Theresa Velden

Dr. Theresa Velden

Research Area Research System and Science Dynamics
Head of junior research group
  • +49 30 2064177-51
  • +49 30 2064177-99

Theresa Velden studied physics at Bielefeld University and University College Dublin. After several years in positions of responsibility in the area of scientific publishing and information management at the Max Planck Society (1998-2005), she moved to Cornell University. At Cornell, she did her PhD in information science with an external minor in Science & Technology Studies in 2011. In her dissertation research, she studied and compared the sharing behaviour of research groups in chemistry and physics and developed an innovative bibliometric-ethnographic mixed method approach to support the comparative study of scientific fields. As a postdoc, she continued her research first at the Department for Information Science at Cornell University, then at the School of Information at the University of Michigan, where she further pursued the ethnographic study of challenges for interdisciplinary collaboration in data-intensive research projects. She was awarded a Marie Curie/IPODI Fellowship at the Center for Technology and Society (ZTG) at the Technische Universität Berlin for 2016-2018. During this time, she extended her theoretical and methodological knowledge in the sociology of science, and worked on the topics of field-specific forms of Open Science and reproducibility in science. She has been leading the junior research group Field-specific Forms of Open Science at the DZHW since August 2018.

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Academic research fields

Science Studies, Information Science, Integration of quantitative and qualitative methods, Comparative field studies, Scientific communication and collaboration

Projects

List of projects

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Research cluster: Open Science
Research cluster: Empirical Methods of Higher Education Research and Science Studies
Junior research group: Open science
Publications

List of publications

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The Field-Specificity of Open Data Practices.

Velden, T., & Tcypina, A. (2023).
The Field-Specificity of Open Data Practices. In International Conference on Science (Hrsg.), 27th International Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (STI 2023). Leiden, Niederlande: ovium.io. https://doi.org/10.55835/64b14ef741aa5b443685f9d3
Abstract

Increasingly, researchers are expected to make their research data openly available. However, scientific fields differ in their research practices and norms for sharing research data. We provide quantitative evidence of differences in data practices and the public sharing of research data at a granularity of field-specificity that is rarely reported in open data surveys. Based on a survey of 8,822 researchers at German Universities, we find considerable variation, within and across disciplines, of data practices and rates of open data sharing. Our findings underline that in order to evaluate rates of public data sharing, a better understanding of the embedding of public data sharing into field-specific research practices is needed.

How to interpret algorithmically constructed topical structures of scientific fields? A case study of citation-based mappings of the research specialty of invasion biology.

Held, M., & Velden (2022).
How to interpret algorithmically constructed topical structures of scientific fields? A case study of citation-based mappings of the research specialty of invasion biology. Quantitative Science Studies (online first). https://doi.org/10.1162/qss_a_00194
Abstract

Often, bibliometric mapping studies remain at a very abstract level when assessing the validity or accuracy of the generated maps. In this case study of citation-based mappings of a research specialty, we dig deeper into the topical structures generated by the chosen mapping approaches and examine their correspondence to a sociologically informed understanding of the research specialty in question. Our analysis highlights the variety of types of topical relatedness and epistemic interdependency that citations can stand for. Unless we assume that invasion biology is unique, our analysis suggests that global algorithmic field classification approaches that use citation links indiscriminately may struggle to reconstruct research specialties.

A Case Study of the Epistemic Function of Citations - Implications for Citation-based Science Mapping.

Seitz, C., Schmidt, M., Schwichtenberg, N., & Velden, T. (2021).
A Case Study of the Epistemic Function of Citations - Implications for Citation-based Science Mapping. In W. Glänzel, S. Heeffer, P.-S. Chi, & R. Rousseau (Hrsg.), Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Scientometrics & Informetrics (S. 1027-1032). Leuven: KU Leuven / International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics (I.S.S.I.).
Abstract

The use of citations as indicators of topical relatedness of publications is common in the algorithmic mapping of the structure of science. References to source documents, however, may serve a variety of epistemic functions, and hence represent rather different dimensions of topical relatedness, such as the research methods used, the empirical objects studied, the theoretical resources build on, the research questions pursued, or the external motivation for and relevance of the work. In this case study, we explore the diversity in topical dimensions along which publications are linked in citation networks, by coding the epistemic function of in-text citations. [...]

