EXPLORATION OF OPEN SCIENCE PRACTICES WITHIN THE GEOSCIENCES

The US Geological Survey (USGS) is responsible for collecting and sharing many different types of data characterizing Earth systems. Our project mission this summer was to highlight the importance of open science and the positive impact it can have on scientific research, such as gaining new insights from old datasets and allowing for more transparency in the methodologies being used for various types of research. Maintaining and managing data from scientific research is a complex process that often results in data being siloed into individual databases where data cannot be accessed easily. Adoption of open science practices can help prevent this issue and create an environment where data from multiple sources can be accessed with less friction. Our project highlights the importance of documenting and publishing scientific protocols. Well structured and documented protocols can include all specific methods, processes, and techniques used within the research process. Our internship this summer focused on a GeoArchive project where we are formally documenting an information management protocol for dealing with data extraction from NI 43-101 reports and the archival process for these reports. We are using several open science methods to document the protocols created and data processing methods used as a living example for other groups across the USGS and in other organizations. Through open science practices we can accelerate scientific practice and improve trustworthiness in our results, particularly in important and complex areas such as climate change research.