Recent developments in the United States and other countries to cut critical funding and programs [1, 2, 3] for research and education pose a significant risk of disrupting the global research ecosystem and access to it, far beyond one country’s borders. There is a threat to the critical infrastructure necessary for sharing and accessing research at every level; from the tools, training, and connectivity to the availability of research and data at large. 

“You almost need a catastrophic failure of open infrastructure to get people to understand how critical it is to a healthy ecosystem."
— Lauren Kane, CEO, BioOne

From business and innovation, AI technology development, and scientific breakthroughs, to advancements in health, climate, and poverty alleviation, we depend on open knowledge infrastructure. It is our collective responsibility to safeguard these vital resources and prevent their disruption.

In this moment, it is crucial to protect and expand open infrastructure — open source, decentralized, and grounded in community needs. By taking collective action, we can ensure the continued flow of vital knowledge.

Since 2020, Invest In Open Infrastructure (IOI) has been working with communities across the globe to uncover and strengthen the crucial tools and services that power research and scholarship, raising awareness of the sustainability challenges they face, strengthening their governance and business models, and catalysing financial support to ensure long-term viability. Join us in this effort. 

If you:

  • Use or depend on open data, open source, research tools, services
  • Want a healthy, well-supported global research ecosystem 
  • Are aligned with addressing societal challenges such as climate research, world hunger, preparedness for global health emergencies 

Now is the time to act. 

By joining this Statement, we the undersigned:

  • Recognize the urgent need to support and sustain open research infrastructure 
  • Believe that these vital services are essential for the advancement of knowledge and the well-being of society
  • Acknowledge access to research and infrastructure to support research is critical to the future success of everyone

After signing this Statement, we will commit to an action, such as: 

  • Diversify our infrastructure investments to include more open solutions, those with a commitment to public documentation, knowledge sharing, and community governance.
    • Note: Infra Finder is a leading resource for finding infrastructures and services that meet your needs 
  • Advocate for change by connecting with a consortium, funder, or another group to advocate and facilitate investment in open infrastructure.
  • Make a contribution: 
    • If you have the resources, donate and join the collective IOI Fund for Network Adoption, to support the adoption, implementation, and expansion of open infrastructure for research. Suggested donation: US$5,000 - $25,000
Sign this Statement

