On July 22, SPARC recognized the creators of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)—which calls for an improvement in the way the output of scientific research is evaluated—with the July 2013 SPARC Innovator Award. DORA proposes that journal-based metrics should not be used as a surrogate measure of the quality of individual research articles; to assess an individual scientist’s contributions; or in making hiring, promotion, or funding decisions. Since it was issued two months ago, DORA has resonated with more than 8,700 individuals and 340 organizations who have pledged their support to the campaign by signing the online declaration.
Among those leading the DORA efforts are:
- David Drubin, editor-in-chief of the American Society for Cell Biology’s journal Molecular Biology of the Cell, and professor of cell and developmental biology at the University of California, Berkeley
- Stefano Bertuzzi, executive director of the American Society for Cell Biology
- Bernd Pulverer, head of scientific publications for the European Molecular Biology Organization
- Mark Patterson, executive director of eLife in Cambridge, England
- Mike Rossner, former executive director of the Rockefeller University Press
The SPARC Innovator program recognizes advances in scholarly communication propelled by an individual, institution, or group. Typically, these advances exemplify SPARC principles by challenging the status quo in scholarly communication for the benefit of researchers, libraries, universities, and the public. SPARC Innovators are featured on the SPARC website semi-annually and have included the Health Research Alliance, the World Bank, PLOS One, and others. SPARC Innovators are selected by the SPARC staff in consultation with the SPARC Steering Committee.
Read the full profile of DORA and find information about previous SPARC Innovators and the award selection criteria on the SPARC Innovator Award webpage.
