OPScI Outreach materials

‘Long-tail’ research is performed by individual PIs and small research teams, who often produce relatively small datasets comprised of diverse types of data. This research and the associated data are a fundamental part of realizing NASA’s science goals and a key input over the life cycle of flight missions. However, in the past the long-tail has lacked the resources (more readily available to larger groups and missions) to adopt open science practices and follow data management guidelines such as FAIR, some aspects of which are now mandated by SPD-41A. Barriers traditionally faced by the long-tail include lack of incentives, money, and the time needed to learn and follow open science practices, combined with lack of guidance, expertise, and suitability of available platforms and tools. 
OPScI aims to help lower these barriers and promote the adoption of open science practices among long-tail researchers working in scientific disciplines across NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. By providing tailored software services, guidance, and resources, OPScI will support and complement NASA’s Transform to Open Science (TOPS) mission.

长尾（Long-tail）研究由首席研究员（Principal Investigator, PI）及小型研究团队开展，这类群体往往产出包含多样数据类型的规模相对较小的数据集。此类研究与关联数据集是实现美国国家航空航天局（National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA）科学目标的核心组成部分，同时也是航天飞行任务全生命周期中的关键输入项。然而此前，长尾研究群体缺乏大型团队与航天任务更容易获取的相关资源，难以践行开放科学实践、遵循FAIR数据管理准则——该准则的部分内容如今已被SPD-41A列为强制要求。长尾研究群体长期面临的障碍包括：缺乏激励机制、资金支持，以及学习和践行开放科学实践所需的时间，同时还存在指导资源匮乏、专业能力不足，以及现有平台与工具适配性不佳等问题。
OPScI旨在助力破除这些障碍，推动美国国家航空航天局科学任务理事会（Science Mission Directorate, SMD）所辖各科学领域内的长尾研究群体采纳开放科学实践。OPScI将通过提供定制化软件服务、指导方案与相关资源，为NASA的“转型开放科学（Transform to Open Science, TOPS）”任务提供支撑与补充。