University of Derby's Open Research Week welcomes our own Dr. David Elliott, Associate Professor of Microbial Ecology at University of Derby. Dr. Elliott will present his perspectives on open research with a focus on microbiology and environmental topics. The session will also explore with the audience how our motivations for research may influence our choices to be open or not.

Our understanding of microbes has been transformed by the advent of DNA sequencing in the 1970's which opened our eyes to the vast diversity of microbial life on Earth, most of which is known only from DNA sequences. High-throughput DNA sequencing technologies now allow us to survey microbial communities in immense detail, and Dr. Elliott has been using these to research microbial communities in numerous environments from glaciers to deserts.

This research is only possible because the pioneers of molecular microbiology adopted open-research and open-data practices which have been broadly embraced by the microbiology research community from the beginning. Modern research in microbial ecology builds on that foundation and is now heavily reliant on database systems and open source bioinformatics tools. Continued progress depends on people having the relevant expertise and motivation to choose open practices, which do have certain barriers for adoption which will be explored in this event.

At University of Derby we are committed to an Open Research culture which endeavours to ensure that all the research at the University is as open as possible. As educators and professionals in research-active institutions, if we commit to the ideals of open research then we must facilitate it by ensuring that the necessary skills and motivations are supported and rewarded.