Ingo Schlupp
May 4, 2022
Ingo Schlupp, Ph.D., is Presidential Professor of Biology in the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma. His research is based in ecology and evolution, with topics ranging from mating systems and reproduction, conservation biology of fishes, speciation, biology of cave dwellers, the evolution of life histories, and robotics and simulations. His work also includes livebearing fishes as models.
He is the author of the openly published articles "Biogeography of the West Indies: A complex scenario for species radiations in terrestrial and aquatic habitats" and "Development and validation of an environmental DNA protocol to detect an invasive Caribbean freshwater fish, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata)." Additional open resources by Dr. Schlupp can be found by searching SHAREOK, the joint institutional repository for the libraries of the University of Oklahoma (OU), Oklahoma State University (OSU), and the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO).
Why do you choose to publish open access?
All scientists stand on the shoulders of the titans that worked before us. Without access to their works, we are nothing. Equally critical for progress is uninhibited access to the published ideas of our contemporaries. Without reading the publications of our colleagues, friends, and competitors, we can’t make progress. Open access means that all scientists, not just those whose libraries can afford expensive subscriptions, have access to our thinking and can engage in discussion with us. We profit from this as much as they do.
Some of my scientific work is done in collaboration with countries in the global south, including several countries in the Caribbean. They have a right to access their own work freely and share it with their colleagues and students. In some cases, publishing open access is not just the right thing to do, but also shows respect. It becomes part of a fair approach to doing science.
How have you benefited from publishing open access?
Just like anybody else, I must read a lot to stay on top of developments in my field. And although I am in a privileged place with access to a lot of paid content, I benefit enormously from open access publications. They are usually of high quality and easy to find and retrieve. I can share these publications with my colleagues and students without worrying about restrictions.
Has your opinion of open access changed over time? If so, how?
A former student of mine insisted on publishing his thesis work in an inexpensive open access journal. At that time, I was concerned about the impact and visibility of his work, but he proved me wrong. I think nowadays one can publish open access and not worry about impact. I still use traditional outlets, but many of my papers are open access. I am also an editor for an open access journal.
What did you appreciate about working with OU Libraries to make your work open access?
The library is very supportive of open access publishing and is doing so very deliberately. I enjoy working with the librarians that oversee this. I feel very supported in the process and had only good experiences with this. Of course, the process could be a little more streamlined, but there is always room for improvement.