NSF Public Access Initiative

The NSF Public Access Initiative (PAI) strives to make the outputs of scientific research funded by the National Science Foundation publicly available to the greatest extent and with the fewest constraints possible and consistent with law.

The program maintains the NSF Public Access Repository (NSF PAR), funds a variety of projects to advance the understanding public access broadly, and coordinates a wide variety of agency activities regarding public access.

NSF Public Access Repository (NSF PAR)

The NSF PAR is a repository of peer-reviewed papers and other products of NSF-funded research.
It enables NSF-funded investigators to ensure that these research products are accessible to the public.
The NSF PAR continues to grow in content year by year, and will continue to be enhanced with new features in future versions. Statistics on PAR holdings and growth will soon be viewable.
The NSF PAR is located at the URL: https://par.nsf.gov/

Screen capture of NSF Public Access Repository

Credit: National Science Foundation

Explore scholarly publications in the NSF Public Access Repository

Projects Funded by the Public Access Initiative

The NSF Public Access Initiative (PAI) funds research projects that advance the understanding of public access and Open Science.
See a list of what the PAI has funded.
The PAI has also been the home for the NSF Big Data Innovation Hubs (BD Hubs) program, a national program to foster best practices in using big data for research. (See a list of all BD Hubs awards.)
To propose a public access project, email mhalbert at nsf.gov for more information.

Map of 4 regions for Big Data Innovation Hubs

Credit: The Big Data Innovation Hubs

The Big Data Innovation Hubs

NSF Public Access Requirements

NSF has a number of requirements to ensure that research outputs of NSF-funded research are publicly accessible (see FAQ for Public Access).
Public Access requirements of NSF awardees are described in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide in the sections on Copyright and Publication/Dissemination of Grant Materials.
NSF researchers are expected to proactively make data management plans in their proposals.
Questions concerning NSF policies should be directed to the NSF Policy Office.

Credit: National Science Foundation

History of the NSF Public Access Initiative

In response to the 2013 Holdren Memo, the NSF developed its Public Access Plan (NSF 15-52), setting forth a bold new agency effort to ensure that the outputs of NSF-funded research would be made publicly accessible.
A 2016 Special Report on the NSF’s Public Access Plan provides insights into the initiative’s genesis.

Sun streams into the entrance of Deer Cave in Gunung Mulu National Park, Borneo.

Credit: Syria Lejau, Gunung Mulu National Park

About the NSF Public Access Initiative

The NSF PAI is the agency’s response to the broad consensus in society that publicly funded research should be publicly accessible. NSF maintains many resources about Public Access.
The NSF PAI coordinates on many emerging public access issues such as the FAIR Data Principles with many federal agencies and groups, including the National Science & Technology Council.
NSF directorates have put forth guidance on data management and sharing expectations, see links for BIO, CISE, EHR, ENG, GEO, MPS, and SBE.

Paired with a special cap, the Glassbrain app shows patterns in brain activity. In 2012, former Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart used Glassbrain to show his brain activity live in performance.

Credit: Adam Gazzaley, Roger Anguera Singla, Rajat Jain, Tim Mullen, Christian Kothe, John Fesenko, Oleg Konings, and Matt Omernick