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User:JohnWS
From WikiEducator
 John Stampe | |||||
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| Website: | http://johnsearth.blogspot.com (a blog mostly about environmental issues) | ||||
| Occupation: | Former lecturer in chemical and environmental engineering | ||||
| Country: | Thailand | ||||
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Today is: 27, November 2009
Contents |
Introduction
My name is John Stampe. I am a former university lecturer in chemical and environmental engineering currently living in Thailand. I am interested in now conveying that knowledge to a wider audience through the use of online material through open textbooks, wikis, and other online media.
Philosophy
I began using free and open source software in 2000 and have used it exclusively since 2003 (I don't do windows!). I am a big advocate of open access in academia, including being a advocate for Public Library of Science (PLoS). This is especially after spending time teaching and doing research in developing countries where there is little access to closed journals.
Interests
Science
I am by training an engineer, but am actually more interested in the science behind the engineering and have taught and worked with not only engineers, but also chemists, physicists, and biologists.
As a scientist, there are three things which I am passionate about: skepticism, open access (what brought me to WE), and the environment (see below).
I am also a skeptic and as such am interested in promoting science and critical thinking. I am always amazed at how much time I have to spend trying to get students just to think in an analytical way. Putting that together with poor science journalism, it is no wonder why people are turning to highly questionable (and sometimes dangerous) "cures".
Subject areas
- Thermodynamics
- Safety, especially chemical safety
- Applied mathematics
- Pollution prevention
- Disaster reduction
- Environmental chemistry
Openness
* For my views on copyright see my Thoughts on copyright
I believe in open access, open data, creative commons, and open education. The key word here is of course open.
I have for many years supported open access journals. By open access we mean two things: Right to have free access to published works and Freedom from copyright restrictions. As a user I am tired of finding the information I want/need being blocked by a pay wall. But it is much more than a nuisance. Many places do not have the money or ability to access these sources, limiting the amount of transferable knowledge they have.
The other part of open access -- freedom from copyright restrictions -- is also part of a wider issue: Who gets to control (and make a profit) from copyright. Authors, both of journal articles and books, usually have to sign over the copyright to the publisher. The publisher is then free to do anything they want to AND prevent you from doing anything else with the article.
That is the reason lying behind the creation of the Creative Commons license. It gives the author control over the copyright and what people can do with it.
As I wrote in a blog a couple of years ago, "The bottom line is that there are lots of people are making lots of money off of copyright who show no creativity, while the creative people make little or nothing."
Related to open access is open data. That is putting data used for research, journal articles, etc. online and making it freely available. One important aspect is that it allows independent reproducibility, which is a cornerstone of the scientific method.
As I mentioned above I am a big fanatic of free and open source software. I also very much believe in copyleft and the concept of the GPL. I think the model used for development of free software is a better economic model than that used proprietary software (and hardware) silos (to use Doc Searls phrase).
Of course, open education is what I am here on WE for. I am especially interested in open textbooks and OER.
Environment
The other passion I have is on the environment. In one capacity or another I have been working for the environment for more than thirty years.
to be continued
