INTERVIEW: Developer Intern Matt Frazier
To continue highlighting our wonderful interns here at the Center for Open Science, we've interviewed one of our new development interns, Matt Frazier. So let's get to it!
Name: Matt Frazier Position: Developer Intern Hometown: Culpeper, VA Where did you go to university: I'm a UVA Alumnus Major: Computer Science Do you have any other scientific interests?
Artificial Intelligence, Virtual/Augmented Reality, Brain-Computer Interfaces, Neuroprosthetics, to name a few.
What is one fact about yourself that people might find interesting? I hiked the Appalachian Trail after graduation.
Wow! That's a long way to walk. Congrats! Anyway...
Can you finish the sentence, "Open Science means": In short: Open Science means freedom, applied to the scientific process. Free access to research, increased collaboration in scientific endeavors, and a system that not only allows but conduces peer review at every step of the scientific method. It entails a paradigm shift from the currently prevailing view; producing novel and sometimes unsubstantiated work to be published is no longer the be-all and end-all of science in a technologically advanced society where information can be practically instantaneously and globally disseminated. Now, would-be scientists must focus on making their work reproducible rather than just ground-breaking (though ground-breaking is still great as long as it can be reproduced). Furthermore, work that confirms the results of previous research is no longer viewed as second-class; it merely goes to strengthen the evidence supporting the original researchers claim. Openness in science allows anyone to learn from and to contribute to the humanity-wide quest for knowledge.
Alright, and what drew you to COS? If you couldn't tell from the above long-winded explanation, I'm really into open practices (initially software, more recently science) and wanted to do some good in the world. I'm also interested in the sociopolitical implications of such practices, but that's a discussion for another interview.
Describe some of your day-to-day duties and responsibilities.
Code maintenance and development of COS projects on GitHub, mostly.
And, what are you working on right now?
I recently wrapped up OSF integration with the modular-file-renderer, a project that allows a number of different file types (images, spreadsheets, molecular structures, etc.) to be rendered in a web page, so scientists can view and comment on one another's work without having to download every piece of data. I'm currently prototyping what is effectively a forum to help scientists quickly identify the correct domain repositories for their specific type of data. This will be achieved by linking said repositories to their accepted taxonomies (subject, datatype, etc.), journal preferences, associated institutions, and other miscellaneous metadata. This will also allow the identification of repositories with leading practices, and thereby promulgate best practices.
What’s it like living in Charlottesville, VA?
The roads could be a bit more bike-friendly, but otherwise it's a pretty great small city. Quite possibly my favorite place along the East Coast. Lots of good places to eat, and a fairly active social scene.
Do you have a favorite place to eat in C-ville? I try my best to avoid picking favorites, which in this case is easy because there are so many good places to eat.
What music are you currently listening to?
I sometimes listen to gregorian chant in the shower.
