The evolving purpose of research publications has shifted from information sharing to being used as research assessment tools. In today’s world, there are challenges in reproducing research findings, which calls for robust research documentation and data sharing. This article highlights the importance of open lab environments and institute-level strategies to enhance research reproducibility.

Next in our series on networking in science, Siddharth Kankaria discusses how building and maintaining a strong professional network can aid the career development of scientists and science professionals both in and out of academia. In particular, he writes about how effective networking can make the process of transitioning to a new career path smoother and more efficient.

The advent of social media has greatly increased the ease and speed of sharing information, and the Indian scientific community has not lagged behind. In this first article in our new series on scientific networking, Karishma Kaushik and Snehal Kadam discuss the various ways in which researchers and science professionals can leverage the use of social media for influencing scientific discourse and policy.