In 2023, Chalmers Library's Open Access Prize is awarded to Lisa Göransson and Filip Johnsson from the Department of Space, Earth, and Environment. Their report with the title that translates to "A Future Power System with and without Nuclear Energy – What's the Difference?" is this year's most downloaded - in only three months.
Congratulations to both of you, Lisa Göransson, associate professor, and Filip Johnsson, professor! What are your thoughts on receiving this award?
“It feels amazing, of course. There is a great interest in the energy transition, and we see this as our research being timely”.
Your report has been downloaded more in three months than all others in a full year. What do you think is the reason for this?
“It's probably because the energy field is very hot right now. You only need to open a newspaper, and there are often articles about the energy transition. The subject has also become highly politicized in recent years, starting in connection to the election debate before the last election, and there are many opinions. We aim to show the possibilities of the energy transition but also the challenges. Unfortunately, in the debate, there are sometimes too much focus on the challenges in a negative way without looking to what solutions are available”, says Filip Johnsson.
“We felt that there was a lack of comprehensive pictures of what Sweden's future power system could look like and how it could function. The transition of the power system is extensive and affects everyone in one way or another. We want to use what we have learned from our research to contribute to a better understanding of questions like "What do we do when there's no wind?" and "Will the electricity price vary?” says Lisa Göransson.
What does open access mean to you, and why is it important?
“Naturally, it is important that research is open and can be widely disseminated and utilized. Our report was also an attempt to reach a broader audience with our research. Therefore, it's extra gratifying that the report has been downloaded so many times”, says Filip Johnsson.
“When research approaches application, as it does in this case, it's particularly important that it becomes as accessible as possible, which is possible through open access”, says Lisa Göransson.
How can we encourage more scientists to publish their research openly? Are there any challenges that universities need to overcome, as you see it?
“Today, many research councils have requirements for open access publishing, which is good. Challenges can be ensuring that the chosen channels maintain high quality. Recently, it has come to light that some publishers have open access journals of low standard – after all, it's a commercial business. Depending on the subject, it might also be good to openly publish reports that, like ours, target a broader readership. The challenge here is probably finding the time to write these types of reports. One can only hope that spending time on making science useful is considered in the merit assessment of researchers, which doesn't seem to be the case today”, says Filip Johnsson.
They are rewarded as the report was the most downloaded from the Chalmers Research with 1074 unique downloads from October 1, 2022, to October 1, 2023 (the second had 938, and the third had 670). It should be noted that the report was also available for download only in early August 2023.
Jessica Lindholm, acting head of the division Information resources and scientific publishing at Chalmers Library, presented the award:
"The fact that Chalmers and the library highlight someone each year during the International Open Access Week who has distinguished themselves by reaching a broad audience with their research makes me proud of our workplace. This enables more people to easily access current research topics at Chalmers. It is a vital aspect of building an open and democratic knowledge society, aligning with Chalmers' vision of creating a better future. Additionally, researchers who publish through open access also receive more citations than locked research, potentially benefiting their own careers".
If you want to read the entire report, you can find it here! (In Swedish only)
What is Chalmers Library's Open Access Prize?
The award has been given since 2015 and is a way for Chalmers Library to highlight the global event of Open Access Week, which takes place for a week in October. This year's theme is " Community over Commercialization”. Open Access Week 2023 is an opportunity to join together, take action, and raise awareness around the importance of community control of knowledge sharing systems.
Read more about Open Access week here