The Open Innovation in Science Research Field: A Collaborative Conceptualisation Approach.

Beck, S., Bergenholtz, C., Bogers, M., Brasseur, T., Conradsen, M. L., Di Marco, D., ... & Xu, S. M. (2020).
The Open Innovation in Science Research Field: A Collaborative Conceptualisation Approach. Industry and Innovation. https://doi.org/10.1080/13662716.2020.1792274

How to interpret algorithmically constructed topical structures of research specialties? A case study comparing an internal and an external mapping of the topical structure of invasion biology.

Held, M., & Velden, T. (2019).
How to interpret algorithmically constructed topical structures of research specialties? A case study comparing an internal and an external mapping of the topical structure of invasion biology. In Catalano, G., Daraio, C., Gregori, M., Moed, H. F., & Ruocco, G (Hrsg.) Proceedings of the 17th Conference of the International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics (ISSI 2019), Vol. 2, (S. 1933-1939). Edizioni Efesto. ISBN 978-88-3381-118-5.

Exploration of reproducibility issues in scientometric research.

Velden, T., Hinze, S. Scharnhorst, A. Schneider, J.W., & Waltman, L. (2018).
Exploration of reproducibility issues in scientometric research. In STI 2018 Conference Proceedings. Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Science and Technology Indicators. 12-14 September 2018, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Topic identification challenge.

Boyack, K., Glänzel W., Gläser, J., Havemann, F., Scharnhorst, A., Thijs, B., ... & Waltmann, L. (2017).
Topic identification challenge. Scientometrics, 111(2), 1223-1224.

Comparison of Topic Extraction Approaches and Solutions.

Velden, T., Boyack, K., Gläser, J., Koopman, R., Scharnhorst, A., & Wang, S. (2017).
Comparison of Topic Extraction Approaches and Solutions. In J. Gläser, A. Scharnhorst & W. Glänzel (eds): Same data - different results? Towards a comparative approach to the identification of thematic structures in science, Special Issue of Scientometrics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-017-2306-1

Infomap Clustering of Direct Citation Network and Topic Affinity Analysis.

Velden, T., Yan, S., & Lagoze, C. (2017).
Infomap Clustering of Direct Citation Network and Topic Affinity Analysis. In Gläser, J., Scharnhorst, A. & Glänzel, W. (eds): Same data - different results? Towards a comparative approach to the identification of thematic structures in science, Special Issue of Scientometrics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-017-2299-9

The Extraction of Community Structures from Publication Networks to Support Comparative Studies of Field Differences in Scientific Communication.

Velden, T., & Lagoze, C. (2013).
The Extraction of Community Structures from Publication Networks to Support Comparative Studies of Field Differences in Scientific Communication. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (JASIST), 64(12), 2405-2427.

Explaining Field Differences in Openness and Sharing in Scientific Communities.

Velden, T. (2013).
Explaining Field Differences in Openness and Sharing in Scientific Communities. In Proceedings of ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), February 25-27, 2013, San Antonio, TX, USA (pp. 445-458). [Best Paper Nomination].

Resolving Author Name Homonymy to Improve Res- olution of Structures in Co-author Networks.

Velden, T., Haque, A., & Lagoze, C. (2011).
Resolving Author Name Homonymy to Improve Res- olution of Structures in Co-author Networks. In Proceedings of ACM/IEEE Joint Conference on Digital Libraries (JCDL), June 13 – 17, 2011, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (pp. 241–250). [Best Paper Nomination].

A New Approach to Analyzing Patterns of Collaboration in Co-authorship Networks - Mesoscopic Analysis and Interpretation.

Velden T., Haque, A., & Lagoze, C. (2010).
A New Approach to Analyzing Patterns of Collaboration in Co-authorship Networks - Mesoscopic Analysis and Interpretation. Scientometrics, 85(1), 219 – 242.

Communicating Chemistry.

Velden T., & Lagoze, C. (2009).
Communicating Chemistry. Nature Chemistry 1, 673-678.

The Value of New Scientific Communication Models for Chemistry.

Velden, T., & Lagoze, C. (2009).
The Value of New Scientific Communication Models for Chemistry. Whitepaper October 2009.
Presentations

List of presentations & conferences

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Data Sharing as an Epistemic Practice - Taking the content of research seriously.

