The Center for Open Science (COS) is a nonprofit organization based in Charlottesville, Virginia, dedicated to improving the alignment between scientific values and scientific practices to improve the accumulation and application of knowledge. Operating with a technology start-up atmosphere and mindset, the COS team moves quickly, identifies problems and creates solutions, encourages risk-taking, blends science and technology, and is collaborative, high energy, and dedicated to openness.
Why It Matters: The Center for Open Science names a fundamental problem in research: scientific values—transparency, reproducibility, collaboration—often conflict with scientific practices shaped by publication pressures, competition, and closed systems. By working to align values and practices rather than simply advocating for openness, COS addresses the structural conditions that prevent knowledge from accumulating and being applied as effectively as it could. The start-up mindset of moving quickly, taking risks, and blending science with technology demonstrates that transforming research culture requires not just critique but building the tools and infrastructure that make better practices possible and practical.
