Sci-Mate
Encyclopedia
Sci-Mate is an open collaboration of scientists using Web 2.0 software to address well known challenges in academic publishing and technology transfer. The site provides free access to a collection of Web 2.0
software applications intended to make it easier for researchers and developers to bring together the necessary knowledge, tools and people for productive research and/or development.
A demo version
of the site was launched in April 2009, which included software supporting Articles, Discussion, Embedding and Item Exchange. Prior to launch the site was reviewed by The Australian
and on ABC
's Future Tense program.. More recently the site was described in the December 2009 issue of the European Journal of Immunology in the lead up to the 1st Virtual Immunology Conference (VIC 2010).
The site's terms and conditions state that it is research, not profit, oriented, and is intended to be owned, controlled and run by its community of research scientist members.
' formats. Sci-Mate articles record authorship and an automatic claim of copyright
on behalf of contributors instantly protects the rights of original content. Owners of IP
can define their own licenses, but grant permission for editors
to manage content within articles to simplify publication issues. When content is of sufficient standard, an interactive review process allows other scientists to provide quality control prior to submission.
is integrated into the site to allow researchers to quickly clarify issues or disseminate information that is not intended for publication.
; items wanted; project proposals; grants and funding opportunities; jobs; training opportunities; conferences; and seminars. As well as allowing suppliers to define conditions up-front through a material transfer agreement
, suppliers can also issue restricted users licenses to avoid unhealthy competition.
Once an item is listed, the software should help researchers manage interactions, answer questions, evaluate requests and distribute material. The software provides tools for IP management in the form of records, reports and data-flows to researchers, administrative staff and other controlling interests. This makes it possible for researchers to initiate the commercial distribution of items, although employers can appoint administrators to monitor and take over distribution at any time to ensure the best return for the researcher and other controlling interests.
Web 2.0
The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web...
software applications intended to make it easier for researchers and developers to bring together the necessary knowledge, tools and people for productive research and/or development.
A demo version
Technology demo
A tech demo is a prototype, rough example or an otherwise incomplete version of a product, put together with the primary purpose of showcasing the idea, performance, method or the features of the product...
of the site was launched in April 2009, which included software supporting Articles, Discussion, Embedding and Item Exchange. Prior to launch the site was reviewed by The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
and on ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
's Future Tense program.. More recently the site was described in the December 2009 issue of the European Journal of Immunology in the lead up to the 1st Virtual Immunology Conference (VIC 2010).
The site's terms and conditions state that it is research, not profit, oriented, and is intended to be owned, controlled and run by its community of research scientist members.
Articles
Articles on sci-mate use Web 2.0 solutions for scientists to put their knowledge initially into open access articles, which can be ultimately published in 'traditionalAcademic publishing
Academic publishing describes the subfield of publishing which distributes academic research and scholarship. Most academic work is published in journal article, book or thesis form. The part of academic written output that is not formally published but merely printed up or posted is often called...
' formats. Sci-Mate articles record authorship and an automatic claim of copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
on behalf of contributors instantly protects the rights of original content. Owners of IP
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
can define their own licenses, but grant permission for editors
Editors
Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
to manage content within articles to simplify publication issues. When content is of sufficient standard, an interactive review process allows other scientists to provide quality control prior to submission.
Discussion
A Simple Machines ForumSimple Machines Forum
Simple Machines Forum is a free Internet forum application. The software is written in PHP and uses a MySQL database backend, although multi-database support is being developed for version 2.0...
is integrated into the site to allow researchers to quickly clarify issues or disseminate information that is not intended for publication.
Item Exchange
The Material Transfer Environment (MaTE) is intended to allow researchers to clearly describe any item that might be of interest to other researchers and developers and the conditions of supply. The sort of items described that could be listed on the site include: research tools, such as antibodies, plasmids, software, equipment, cell lines, animal models, etc.; services, such as assays, consultancies, analysis, customized products, etc.; technology transferTechnology transfer
Technology Transfer, also called Transfer of Technology and Technology Commercialisation, is the process of skill transferring, knowledge, technologies, methods of manufacturing, samples of manufacturing and facilities among governments or universities and other institutions to ensure that...
; items wanted; project proposals; grants and funding opportunities; jobs; training opportunities; conferences; and seminars. As well as allowing suppliers to define conditions up-front through a material transfer agreement
Material transfer agreement
A Material Transfer Agreement is a contract that governs the transfer of tangible research materials between two organizations, when the recipient intends to use it for his or her own research purposes. The MTA defines the rights of the provider and the recipient with respect to the materials and...
, suppliers can also issue restricted users licenses to avoid unhealthy competition.
Once an item is listed, the software should help researchers manage interactions, answer questions, evaluate requests and distribute material. The software provides tools for IP management in the form of records, reports and data-flows to researchers, administrative staff and other controlling interests. This makes it possible for researchers to initiate the commercial distribution of items, although employers can appoint administrators to monitor and take over distribution at any time to ensure the best return for the researcher and other controlling interests.