Open doors in your career through open research #vitaechat
Our first live online #vitaechat was held on Friday 23 October to coincide with International Open Access Week.
Our Storify rounds up tweets from the chat.
Early career researchers need to be familiar with many forms of ‘open’ – from open access, to open data, to open education – but what does it mean to be a researcher in this open environment?
"We need for you to think very seriously about what it might mean to be a researcher in a world of open data and open research" Professor Geoffrey Boulton
During this live Twitter chat, the host will lead participants through a discussion of the potential career benefits and opportunities associated with open research, as well as the steps researchers need to take to prepare themselves to be effective in an open research environment, both within an academic career and beyond.
The chat will cover aspects such as
- What ‘open’ environments and expectations are you interacting with?
- What skills can you gain from being more open in your research?
- How can those skills open career doors?
- How can professional development help researchers flourish in an open environment?
- What are the responsibilities of funders, universities, researcher developers and researchers themselves?
The open research environment is already here, but you can take steps to prepare yourself for a new way of interacting with research, capitalise on the opportunity to develop yourself, and open doors in your career.
This Twitter chat is part of our Open Researcher theme, including an event on the 1 December: Vitae Connections: Supporting Open Researchers.
Visit our Focus On page for resources and information to help you thrive in an open research environment.
What is a Twitter chat and how do I participate?
A Twitter chat is a live discussion on a set day and time, usually facilitated by a designated person, around a particular topic. If you have never used Twitter or taken part in a Twitter chat before, there are a lot of helpful guides around (e.g. 10 Commandments for Twitter and Using Twitter in university research, teaching and impact activities)
How do I join in?
- Log in to Twitter (you will need a Twitter account) at 1pm (UK time) on Friday 23 October 2015
- Search for the hashtag #vitaechat on Twitter and select the “Live” tab
- Follow @vitae_news
- Our #vitaechat moderator, Katie Wheat, will post a series of discussion questions from the @vitae_news account
- Tweet your replies to the discussion questions and add your thoughts around the topic
- Don’t forget to add the hashtag #vitaechat to each of your tweets so that it shows up in the discussion stream
Why should I join?
Twitter chats are an open discussion, allowing participants from around the globe to meet and chat in real time around a shared interest. They are often fast-paced and exciting, with lots of different conversations happening simultaneously.
Benefits of joining a Twitter chat include the opportunity to
- broaden your network outside of your usual circles
- find out more about a new topic
- be exposed to different perspectives on a familiar topic
- offer advice, share your expertise, and contribute to a pool of knowledge.
What if I can’t make it at that time?
We will record the tweet chat and post a summary of it here afterwards so that you can view the chat if you missed it.