Velden, T. (2024, September).
Data Sharing as an Epistemic Practice - Taking the content of research seriously. Vortrag auf der Konferenz The 28th International Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators 2024 (STI), Berlin, Deutschland.
Abstract

This contribution discusses what it means to understand the sharing of research data not only as a social practice, but as an integral part of research practices. It reviews recent literature, assesses progress made and remaining gaps, and outlines a re-conceptualization of data sharing that results from taking the content of research seriously.

Christine Borgman (UCLA)‚ Data Sharing & Research Data Infrastructures.

Schwabe, U., & Velden, T. (2023, Dezember).
Ad hoc Gruppe Christine Borgman (UCLA)‚ Data Sharing & Research Data Infrastructures im Rahmen der Vortrags- & Workshopreihe des Forschungsclusters Open Science, DZHW.

Using a field-comparative approach to explain field differences in sharing: Challenges for establishing causality.

Velden, T., & Schwichtenberg, N. (2023, November).
Using a field-comparative approach to explain field differences in sharing: Challenges for establishing causality. Vortrag auf der Konferenz 4S 2023 Honolulu: "SEA, SKY, AND LAND: ENGAGING IN SOLIDARITY IN ENDANGERED ECOLOGIES", Society for Social Studies of Science, Honolulu (online), USA.
Abstract

In our research, we examine the role of sharing of epistemic resources, such as research data, code, samples, or method know-how, for knowledge production in scientific fields. Our focus is on resources that are created in the process of research and shared with researchers or research groups outside of the original context of creation of the resource. Based on a field-comparative ethnographic study of research specialties in the sciences that differ in their epistemic practices, we examine the causal link between epistemic conditions of research on the one hand, and reoccurring patterns of sharing on the other. In our contribution we discuss challenges encountered when deriving causal explanations of field differences in sharing.

Feldklassifikationen und ihre Grenzen aus dem Kontext der Anwendung in der (surveybasierten) feldvergleichenden soziologischen Wissenschaftsforschung.

Velden, T. (2023, November).
Feldklassifikationen und ihre Grenzen aus dem Kontext der Anwendung in der (surveybasierten) feldvergleichenden soziologischen Wissenschaftsforschung. Vortrag im Rahmen des Netzwerktreffens Kompetenznetzwerk Bibliometrie, Kompetenznetzwerk Bibliometrie.

The Field-Specificity of Open Data Practices.

Velden, T., & Tcypina, A. (2023, September).
The Field-Specificity of Open Data Practices. Vortrag auf der Konferenz The 27th International Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (STI 2023), CWTS in collaboration with the European Network of Indicator Developers (ENID), Leiden, The Netherlands.
Abstract

Increasingly, researchers are expected to make their research data openly available. However, scientific fields differ in their research practices and norms for sharing research data. We provide quantitative evidence of differences in data practices and the public sharing of research data at a granularity of field-specificity that is rarely reported in open data surveys. Based on a survey of 8,822 researchers at German Universities, we find considerable variation, within and across disciplines, of data practices and rates of open data sharing. Our findings underline that in order to evaluate rates of public data sharing, a better understanding of the embedding of public data sharing into field-specific research practices is needed.

Epistemic Diversity meets Open Science: The Field-Specificity of Data Sharing (Keynote).

Velden, T. (2023, September).
Epistemic Diversity meets Open Science: The Field-Specificity of Data Sharing (Keynote). Vortrag auf der Summer School Approaches to Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (HoBid 2023), Paderborn, Deutschland.
Abstract

Increasingly, researchers are expected to make their research data openly available. In this keynote, I provide an overview of the state-of-the-art in research on the sharing of research data with a particular emphasis on understanding field-specific motivations of researchers to share or not to share.

Klausurtagung des DZHW-Forschungsclusters " Open Science " .

Blümel, C., Broneske, D., Daniel, A., Hartstein, J., Schniedermann, A., & Velden, T. (2023, März).
Workshop Klausurtagung des DZHW-Forschungsclusters "Open Science", DZHW, Berlin.

The Science of Open Science - Was wissen wir über das Teilen von Forschungsergebnissen?

