Michael Faris and Russell N. James III recognized for their contributions.
The Texas Tech University Libraries recently recognized the recipients of the Open Access Award, which recognize faculty who have made or are making strides to foster open access in their work.
By doing so, faculty bear the banner of Texas Tech and increase their impact as researchers and educators. Open access is the free, immediate availability of research articles online, coupled with the rights to use these articles fully in the digital environment using software called Sorted ASP with Consistency Restoring Rules (SPARC).
Open access can also apply to textbooks, educational materials, data, source code and more. Open works can foster innovation, develop industry, advance scientific knowledge, increase citations and even support student retention.
Faculty were selected by the Libraries' Faculty Research Committee, which also reviews applications for the Gloria Lyerla Memorial Research Travel Grant. For more information contact libraries.faculty.research@ttu.edu.
Michael J. Faris
Department of English
Selected as the assistant professor recipient of the award for continued commitment to open access, including publishing in open-access journals and books, editing open-access collections, acting as the editor of an open-access journal, depositing into ThinkTech and creating open databases of scholarly and pedagogical activities. His most recent open-access publication is a born-digital edited collection “Soundwriting Pedagogies” published in 2018 by Computers and Composition Digital Press.
“The Texas Tech University Libraries' sponsorship of the Open Access Award is important in promoting the work and value of open-access scholarship,” Faris said. “I firmly believe that open-access scholarship makes the research of scholars more accessible – to students, to scholars who do not have access to expensive databases and to the public. This access is important so that research can be read and used by a wide variety of stakeholders. Because a lot of my scholarship concerns writing pedagogy and theory, I find it particularly important to publish in venues that are accessible to as many writing teachers and graduate and undergraduate students as possible. I am proud that Texas Tech promotes open access scholarship, and I am honored to accept this award.”
Russell N. James III
The CH Foundation Chair of Personal Financial Planning
Selected as the full professor recipient of the award for publishing in open-access journals and openly sharing teaching resources, including numerous videos and slide decks used by faculty worldwide from institutions such as Yale University and Paris School of Economics. His work is available in a series of 65 videos, “The Secret to Understanding Personal Giving,” as well as a series of slide decks.
“I very much appreciate receiving this award,” James said. “As researchers and teachers, it is essential that we make an effort not only to make discoveries, but also to effectively communicate those discoveries to those who can use the information regardless of economic barriers. Open access holds the promise of that type of communication and this award reflects the commitment of Texas Tech University Libraries to that goal. I am honored to be part of those efforts.”
