The White House responded last week to the petition for

Increasing Public Access
to the Results of Scientific Research

A petition, that was posted at the White House site

and that got 65,704 signatures,
when the minimum required is 25,000.

Here are some notable excerpts

“The Obama Administration agrees that citizens deserve
easy access to the results of research their tax dollars have paid for.”

“The logic behind enhanced public access is plain. We know that scientific research supported by the Federal Government spurs scientific breakthroughs and economic advances when research results are made available to innovators. Policies that mobilize these intellectual assets for re-use through broader access can accelerate scientific breakthroughs, increase innovation, and promote economic growth. That’s why the Obama Administration is committed to ensuring that the results of federally-funded scientific research are made available to and useful for the public, industry, and the scientific community.

Moreover, this research was funded by taxpayer dollars. Americans should have easy access to the results of research they help support.”

To this end, John Holdren, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy,
issued the following memorandum on Friday Feb 22nd,
directing US Federal agencies:

“… with more than $100 million in research and development expenditures
to develop plans to make the results of federally-funded research publicly available
free of charge within 12 months after original publication.”

The Administration is committed to ensuring that,

“…the direct results of federally funded scientific research
are made available to and useful for the public,
industry, and the scientific community.

Such results include peer-reviewed publications
and digital data. “

This policy for all Federal Agencies is inspired by the success of the NIH Public Access Policy.

In addition to addressing access to publications, the memorandum also

“…requires that agencies start to address the need
to improve upon the management and sharing of scientific data
produced with Federal funding.

and adds:

“Going forward, wider availability of scientific data
will create innovative economic markets
for services related to data curation, preservation,
analysis, and visualization, among others.”

What great way to start today

Open Data Day !