Love Data Week Explores Open Access and Collaborative Research Trends

The UNCW Library and Research and Innovation are co-hosting events for the annual “International Love Data Week” from Feb. 10–14. Love Data Week is designed to raise awareness about data concepts, topics and methods used in research, while fostering collaboration and engagement across disciplines. A series of online and in-person workshops, panels and spotlights will be presented to build campus community and highlight various aspects of research data. Among the diverse events is a panel discussion titled “Access to Satellite Data: Community vs. Commercialization?”  

The Friday morning session, moderated by Open Knowledge and Research Impact Librarian Sam Winemiller, will explore both the benefits and risks, the opportunities and consequences, and the context around both openly accessible and commercially sold climate data. It’s part of a larger discussion on open access that has become increasingly prominent across the nation and internationally in academia. 

Research Data Librarian Lynnee Argabright, who has organized UNCW’s Love Data Week celebration since arriving at the university in 2021, said, “I try to offer two or three panels every year focused less on teaching how to do something and more on discussing disciplinary approaches to a concept to compare research processes and to show a wider lens of data impact. This is one week out of the year we can really get people together and celebrate all the cool, wonky things about data and how we interact with it.” 

While the discussion on satellite data is one important aspect, it’s just a single part of much broader conversations surrounding open data, open publishing and open knowledge that are taking place around the world.  

The Nelson Memo, issued by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in 2022, mandated that all federally funded research articles must be made openly accessible and free to access by the end of 2025. The policy shift is already having a profound impact on the research field. 

Shortly before the university received its R2 designation, the UNCW Library established a Scholarly Communications Librarian position that later evolved into Winemiller’s position as Open Knowledge & Research Impact Librarian. The change reflects an increased focus on supporting research-specific needs.

Winemiller, who arrived at UNCW last August, focuses on supporting faculty interested in sharing their research as widely as possible or who have questions about where to publish. He has also become the university’s go-to expert on open knowledge. Winemiller works closely with Argabright, who provides comprehensive data support across the research lifecycle, from data collection and management to data reporting and sharing.  

“I came in with a lot of experience and knowledge in open access publishing and the way the academic publishing landscape is changing and evolving from a paywall system to an open access system, and sort of the tensions and push and pull there."

- Sam Winemiller

The growth in open access publishing is evidenced by numbers. UNCW authors produced over 200 open access papers in 2024. Over 190 UNCW authors chose to publish at least one open access paper during the year. Winemiller said one of the exciting parts of his job is that there is already plenty of energy around open access at the university. In 2023, the Faculty Senate passed a resolution encouraging UNCW faculty to publish in open access venues, seek publishers offering free access and use institutional repositories to ensure wide dissemination while retaining the rights to their work. 

In October, Winemiller helped organize another annual initiative, “International Open Access Week,” which celebrates freely accessible scholarship and provides an opportunity for discussions on the topic. A new addition this year was the naming of “UNCW Open Access Champions,” which was the library’s way of acknowledging faculty who have taken the 2023 resolution to heart. 

The Open Access Champions included:

• Eric Rawls, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology
• Beverley McGuire, professor in the Philosophy and Religion Department
• Frederick Bingham, professor in the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography
• Richard Clerkin, distinguished professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs
• Christopher Prentice, professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs
• Lenis Chen-Edinboro, associate professor in the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences

Winemiller acknowledged that while there are pros and cons to both publishing methods, each researcher’s goals differ. He emphasized that there are various valuable ways to share research and contribute to the academic community, and while he supports traditional publishing for those aiming to reach other academics, he encourages exploring alternatives. 

Winemiller highlighted the complexities of the decision on where to publish, acknowledging both the advantages and challenges of each approach.  

“If there is any convincing to be done, it’s mostly demystifying things about it,” said Winemiller. “It’s about helping them think more consciously about what their goals are when sharing their research.” 

While open access articles tend to garner more citations on average due to their wider availability, there are distinct advantages to publishing in traditional high-impact journals with established reputations. These journals often offer rigorous peer review and provide a platform for scholars to engage with a specialized academic audience.  

“Winemiller and I collaborate to get people thinking about doing research in new and inclusive ways, bringing awareness to how open access can support research and collaboration across disciplines,” said Argabright. 

The impact of open access and data sharing will be discussed by the satellite data panel, which includes faculty members Frederick Bingham, professor in the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography; Yalei You, assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences; and Jessica Weinkle, associate professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs. 

This year’s Love Data Week offers both in-person and online sessions and is also open to participants from other institutions and organizations outside of UNCW. The open data panel discussion is slated for 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 and will be held in the Visualization and Analysis Lab in the UNCW Library's Discovery Hall. A full list of Love Data Week events can be found on the UNCW Library website, and stay tuned for Open Access Week programming in October 2025.