Experts reflect on the implications of blockchain for research
Sabine Louët, reporting from the APE2018 , meets the faces of scholarly publishing, in Berlin. Louët is an EuroScientist Editor. She interviews several experts on their views on how blockchain technology will change open science.
How blockchain will help open science
First, we hear from Lambert Heller, the head of the Open Science Lab at TIB Hannover, the German national library for science and technology. Heller gives his perspective as a digital librarian. Heller speaks of how blockchain is going to help science become more open. As well as, how it will help remove the current bottlenecks in scientific endeavour Blockchain will increase the connectivity, accessibility and storage of scholarly objects. For example, objects such as research papers and databases, through metadata and interplanetary data systems
Blockchain for research
Second, we will hear from Amsterdam-based Joris van Rossum, director special projects, Digital Science, London, UK,. He highlights key findings of a recently published report about Blockchain for Research he has written. In particular, he outlines the many aspects of the research endeavour that could benefit from tracking. Moreover, these include the method through the use of blockchain technology, which can be in the form of data layer underneath the current research ecosystem.
Blockchain revolution for open science
Then, comes Berlin-based, Sönke Bartling, founder of Blockchain for Science, whose mission is ‘to Open up Science and knowledge creation by means of the blockchain (r)evolution’. In addition, Bartling speaks about how blockchain could change the way science is being funded via the creation of cryptocurrencies.
Finally, we hear from Eveline Klumpers, co-founder of Katalysis, a start-up aiming to redefine the value of online content and focusing on developing blockchain solutions for the publishing industry. Lumpers is based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She gives some concrete examples of how blockchain technology can store transparent immutable smart contracts, defining how the content should be shared. This approach can give power back to authors of original work and help them monetise it. It could also help ensure reproducibility in research.