皇家华人

The open and engaged nature of UCL鈥檚 research has extended the application of its expertise to the global COVID-19 pandemic

Since the emergence of the听COVID-19 in December 2019, UCL鈥檚 efforts have focused on applying the depth and breadth of听its听cross-disciplinary research and expertise to help humanity recover from听the pandemic,听and making听the world more resilient and equitable in the future.听听

The听impact听of听UCL鈥檚听expertise听has been extended听through听the university鈥檚听commitment to听openness and engagement, exemplified by the UCL Covid-19 Research platform听on ScienceOpen.com.听听

鈥淲e were determined to apply the听open听science ethos听in our response听to the pandemic, so we听became听one of the first universities in the world to develop an online platform听to make all of our听COVID-19听research and data available around the world,鈥� says Dr Paul Ayris, Pro-Vice-Provost (UCL Library Services听and UCL Office for Open Science & Scholarship).听听

This听freely听available collection lists all UCL published content related to the pandemic, including听records for published articles, pre-prints, working papers,听data听and reports.听In听its first听four听months听the platform had grown to include听nearly 700听items,听and had听attracted听almost 15,000 views.听

鈥�鈥淭he sharing of research insights and information is crucial to enabling a global response to the current crisis, empowering people, communities and governments to make rational, evidence-based decisions,鈥� says Dr Paul Ayris听听

The platform听鈥撎齧anaged on behalf of the UCL community by听UCL Press, the UK鈥檚 first fully听open听access听university听press听鈥撎齯ses metadata to pull in research from a range of outlets,听from traditional commercial journals to pre-print servers. Where the research is听open听access, the platform makes the full听text of the publication available.听听

鈥淭he sharing of research insights and information is crucial to enabling a global response to the current crisis:听empowering people, communities and governments to make rational, evidence-based decisions,鈥� adds Dr Ayris.听听

Beyond the platform, UCL听COVID-19听expertise听was amplified听through researchers taking听a prominent role in advising world leaders听and听providing expert commentary听through听the media,听on issues as varied as predictions on听the听virus spread听of the virus, panic buying and stockpiling, broadband provision, and the economic and political impact of the pandemic.听UCL听researchers听responded to more than 280 requests for comment in the media during the first nine months of the pandemic.听听

Our听flagship weekly听podcast series, 鈥楥oronavirus: The Whole Story鈥�, with听UCL听graduate听and broadcaster Vivienne Parry听(Zoology听1978) in discussion with a wide range of UCL听researchers,听analysed听the coronavirus outbreak through different lenses, covering history, psychology, social sciences, arts, engineering, economics, law and politics.听The UCL听COVID-19 Research website听described the collaborative nature of our research, both across UCL disciplines and with external partners, and highlighted contributions made by our community in response to the pandemic.听