into the secondary classroom, and am particularly interested in open science as a lever for equity, transparency, and global collaboration in STEM. With this session, I hope to leave attendees with inspiration for how to embed these practices in secondary education and more importantly to learn from their expertise. Prior to this role, I led statewide STEM initiatives for the Ohio Department of Education, taught high school physics, chemistry, and environmental science at an innovative STEM school, and worked as a research analyst at an LED company. I hold bachelor’s degrees in physics, chemistry, and biology, and a Master of Arts in Teaching. , Hathaway Brown School, https://www.hb.edu/, US

What if the pipeline for transparent, collaborative research began before university? This presentation shares a bold and scalable model for fostering open science practices in secondary school, empowering students to contribute meaningfully to research while reimagining how we train the next generation of scientists and engineers - with equity at the focal point.

Since 1998, Hathaway Brown School’s STEM research fellowship has connected over 800 high school girls with scientists from NASA, Cleveland Clinic, and universities across Northeast Ohio with authentic, multi-year research projects. Over 300 students have co-authored peer-reviewed papers before graduation, and a longitudinal study shows long-term impact on their confidence, persistence in STEM, and sense of belonging in scientific spaces (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258717).

But today’s research landscape faces increasing challenges - especially in the United States. Scientific innovation is threatened by political agendas that have already reduced support for pure academic research and disproportionately impacted women and other historically excluded and underrepresented groups in STEM fields.

This session explores how cross-sector, international partnerships can offer students new ways to engage in authentic research, free from these constraints, and will leverage the expertise of participants to imagine open science practices that authentically engage young people earlier on in their academic careers to foster a sense of inclusion.

Building Bridges: Cultivating Open Science Communities Within Research Institutions

    • Merten Dahlkemper, , European Organization of Nuclear Research (CERN), https://home.cern/
  • 2025-09-16 11:00
  • 11:00
  • Room: 81/R-003C - Science Gateway Auditorium C
  • Speaker:
    • Lisanna Paladin, , Lisanna Paladin leads Data Science Internal Support and Community at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). She brings expertise in building sustainable research communities, implementing training programs, and developing institutional support systems for open science practices. , European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), https://www.embl.org/, Germany
    • Malvika Sharan, , Malvika Sharan is co-Director of Open Life Science and Senior Researcher at The Alan Turing Institute. Her expertise includes designing people-centered governance models for research communities and creating inclusive structures that empower researchers at all career stages to participate in open science initiatives. , Alan Turing Institute, https://www.turing.ac.uk/, UK
    • Nokuthula Mchunu, , Nokuthula Mchunu serves as Deputy Director of the National Research Foundation of South Africa, where she builds partnerships between research organizations globally. She contributes insights on scaling open science communities across diverse institutional and cultural contexts, with particular expertise in developing regions. , National Research Foundation, South Africa, https://www.nrf.ac.za/, South Africa

Building Open Science Communities That Last

Policies and training are just the start, how do we sustain Open Science through strong, researcher-led communities? This panel explores how institutions can embed openness into culture, support inclusive governance, and professionalize community-building roles. Join us to share lessons, spark ideas, and co-create pathways to lasting, people-powered change.

Challenges and Opportunities of real FAIR-by-design: The experience of the Master in Data Management and Curation (MDMC)

  • 2025-09-16 14:00
  • 15:00
  • Room: 81/R-003C - Science Gateway Auditorium C
  • Speaker:
    • Mariarita de Luca, , With a background in Bioengineering, I initially focused on mathematical modelling applied to biological systems. My research later evolved into the numerical simulation of large deformations in active materials, such as nematic liquid crystals and swelling polymers. Motivated by a strong attitude for collaboration and knowledge sharing, I became passionate about Open Science to advance research and foster collective progress. In recent years, my work has focused on Research Data Management (RDM) and the implementation of FAIR-by-design approaches, especially in the field of materials science. I consider the training of young researchers not only a responsibility, but a mission. I am lecturer on Open Science and FAIR Data at the University of Trieste for PhD students, because they are the future researchers and the ambassadors of an open and ethical science. I am currently a Research Technologist at the Laboratory of Data Engineering at Area Science Park, where I support research and training activities in data-intensive science. Since the launch of the pilot edition in 2024, I have served as the Coordinator of the Master in Data Management and Curation (MDMC), a joint initiative by Area Science Park and SISSA , Area Science Park, https://www.areasciencepark.it/en/, Italy
    • Federica Bazzocchi, , I studied physics at the University of Trieste and obtained a PhD in elementary particle physics at SISSA in Trieste. As a physicist, I worked on phenomenological Standard Model extension to explain flavour physics or dark matter. I gained experience as an analyst in a private company, where I started dealing with large databases and problems related to knowledge representation. Both experiences converged into what I do now: designing workflows for scientific data management in a FAIR-compliant manner, addressing interoperability issues related to scientific data, and identifying methodologies and tools for their optimal management. I am interested in the interplay between high-level data management and its technical implementation, as well as AI applications in the field of materials physics. I am currently working as research technologist at the Laboratory of Data Engineering in Area Science Park and I am lecturer at the University of Trieste for the course Advanced Data Management. I am deeply involved as a lecturer, student supervisors and support to the coordination of the activity of the Master in Data Management and Curation organised by Area Science Park and SISSA. , Area Science Park, https://www.areasciencepark.it/en/, Italy

