Open Research across Disciplines

How the principles of open research can be applied to your discipline

Engineering (including Electrical, Civil, Environmental, Chemical and Mechanical)

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Case Studies

UKRN case study on civil engineering
University of Manchester case study: BIM (Building Information Modelling) Risk Library
University of Manchester case study: A novel integrated framework for reproducible formability predictions using virtual materials testing
University of Manchester case studies: Office for Open Research case studies on Open Research practices
University of Manchester case study: Big Data for Nano-electronics (Office for Open Research)
University of Sheffield case study: Developing open source software aligned with the FAIR4RS principles: The TopoStats project

Examples of open research practices

Open Data: “Nikola Vasiljević works with unique measurement data of the wind field behind wind turbines, or wake. Having FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data is essential to his field, because this kind of data has a high potential to be reused for many decades, from the very first day they are created.”

(From https://howtofair.dk/how-to-fair/#engineering)

Resources

General Resources

Munafò, M., Noble, S., Browne, W. et al. (2014) Scientific rigor and the art of motorcycle maintenance. Nat Biotechnol 32, 871–873. https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.3004
Detection and Classification of Acoustic Scenes and Events. Community dashboard of workshops, news and challenges. Includes blog about change in practice (civil/environmental). http://dcase.community/
Manifesto about sharing data (electrical/electronic). https://theodi.org/article/engineering-data-for-the-public-good-a-manifesto/#1570462630418-fc70c0a6-7ac3

Open Methods

Resource guiding researchers on relevant computer skills via regular workshops. https://software-carpentry.org
University of Sheffield discipline-specific guidance on how to make research data and software FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable & reusable). This pilot was conducted in seven departments across the University: Architecture, Biosciences, English, Geography, Mechanical Engineering, Psychology, and the School of Health and Related Research.

You can find the full set of checklists from the pilot departments here: https://doi.org/10.15131/shef.data.20496855.v2

Open Data

The SoundSoftware project provides facilities, training, tools and incentives to improve the publication and reuse of scientific software and data in the UK audio and music research community. http://soundsoftware.ac.uk/
Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) prospective move to open access. https://www.theiet.org/publishing/publishing-with-iet-journals/transitioning-to-open-access-faq-s-for-authors#:~:text=From%20January%202021%2C%20all%20articles,to%20a%20CC%2DBY%20licence
The Software Sustainability Institute facilitates progression towards more sustainable research software. https://www.software.ac.uk/about
Open hardware repository. https://ohwr.org/welcome
Open access tools for data analysis. https://opensource.com/
Open-source micro-controller (electrical/electronic). https://www.arduino.cc
Open data repository. https://data.4tu.nl/info/en/
Engineering Science resources (standards, databases, data policies) registered in FAIRsharing: https://fairsharing.org/browse/subject?term=Engineering%2520Science

Open Outputs

Open-source 3D printing toolbox data (mechanical). https://slic3r.org
Open electronics supports development, hacking and playing with electronics: they share open projects and create products. https://www.open-electronics.org/about/
The Open-Source Hardware Association (OSHWA) aims to foster technological knowledge and encourage research that is accessible, collaborative and respects user freedom. Hosts annual Open Hardware Summit and maintains Open-Source Hardware certification. https://www.oshwa.org/
Guidelines on creating open hardware. https://opensource.com/article/18/2/5-keys-open-hardware-design
Pearce, J. M. (2015) Quantifying the Value of Open-Source Hardware Development. Modern Economy, 6, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.4236/me.2015.61001
Open access journals (civil/environmental).
Open access journals (mechanical).
- International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineer (rroij.com)
- https://www.omicsonline.org/architectural-engineering-technology.php
Open access journals (chemical).
- International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineer (rroij.com)
- https://www.omicsonline.org/analytical-bioanalytical-techniques.php
Open-source software for engineering and other sciences. https://openfoam.com/
Preprint repository.
- https://engrxiv.org/

Open Education

Database of open access engineering books, magazines, journals and conferences https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/home.jsp

These pages are adapted and extended from: Farran, E. K., Silverstein, P., Ameen, A. A., Misheva, I., & Gilmore, C. (2020, December 15). Open Research: Examples of good practice, and resources across disciplines (2026 edition). https://osf.io/preprints/osf/3r8hb_v2