The poster provides a comprehensive overview of the visual metaphors used to represent Open Science, tracing their evolution from early man-made concepts to complex natural and networked models. Grounded in the methodological premise that metaphorical language possesses heuristic power in science, it analyzes the images of the umbrella, the mushroom, the wheel, the tree, and the graph. These metaphors are explored as tools that map the meanings of Open Science from the figurative and linguistic domains to the practices and values of specific research cultures. The analysis examines how early representations, such as the umbrella, focused on categorizing diverse practices under a single label, while later transitions to natural organisms like the mushroom introduced the vital concept of a "submerged" system of roots representing infrastructure, integrity and the rewarding system. The wheel and tree metaphors further emphasize Open Science as a circular process and a revolutionary, systemic change, respectively. Meanwhile, the graph metaphor reflects the decentralized, networked nature of modern knowledge production. The journey culminates in the proposal of a new metaphor: the forest. As a living "super-organism" the forest functions as a synthesis of previous metaphors, representing a collaborative, biodiverse, and inclusive ecosystem characterized by distributed intelligence and mutual aid. Beyond representing an ideal model, the forest metaphor is also used to highlight real systemic tensions, such as the unequal distribution of resources and institutional rivalries. Ultimately, it argues for an ecological and systemic shift in how the value of research is assessed, prioritizing sustainability, inclusivity, and collective intelligence.
From the Umbrella to the Forest. A Journey through the Visual Metaphors of Open Science
Di Donato, Francesca
2026
Abstract
The poster provides a comprehensive overview of the visual metaphors used to represent Open Science, tracing their evolution from early man-made concepts to complex natural and networked models. Grounded in the methodological premise that metaphorical language possesses heuristic power in science, it analyzes the images of the umbrella, the mushroom, the wheel, the tree, and the graph. These metaphors are explored as tools that map the meanings of Open Science from the figurative and linguistic domains to the practices and values of specific research cultures. The analysis examines how early representations, such as the umbrella, focused on categorizing diverse practices under a single label, while later transitions to natural organisms like the mushroom introduced the vital concept of a "submerged" system of roots representing infrastructure, integrity and the rewarding system. The wheel and tree metaphors further emphasize Open Science as a circular process and a revolutionary, systemic change, respectively. Meanwhile, the graph metaphor reflects the decentralized, networked nature of modern knowledge production. The journey culminates in the proposal of a new metaphor: the forest. As a living "super-organism" the forest functions as a synthesis of previous metaphors, representing a collaborative, biodiverse, and inclusive ecosystem characterized by distributed intelligence and mutual aid. Beyond representing an ideal model, the forest metaphor is also used to highlight real systemic tensions, such as the unequal distribution of resources and institutional rivalries. Ultimately, it argues for an ecological and systemic shift in how the value of research is assessed, prioritizing sustainability, inclusivity, and collective intelligence.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
