Members of the public, academics and researchers invited to join the virtual GW4 Open Research Prize Awards Event
Academics, students, and researchers from the GW4 Alliance universities, of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter, are invited to join members of the public and academics from beyond GW4 for this year’s GW4 Open Research Prize Awards Event, due to take place online on 2nd April 2025, from 12:30 -3pm.
Now in its second year as a cross-alliance initiative, the GW4 Open Research Prize has been designed to recognise and celebrate individuals who can best demonstrate open research practices in their work across different categories. Open research is a broad range of practices which, when combined, make research more accessible, transparent, reproducible, and visible.
This year’s virtual awards event will be led by the University of Bath and will see prizes of £250 in vouchers awarded to the top entry in each category by GW4. In total, the Prize received just under 50 entries, from 36 individual applicants across the four institutions, with judges whittling the submissions down to the top four in each category following a rigorous assessment process.
The shortlisted entries in each category will be invited to share a short video presentation to showcase their submission during the awards event, with the winner announced live by representatives from the judging panel.
The event will also feature presentations from a number of senior academics from across the GW4 Alliance, including Director of the GW4 Alliance, Dr Joanna Jenkinson, and Professor Julie Barnett, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) from the University of Bath.
Professor Barnett, said: “The GW4 Open Research Prize is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate researchers who are driving innovation in open research. Embracing open access not only enhances transparency and collaboration but also accelerates discovery and broadens the impact of our work. This prize recognises those who are shaping a more accessible and inclusive research culture that benefits academia, institutions, and society as a whole.”
GW4 Alliance Director, Dr Joanna Jenkinson MBE, said: “We were delighted by the fantastic quality of entries that we received to this year’s GW4 Open Research Prize; during only the second year that we have run this as a cross-alliance initiative. We look forward to welcoming the shortlisted entries to this year’s online awards event, and hope that as many people as possible will join us to celebrate their work.”
Keynote speaker, Professor Marcus Munafò, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor of Research Culture, University of Bristol, will give a presentation entitled: 'Ask not what you can do for open research: Selfish reasons to be open'.
Professor Munafò, said: "From funder data-sharing mandates to the REF, open research can sometimes feel like a requirement rather than something that directly benefits us all. The GW4 Open Research Prize offers an opportunity to showcase innovative approaches to open research that not only exceed these minimum requirements but also add a whole new dimension to the research process, benefiting researchers themselves and many others.”
Register to attend:
You can sign up to attend the GW4 Open Research Prize Awards Event, which takes place via Zoom, online.
The GW4 Open Research Prize Awards Event is taking place as part of GW4 Open Research Week, which runs from the 31st March – 4th April 2025, with all events open to all. The theme for this year’s Week is ‘Open Research: Open Culture’. To find out more about the week, or to register to attend an event, please visit www.gw4.ac.uk/gw4orw25
From funder data-sharing mandates to the REF, open research can sometimes feel like a requirement rather than something that directly benefits us all. The GW4 Open Research Prize offers an opportunity to showcase innovative approaches to open research that not only exceed these minimum requirements but also add a whole new dimension to the research process, benefiting researchers themselves and many others.”