Velden, T. (21.12.2022).
The Science of Open Science - Was wissen wir über das Teilen von Forschungsergebnissen? Gespräch mit in der D. Siegfried (Moderation), Podcast-Serie "The Future is Open Science". Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft (ZBW) , Berlin.

A Case Study of the Epistemic Function of Citations - Implications for Citation-based Science Mapping.

Seitz, C., Schmidt, M., Schwichtenberg, N., & Velden, T. (2021, Juli).
A Case Study of the Epistemic Function of Citations - Implications for Citation-based Science Mapping. Vortrag auf der Konferenz 18th International Conference on Scientometrics and Informetrics (ISSI 2021), International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics, Leuven, Belgium.

A case study of the epistemic function of citations - Implications for citation-based science mapping.

Velden, T. (2021, Juli).
A case study of the epistemic function of citations - Implications for citation-based science mapping. Vortrag auf der Konferenz 18th Conference of the International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics (ISSI 2021), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract

The use of citations as indicators of topical relatedness of publications is common in the algorithmic mapping of the structure of science. References to source documents, however, may serve a variety of epistemic functions, and hence represent rather different dimensions of topical relatedness. They may pertain to the research methods used, the empirical objects studied, the theoretical resources build on, the research questions pursued, or the external motivation for and relevance of the work. In this qualitative case study, we explore the diversity in topical dimensions along which publications are linked in citation networks.

Explaining field specific forms of sharing – The influence of epistemic conditions.

Velden, T. (2021, Mai).
Explaining field specific forms of sharing – The influence of epistemic conditions. In E. Barlösius & N. Taubert (Vorsitz), In- and Outside Open Science. auf der Konferenz STS Conference Graz 2021 - Critical lssues In Science, Technology and Society Studies, Annual Conference of the Science Technology and Society Unit of the Institute of Interactive Systems and Data Science of Graz University of Technology, the Inter-University Research Centre for Technology, Work and Culture (IFZ) and the Institute for Advanced Studies of Science, Technology and Society (IAS-STS)., Graz, Österreich.
Abstract

Open science advocates and an increasing number of political stakeholders and research funding agencies encourage researchers to publicly share the various instantiations of scientific knowledge that are generated during the research process, in particular research data, but also computer code, method protocols, or material specimens. Critical for the success of this vision is the readiness of research groups to share those tools and resources that they have created. The study I will present seeks to contribute to a theory of field-specific forms of sharing by looking specifically at the question how sharing decisions are influenced by the epistemic conditions for research in a field.

A comparative approach to field-specific forms of sharing.

Velden, T., & Schwichtenberg, N. (2020, August).
A comparative approach to field-specific forms of sharing. Vortrag auf der EASST/4S 2020 Locating and Timing Matters: Significance and agency of STS in emerging worlds, 18.8.-21.08.2020, Prague, Czech Republic.

Fachspezifische Formen von Open Science.

Velden, T. (2020, Juni).
Fachspezifische Formen von Open Science. Vortrag auf dem Treffen der UNIWiND Open Science AG, 16.06.2020.

Challenges of interpreting topic maps of research specialties: a case study of invasion biology.

Velden, T. (2019, September).
Challenges of interpreting topic maps of research specialties: a case study of invasion biology. Vortrag auf dem Workshop " Topic Construction " , Technische Universität Berlin, 19.-20.09.2019, Berlin.

How to interpret algorithmically constructed topical structures of research specialties? A case study comparing an internal and an external mapping of the topical structure of invasion biology.

Velden, T. (2019, September).
How to interpret algorithmically constructed topical structures of research specialties? A case study comparing an internal and an external mapping of the topical structure of invasion biology. Vortrag auf der 17th International Conference of Scientometrics & Infometrics, 02.-09.09.2019, Rome, Italy.
Curriculum Vitae
Since August 2018

Junior research group leader at DZHW

2016-2018

Marie-Curie/IPODI Fellow at TU Berlin

2012-2016

Research Fellow, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

2011-2012

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA

2012

Instructor: Web Information Systems, Fall 2012, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA

2005-2011

Ph.D., Information Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA

2001-2005

Founding Executive Director of Heinz Nixdorf Center for Information Management, Max Planck Society, Munich, Germany

1998-2001

Managing Editor of Living Reviews in Relativity, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, Golm, Germany

1997

Diploma in Physics, University of Bielefeld, Germany

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