Nowadays, data fuels discovery, innovation, and decision-making; therefore, the ability to manage and curate data responsibly is crucial.
The Master in Data Management and Curation (MDMC) is a pioneering educational program that embraces the “FAIR-by-design” paradigm, going beyond theory to train professionals in the practical implementation of FAIR principles across the entire research data lifecycle. Rather than retrofitting datasets to meet FAIR criteria, MDMC students learn to embed Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability from the earliest stages of data planning, within the wider context of Open Science.
This forward-thinking approach is made possible through a well-established collaboration between Area Science Park and SISSA and benefits from its dynamic research and innovation ecosystem. Designed for a new generation of data professionals, MDMC fosters a strategic understanding of the research process, combined with a unique mix of technical, ethical, and communication skills essential for real-world FAIR implementation.
The training structure consists of eight intensive weeks of in-person lectures and hands-on exercises, followed by a six-month internship in cutting-edge research laboratories or data-intensive institutions, during which students implement FAIR-by-design workflows and pipelines in real scientific contexts. This model offers a rare opportunity to work closely with researchers, develop tailored data strategies, and engage with the practical challenges of semantic interoperability, metadata standards, and sustainable infrastructure.
By shaping versatile and practice-oriented data professionals, MDMC contributes to building a new generation of researchers who can transform data from a research byproduct into a powerful strategic asset—crucial for both academic excellence and data-driven innovation.

Data for AI: From Readiness to Ethics

  • 2025-09-16 16:15
  • 16:15
  • Room: 81/R-003C - Science Gateway Auditorium C
  • Speaker:
    • Alexandra Delipalta, , Alex Delipalta is the Director of RDA Europe, the regional office of the Research Data Alliance tasked with supporting the European RDA community and providing the link between global and regional initiatives. Alex holds a BA in English Language and Literature from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and an MSc in Developmental Liguistics from the University of Edinburgh. She worked as a Research Assistant at the Centre for Speech Technology Research (CSTR), Edinburgh University for three years before joining the Digital Curation Centre, where she held multiple roles over six years, including those of Research Project Specialist and Strategy and Operations Specialist. Alex was appointed Director RDA Europe in December 2023. , RDA Association AISBL (RDA Europe), https://www.rd-alliance.org/
    • Natalie Meyers, , Natalie Meyers serves as Professor of the Practice in the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society at the University of Notre Dame and serves as a Computational and Data Science Research Specialist at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California San Diego (UCSD) in the USA. Meyers's research focuses on FAIR data management and software preservation for model driven research. Prior to joining Notre Dame, she was co-owner of Content Innovations, LLC a California certified woman-owned small business in San Francisco. Meyers was previously a programmer analyst and GIS specialist at UC Berkeley where she also received her Masters in Library and Information Systems (MLIS) with a concentration in Systems Analysis and Database Design. She also holds an MA in English from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. , University of Notre Dame, https://www.nd.edu/
    • Perihan Elif Ekmekci, , Perihan Elif EKMEKCI graduated from the Medical Faculty of Ankara University in 1995. She had her Ph.D. in History of Medicine and Ethics from Ankara University in 2014. Currently, she is an associate professor and head of the History of Medicine and Ethics department at TOBB ETU School of Medicine. She was a research fellow at Imperial College, London, UK in 2006. She has been a Fogarty Fellow at Harvard University and had her Fogarty/NIH Program Master's Certification in Research Ethics in 2014. She has been a fellow of WIRB International IRB Western Institutional Review Board Research Ethics Training Program, Seattle Washington (USA) in 2016. She served as the head of the EU relations department of the Ministry of Health Turkey (2007-2016) and developed several projects in alliance with the EU. She was the Turkish representative for the European Center for Disease Control Advisory Board and served in this position between the years 2011-2016. Currently, she is the chair of the International Unit in Bioethics/ WMA Cooperation Center and deputy dean of TOBB ETU School of Medicine. She is chairing the Intuitional Review Board of TOBB ETU, and she is a member of the open science committee of TOBB ETU. She is a member of the World Association for Medical Law and the International Forum of Teachers of the International Unit in Bioethics. She has several publications in distinguished journals on ethics and the history of medicine. Dr. Ekmekci is the co-author of the book titled “Artificial intelligence and Bioethics” published by Springer in 2020. She is teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses on the history of medicine and ethics. , TOBB ETU, https://www.etu.edu.tr/en

