Science Library Pad

rapid access to scientific results including Gates Foundation open access journal

The Gates Foundation will be launching its own open access journal, Gates Open Research.

https://gatesopenresearch.org/

"a platform for rapid author-led publication and open peer review of research"

The Gates Foundation joins the Wellcome Trust in launching this approach, and they are both using the same underlying platform, F1000.

https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/

(Note that this is in addition to the previous announcement that the Gates Foundation will be paying Science to enable open access to Gates-funded research in what were previously closed-access journals.)

In a Times Higher Education story, Jean-Claude Burgelman suggests the European Commission might also create its own open access journal.

Nature News also covered the story: Gates Foundation announces open-access publishing venture.

These two journals will also gain the capability for open peer review that is part of the F1000 platform.  There is a short blog post on the F1000 site: Gates Open Research: the journey continues.

Related to this announcement there is also a (free) Economist Babbage podcast item on preprints and open peer review

https://soundcloud.com/theeconomist/babbage-ubers-trail-of-woes#t=1:04 (from 1:04 to 7:46)

and (not at all free) - three articles in the Economist:

March 23, 2017 Economist cover item (what the Economist calls a Leader): “Science’s publishing problem” – Leaders consist of a summary article and a more detailed article

http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21719480-and-how-cast-them-shackles-scientific-journals

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21719438-about-change-findings-medical-research-are-disseminated-too

It happens that the Economist also did a piece about altmetrics in the same issue (altmetrics aren’t discussed in the podcast)

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21719441-alternative-metrics-extend-concept-citation-beyond-journal

Previously:
February 17, 2017  Many preprint services

Chief Science Advisor in Budget 2017

Canada's Chief Science Advisor and associated office get a mention in Budget 2017.

Budget 2017 proposes to establish an annual budget of $2 million for the Chief Science Advisor and related secretariat.

There's some additional text but nothing substantially beyond what has already been established in mandate letters and the job advertisement.

As part of her/his mandate, the Chief Science Advisor will provide advice on how to ensure that government science is open to the public, that federal scientists are able to speak freely about their work, and that science is effectively communicated across government.

The Chief Science Advisor will be responsible for providing advice to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Science, and will serve primarily in an advisory and coordinating capacity.

above from Budget 2017 - Strengthening Science in Government

Previously:
December 5, 2016  Canadian National Chief Science Advisor competition announced