What’s your job title and how long have you been at Loughborough?

I’m the Open Research Manager for Data and Methods. I currently hold the record for the longest job title among all library staff members. I’ve been at Loughborough University since June 2022.

Why did you choose to work in Open Research?

I’ve spent my whole professional career working in libraries. Due to my own interest in research, I moved fairly quickly to supporting research, but I never lost my love of cataloguing. My current role has the best blend of my favourite tasks.

Tell us what a typical day in your job looks like?

Like just about everyone in my team, no two days are the same. Some days, all I do is catalogue the weird and wonderful things that come into the library collection (some recent additions include poems from emails, pictures from an exhibition and a dataset about batteries). Other days, I mix it up by commenting on Data Management Plans for funding bids and working on Open Research advocacy, such as marketing the Midlands Innovation Open Research Week (see what I did there?). Whatever the day holds, I always try to squeeze in some coding. I’m exploring different ways of making materials available from the Research Repository, such as this custom display I created for the Water Development and Engineering Centre.

What’s your favourite thing about working in a library?

I love seeing the amazing research that happens every day. As an Open Research Manager, I’m at the forefront of creative discoveries, each with the potential to change the world. I’m exposed to projects, ideas and outcomes that I could never have even dreamed up, and never encountered without this job.

What’s the most exciting development in Open Research that you’ve seen?

Right now I’m excited that Open Research was explicitly mentioned in the Research Excellence Framework 2029 pilot guidance: “Connectivity: Enabling inter-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary approaches both within and between institutions, fostering co-creation and engagement with research users and society, and recognising and supporting open research practices “(section 17, emphasis mine). Open Research practices have been increasingly making an appearance in various policy documents – including it in REF is a significant milestone.

What’s one thing you wish everyone knew about Open Research?

It’s so easy to get started – and as soon as you do, you’ll see the benefits.

Tell us something you do outside of work that we might not know about?

I am unreasonably entertained by dental commercials.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Definitely to stop time – then I could read everything that interests me!