Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA)

You’re Invited: Fostering Innovation through Open Science Webinar Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) is excited to share a comprehensive analysis examining how open science, open source, and open data fuel innovation, accelerate discovery, power AI breakthroughs, catalyze economic growth, and drive societal progress. 📖 Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/gXZuuJHq To celebrate its release and explore salient real-world case studies of impactful open science practices and activities, we are pleased to host a free webinar on Wednesday, November 12 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The one-hour session will include: - A brief presentation of the ORCA analysis - Insights from leaders in research, philanthropy, and technology: - Philip Bourne, University of Virginia - Akhila Kosaraju, M.D. M.D. Phare Bio - Jenny Molloy, University of Cambridge - Julieta Arancio, PhD, ORCA - A moderated discussion on next steps toward building an ongoing conversation about open science as a driver of multi-faceted impact 🗓 Date: November 12, 2025 🕙 Time: 10:00–11:00 a.m. Eastern/16:00–17:00 CET 📍 Register — http://bit.ly/471zIoD We hope you will join us to exchange ideas on how open, collaborative approaches can drive innovation for the public good. Thanks to Schmidt Sciences for supporting this work.

**NEW BLOG POST** Universities across the U.S. are rethinking how they define and reward excellence in research—and whether their systems reflect the values and ideals they profess. Academic reward structures have long prioritized publications, citations, and grant dollars. Yet, as public trust in science faces new challenges, institutions are asking how to recognize better openness, mentorship, collaboration, and engagement with communities. In our latest blog, the Aspen Institute Science & Society Program joins partners at the Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) in exploring how academic culture can evolve to align with the public good. 🔗 Read the full blog: https://lnkd.in/e8Gyd4Te This work builds on the Modernizing Academic Appointment and Advancement (MA3) Challenge, a national initiative supporting U.S. colleges and universities in reimagining hiring, review, promotion, and tenure systems. An upcoming information session on October 21st at 2pm ET will share insights and opportunities for institutions interested in participating. Register here: https://lnkd.in/ej3btt7x

✨ Calling all open science champions & practitioners at under-resourced U.S. institutions! The Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) Catalytic Awards are back for Round 2 — offering up to $15,000 to advance open scholarship, open science, open research, open data, and a range of other practices that promote transparency, reproducibility, community engagement, and collaboration. We’re hosting an Info Session to walk you through the program, go over the application details, and answer all your questions: 📅 October 16, 2025 ⏰ 11:00 AM PT (2:00 PM ET) 👉 Register here: http://bit.ly/4o2VlvC If you’re considering applying — or just curious about how these awards can help grow a culture of open, transparent, and collaborative research at your institution — this session is for you!

New MA3 Challenge Information Session added. Join us October 21st, a 2 pm ET / 11 am PT to learn more about this funding opportunity.

🚀 Applications are now open for the second round of the ORCA Catalytic Awards Program! The Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) — with support from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative — is excited to continue empowering champions and communities of #OpenScience practitioners. Our goal: to cultivate a culture of open scholarship and collaboration at traditionally under-resourced, U.S.-based institutions. Each award offers up to $15,000 to advance and cultivate research communities in areas including: - Open science, open data, open science hardware, and software - Civic science & engaged science - Responsible research practices that foster transparency and reproducibility 📅 Deadline: December 1, 2025 (11:59 PM PT) 💡 Eligibility: Scholars & staff at non-R1 or traditionally under-resourced U.S. institutions 🔗 Learn more: orcaopen.org/work/cap 🔗 Apply now: https://lnkd.in/gTd7h-Fg Please hare this opportunity among your networks, and let’s keep building a more accessible and actionable research future! 🌍✨

🚀 $1.5M MA3 Challenge Launches to Modernize Academic Hiring & Promotion The Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA), in partnership with the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and Aspen Institute Science & Society Program, has launched the Modernizing Academic Appointment and Advancement (MA3) Challenge — backed by $1.5 million in prize funding from Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Dana Foundation, Rita Allen Foundation, and RWJF. The Challenge invites U.S. colleges, universities, and their departments to develop academic reward systems that foster a collaborative, responsive, and transparent research environment. We are particularly interested in proposals that elevate: - Open science - Public and community engagement - Civic science - Team science - Diverse contributions to knowledge 🏆 Awards include up to six $250K grants (institution-wide or large division reforms) and up to six $50K grants (department, center, or institute-level reforms). In addition to funding, awardees will join a community of practice to share insights, test solutions, and accelerate change across higher education. 📅 Proposals due: January 8, 2026. 🔗 To learn more about this pivotal opportunity to help reshape academic reward systems so they reflect the values institutions champion, visit the MA3 Challenge website: https://lnkd.in/ezkmcY8H

Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) is excited to be leading the "Tools & training to implement values-based assessment in academic evaluations" workstream at the upcoming Responsible Research in Action 2025 Unconference. Join us by registering here: https://lnkd.in/gKKEKSGg #OpenScience #ResearchAssessment

Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) is pleased to be participating in the QUEST Center for Responsible Research Responsible Research in Action conference. Interested in modernizing research assessment, hiring, and tenure & promotion to better align with #OpenScience, #PublicEngagement, and other traditionally undervalued activities? Join us! https://bit.ly/3IToWbA

The ORCA team is pleased to co-author a model for reforming higher education reward systems. Working with professional societies, we have road tested a process for identifying discipline-specific norms and values, linking these to good open science practices, and tailoring assessment mechanisms that can be adapted and adopted at the academic department level. Published in MetaROR (MetaResearch Open Review) the peer reviews associated with the article also appear alongside the article. https://lnkd.in/eYAR4WYN #OpenScience #ResearchAssessment #AcademicCulture

So excited to be a part of this cohort with colleagues Madison Jones and Jeremiah Dyehouse from the Department of Professional and Public Writing! We'll be building a reusable and open source curriculum for humanities scholars to learn the basics of open source. Our goal is to empower humanities scholars across URI and beyond to use open source tools and contribute to share their work in open source ways to reduce their dependence on expensive corporate controlled platforms while embracing new technologies.