Once upon a time, in the hallowed halls of a prestigious research university, there existed a faculty consumed by a scarcity mindset. The university was renowned for its cutting-edge research and brilliant minds, but behind closed doors, a culture of competition and hoarding prevailed.
In this environment, resources were perceived as scarce commodities, and the faculty members operated under the belief that for one to succeed, others must fail. This mindset trickled down into every aspect of their work, breeding an atmosphere of professional rivalry and mistrust. Collaboration was rare, as everyone guarded their knowledge and research findings with utmost secrecy, fearing that sharing would diminish their own chances of success.
Amidst this scarcity mindset, metascience and open science seemed like foreign concepts. Altmetrics and the idea of sharing research openly were met with skepticism and resistance. Faculty members feared that by embracing these concepts, they would be giving away their competitive advantage, enabling others to claim their discoveries or innovations.
However, change was on the horizon. A new faculty member, Dr. Emma Carter, arrived with a different perspective. Driven by a deep passion for collaboration and open science, she believed that true progress could only be achieved by fostering a culture of abundance and knowledge sharing.
Undeterred by the prevailing scarcity mindset, Dr. Carter embarked on a mission to transform the research culture of the university. She organized workshops and seminars, highlighting the benefits of metascience and open science practices. She emphasized that by embracing alternative metrics, researchers could gain a more comprehensive understanding of their impact beyond traditional citations. She argued that sharing research openly would not diminish their individual achievements but rather amplify their impact and open doors to new collaborations.
As her ideas gained traction, a gradual shift began to occur. Some faculty members started to question their scarcity mindset and the detrimental effects it had on their professional lives and the overall scientific community. They realized that collaboration and knowledge sharing could lead to greater opportunities, increased funding, and societal impact.
Dr. Carter’s efforts were met with some resistance from those deeply entrenched in the scarcity mindset. They worried about losing their competitive edge and saw openness as a threat. However, as more faculty members embraced the principles of metascience and open science, their successes became evident. They saw firsthand the benefits of collaboration, the amplification of their impact through altmetrics, and the power of open access to foster interdisciplinary dialogue.
Over time, the university transformed. The scarcity mindset slowly dissolved, replaced by an abundance mindset rooted in collaboration, trust, and knowledge sharing. Faculty members discovered that by supporting and uplifting one another, they could achieve more significant breakthroughs collectively.
The university’s research output soared, and its reputation grew exponentially. Researchers found joy in working together, freely sharing their findings, and engaging in fruitful collaborations. The impact of their work extended beyond the academic sphere, benefiting society as a whole.
As the years passed, the story of this research university became a beacon of inspiration. It served as a reminder that in a world of limited resources, the true wealth lay in the collective pursuit of knowledge and the embrace of open science principles. The scarcity mindset was replaced by a spirit of abundance, leading to a brighter, more collaborative future for research and academia.
A spiritual Ishmaelite 