The People Behind Open Science: Gerda McNeill Reflects on Her NOAD Journey

Do you remember how you first crossed paths with OpenAIRE and the NOAD role in Austria?

Oh yes, that is very vivid in my memory. I just came back from my maternity leave in Jan. 2011 and had asked the library director for new goals. She assigned me to work with colleagues who had gained partnerships in EU projects and one of them was OpenAIRE. I did not know much about the topics of Open Access and repositories or anything related to it because I used to work in different fields. At first my work was more related to administrative processes but slowly I started to work within the project goals. At first, mainly to figure out what a NOAD's role was and how to apply it to the Austrian specifics. It was a challenge, but one I was happy to take on, since I believed – and still do – that the philosophy and ideology behind OpenAIRE was very worthwhile. After a year or so, I was assigned to run the project as the main person in our organisation.

Looking back over 15 years, what did the NOAD role come to mean for you, both personally and professionally?

As I already mentioned, I think the concept of Open Science and everything related is very important. Not only to academics and researchers but to society in general as well. Now, more than ever, we need open and scientifically proven information which is available for everybody interested without paywalls or false narratives. I felt proud to be part of this and to try my best as the Austrian NOAD to help spread the message and to provide support when needed. Professionally I learned so much from every meeting, talking to colleagues, seeing different angels of the same topic and just to getting a wider view of my work. The OpenAIRE network is something which should not be taken for granted. We all can only profit from it, professionally and personally.

How did the NOAD role sit alongside your professional responsibilities in Austria?

Over the years I established my work as a NOAD in several national networks like RepManNet Austria and the Austrian FIS/CRIS network. Through my role as Austria's NOAD, I also participated in national projects, like e-infrastructure Austria, AT2OA and AT2OA2 (Austrian Transition to Open Access). I also took part in other EU Projects like Europiana Libraries and, most recently, OSTrails. Those activities also were related to Open Science and complimented my work as a NOAD. I also was involved with Austrian funders like FFG and FWF. I got in touch with other Universities, mainly with collogues from the libraries but sometimes also with researchers. Not to forget the internal communication and connection within the University of Vienna and the colleagues from the library, e.g. International Office, Open Access Office, Bibliometrics, Data Stewards, Repository Phaidra, AUSSDA etc.

Is there a moment, initiative, or interaction from your time as NOAD that really stayed with you and why?

I think one initiative that stuck with me was from the Training and Support Standing Committee. Over the years, I worked in several Standing Committees, but in this one, I had put forward the idea of holding online coffee lectures about current topics like Data Stewardships or Accessibility. I was really happy when this series was successfully launched and it was rewarding the positive feedback from participants. 

How would you describe the NOAD community from your experience? What do you think is unique about this community?

Well, I don't know if I would narrow it down to the NOAD community. I would like to say the OpenAIRE community, because everybody is working together on improving Open Science in their own way and assignments. I would describe it as ambitious, deeply caring for the cause and highly cooperative. I think this community's unique quality is that we all are not only working because it's our job, but I think we all truly believe in the importance of it; the impact we can make for the academic world and the message that knowledge belongs to everybody, not only the ones who can afford it. 

Over the years, how have both the NOAD role and OpenAIRE itself evolved?

OpenAIRE started as a necessity to steer public funders and governments away from financing commercial companies (double pay – funding research and paying for access to the research outcome) and instead shifting focus to science and academia. The NOADs were ambassadors in countries, or to speak in social media terms, influencers, who worked to raise awareness around Open Access, Open Data and Open Science for policy makers, university leaders, national funders, researchers, etc. We held workshops, did presentations and had one-to-one conversations with prominent actors. I think it worked quite well. Of course, we were not the only ones doing that, but we did our share. Now, OpenAIRE is known internationally not only in the academic world, but also for its role in shaping policy. OpenAIRE is a trusted partner for many, within the European Union and beyond.

If a new NOAD asked you for one piece of advice, what would you tell them?

Be active and get involved with OpenAIRE activities as much as you can. It will enhance your knowledge and help your work within your own institution, even if it doesn't look like it at first.

As OpenAIRE continues to evolve, what do you hope remains at its core?

I hope – and I have to say, I'm convinced this will be the case – that the people and just cause will stay the foundation that everything else is built upon. The human touch and the enthusiasm for Open Science is essential to help develop and carry it into the future. I would say the strength of OpenAIRE is that it is not a business, but a non-profit fighting for us all.