Are We AI-Ready?

Bridging Gaps in Data, Ethics, and Governance As AI reshapes research, how can we ensure readiness across policy, data, and workforce? This panel shares key insights from RDA and Microsoft-led workshops on AI governance, data standards, and ethical frameworks—highlighting new guidance on consent, review, and rights. Join us to explore what responsible, human-centered AI means for Europe’s research future and beyond.

Fostering Belonging in Data Sciences and beyond

  • 2025-09-17
  • 2025-09-17 13:45
  • 13:45
  • Room: 82/1-001 Science Gateway Lab B
  • Speaker:
    • Jacobo Miranda, , Jacobo Miranda is a Bioinformatics Training Officer at the EMBL Data Science Centre, where he supports in cloud computing and storage to help EMBL researchers deploy their applications online and make use of cloud computing infrastructure to run long-lasting or compute-intensive tasks, as well as support with handling large or distributed data sets and making it all accessible online. He did his postdoc at MPI-CBG where he did data analysis for mass spectrometry and did his PhD in Distributed Computer Networks at TU Dresden. , EMBL Heidelberg, https://www.embl.org/sites/heidelberg/, Germany
    • Sarah Kaspar, , Sarah Kaspar manages the Data Science consulting at the EMBL Data Science Centre, where supports EMBL’s scientific community through expert guidance in statistical data analysis, both via one-on-one consultancy and specialized training courses. She received her PhD in Biology from Heidelberg university in 2019, where her research focused on developing mathematical models to understand gene expression in bacteria. , EMBL Heidelberg, https://www.embl.org/sites/heidelberg/, Germany

Belonging in Data Science: Designing Inclusive Research Infrastructures

Open Science isn’t just about access — it’s about belonging. This world café workshop explores how to foster inclusive participation in data science, where technical barriers and cultural norms often exclude women and newcomers. Through real-life use cases and rotating group discussions, we will co-design strategies to make research infrastructures more welcoming, equitable, and effective. Bring your experiences, ideas, and curiosity, and help shape a more inclusive data future.

Nudging Scientists into adopting Open Science Practices

  • 2025-09-16 14:00
  • 14:30
  • Room: 81/R-003C - Science Gateway Auditorium C
  • Speaker:
    • Clemens Lange, , Clemens is a research scientist at Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland's national laboratory for natural sciences and engineering. He is working on the CMS Experiment at the Large Hadron Collider and has been involved in the experiment's Open Science efforts for the past decade, holding various leadership roles. Clemens is one of the core contributors to CERN's Open Science Policy and its Implementation Plan and is currently chairing the CERN Open Science Practitioners Forum. , Paul Scherrer Institute, https://www.psi.ch/en, Switzerland

While funding agencies typically require data management plans for project proposals, this does not guarantee the eventual availability of Open Research Data (ORD) that adheres to the FAIR principles. In reality, only a small fraction of funded projects fulfills these commitments, primarily because providing ORD demands additional effort. Often, this effort occurs only after the publication of research results. Large international collaborations, such as the CMS Collaboration at CERN's Large Hadron Collider, face similar challenges. There is concern that requiring the sharing of analysis code and ensuring the reproducibility of research products could delay publication. However, an increasing number of scientists within CMS are adopting Open Science (OS) practices as part of their daily work. In my presentation, I will illustrate how a small group of OS advocates has successfully made these practices appealing to the community, transforming bystanders into OS practitioners. I will also review the vital role of infrastructure providers — specifically CERN as the host laboratory — in facilitating these efforts. Additionally, I will link my argument to CERN's OS policy and the recently developed best practice recommendations for OS and data preservation in high-energy physics. Ultimately, I will propose how these policies and recommendations can be adapted to benefit OS in other laboratories and research disciplines.