As a new member of OpenAIRE, Eindhoven University of Technology brings extensive experience in research information management, Open Access, and the infrastructures that help make research more visible and reusable. To get to know the people behind our newest members, we spoke with Petra Dickhaut, Information Specialist at Eindhoven University of Technology.

Working at the intersection of research, infrastructure and policy, Petra helps connect research information systems across the institution and supports the teams that enable Open Science in practice. In this interview, she shares her perspective on the future of Open Science, the importance of well-connected research information, and why openness should be seen as an opportunity rather than an obligation.

Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your background and expertise?  

I have been working in the academic environment since 2011, starting at Tilburg University. I currently work at Eindhoven University of Technology as an Information Specialist. My main focus is on the Current Research Information System (CRIS) and all related integrations across the research information chain, from internal corporate systems to our  institutional website. In my role, I collaborate closely with Open Access officers, data stewards, research support staff and other stakeholders who support and enable research. My work sits at the intersection of research, infrastructure and policy.

Was there a specific moment or challenge that made you realise Open Science was the only way forward for your institution?

This became clear during the period when The Netherlands was taking a leading role in Open Access. National agreements showed that transparency and accessibility were no longer optional. Seeing how much momentum this created convinced me that Open Science is not just a vision, but a practical and sustainable way forward for both institutions and society.

What is the one thing about the research landscape in The Netherlands that you are most excited to change through this membership?

I am most excited about improving accessibility and reusability of research outputs beyond publications, such as research data, software and infrastructure.
Through this membership, I hope to help remove remaining barriers - technical, cultural and organisational, so that research results can be more easily discovered, reused and valued by both academia and society.

Could you share some of the current projects or initiatives you're involved in related to Open Science?  

We continuously work on projects that aim to make research outputs openly available wherever possible. Currently, one of our focus areas is profiling and exposing research assets, such as scientific equipment and facilities, making them more visible and reusable, both internally and externally.

Is there a particular aspect of Open Science that resonates with you personally? Could you tell us about it?

What resonates most with me is how Open Science changes the way research is shared and connected. When research information is open, well structured, and understandable, it supports better collaboration and decision making and increases the overall impact of research.

How do you see Open Science evolving in the next decade, and what role do you hope to play in that evolution? 

In the next decade, I expect Open Science to become the default mode of working, embedded into research workflows rather than treated as an add-on.
I hope to contribute by strengthening research information infrastructures and helping translate Open Science principles into practical, scalable solutions that researchers can work with effortlessly.

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting to explore the world of Open Science?  

Focus on openness as a mindset rather than a checklist and seek collaboration with others who are already active in the Open Science community. Most importantly: don’t see Open Science as an obligation, but as an opportunity to increase impact, quality and visibility of research.

Outside of your work in Open Science, what are some of your personal interests or hobbies? 

Outside of work, I am an enthusiastic athlete. And according to my housemates, I am also an excellent cook.

Can you share a 'lesson learned' from your career that completely changed how you view scholarly communication?
A key lesson for me was realising that ‘open’ alone is not enough. Research only has real impact when information is well structured, connected and therefore findable. That changed my view on scholarly communication; from sharing outputs to enabling insight and visibility.