Supporting organizations

Supporting individuals

  • Richard J. Acton, Data Outputs Manager, Babraham Institute
  • Nicky Agate, Associate Dean for Academic Engagement, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Bridget Almas, Director of Operations, Community Supported Technologies, Lyrasis
  • Selorm Anku Ankudey, Principal Library Assistant, University of Energy and Natural Resources
  • Laurie Arp, Senior Director, Lyrasis
  • Sören Auer, Director, TIB Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology
  • Christie Bahlai, Associate Professor and coDirector, Environmental Science and Design Research Institute, Kent State University
  • Arianna Becerril Garcia, Executive Director / Professor, Redalyc, AmeliCA & Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México
  • Richard Bennett, Chief Growth Officer, Hum
  • Björn Brembs, Professor of Neurogenetics, Universität Regensburg
  • Gunnar Blohm, Professor, Queen's University
  • James Colliander, 2i2c and UBC
  • George Currie, Content Manager
  • Gimena Del Rio, Senior Researcher, CONICET
  • Kate Dohe, Director of Digital Programs and Initiatives, University of Maryland Libraries
  • Luke Drury, Emeritus Professor of Astrophysics, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
  • Ellen Dubinsky, Scholarly Communication Librarian, University of Arizona
  • Carson Evans, Graduate Student, UMBC
  • Martin Paul Eve, Professor of Literature, Technology and Publishing, Birkbeck University of London; Technical Lead, Michigan State University
  • Emily Faber, Graduate Research Fellow, UMBC/UCAR
  • Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Project Director, Knowledge Commons
  • Camille Françoise, Program Manager & Policy Advisor
  • Ross Gayler, Independent Researcher
  • Robert Giessmann, Independent Researcher, IGDORE
  • Monica Gonzalez-Marquez
  • Matthew Green, Product Manager
  • Monique Grenier, Science and Research Data Literacy Librarian, University of Victoria
  • Arran Griffith, Fedora Program Manager
  • Jennifer Gunter King, Associate University Librarian for Special Collections, Boston University
  • Christian Hauschke, TIB - Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology
  • Ana Heredia, Independen Consultant, Heredia & Viggiani Consulting
  • Konrad Hinsen, Researcher, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
  • Adrian Ho, Librarian, University of Chicago
  • Lilly Hoi Sze Ho
  • Chris Holdgraf, 2i2c
  • Bill Hooker, Research Scientist
  • Ben Hyman, Executive Director, Vancouver Island Regional Library
  • Dr. Muhammad Imtiaz, Founder, XploreOpen
  • Dragan Ivanovic, Full Professor, University of Novi Sad
  • Esther Jackson, Scholarly Communication Technologies Librarian, Columbia University Libraries
  • Gaspar Jekely, Professor, Heidelberg University
  • Peter Kayula, Journalist and Researcher, Safeworld Management Services
  • Philipp Koellinger, DeSci Foundation
  • John A. Kunze, Research Data Scholar, ARK Alliance, Metadata Research Center at Drexel University
  • Sharon Leon, COO, Digital Scholar
  • Michael Lissack, Executive Director, Second Order Science Foundation
  • Jean-François Lutz, Head of research support services, Université de Lorraine
  • Florian Marquardt, Scientific Director, Max Planck Society and University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
  • Shannon Mattern, Penn Presidential Compact Professor of Media Studies, University of Pennsylvania
  • John Maxwell, Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University
  • Dana McFarland, Librarian
  • Danil Mikhailov, Executive Director, Data.org
  • Judith A. Miller, Associate Professor, Emory University
  • Jessica Mitchell, Student, Palo Alto University
  • Quin Mudry Nelson, PhD Student/Health Services Researcher, University of Minnesota
  • Kamran Naim, Head of Open Science, European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
  • Omo Oaiya, CSO, WACREN
  • Jack O'Grady, Web Usability Intern, University of Toronto
  • Priyanka Ojha, Research software and data consultant
  • Sumir Panji, Program Manager, eLwazi Open Data Science Platform
  • Lauren Phegley, Research Data Engineer, University of Pennsylvania
  • Joakim Philipson, Research Data Analyst, Stockholm University
  • Nancy Pontika, Project Officer, Open University
  • Martijn Roelandse, Lead, Business Development, Sci Crunch Inc.
  • Jessica Ryan, Scholarly Communications Librarian, Smith College
  • Salihu T. Salihu, Librarian
  • Kevin Sanders, Open Access Engagement Lead, Open Book Collective
  • Giovanni Sartor, Professor, University of Bologna
  • Oscar Seip, Fellowship Manager, Software Sustainability Institute
  • Neil Shephard, Research Software Engineer, University of Sheffield
  • Arley Soto, Co-Founder, Biteca
  • Niels Stern, Managing Director, OAPEN Foundation and Co-Director, Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB)
  • Dan Stowell, Associate Professor of AI and Biodiversity, Naturalis Biodiversity Centre / Tilburg University
  • Toby Steiner, COO, Thoth Open Metadata
  • Peter Suber, Senior Advisor on Open Access, Harvard University
  • Erik Sundell, Open source maintainer, Sundell Open Source Consulting AB
  • Jed Sundwall, Executive Director, Radiant Earth
  • John Stephen Tenywa, Editor-in-Chief (Afr. Crop Sci. Journal) & Associate Professor, Africa Crop Science Society
  • Ronen Tamari, Founder, Cosmik
  • Danny van der Haven, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ETH Zürich
  • Demmy Verbeke, Associate Professor of Open Research, KU Leuven
  • Zoe Wake Hyde, Founder & Director, Radish Press
  • John P. Wilkin, Chief Executive Officer, Lyrasis
  • Laura J. Wilkinson, Product Manager, OAPEN
  • Riley Wong, Principal, Emergent Research
Posted by Invest In Open Infrastructure