Last updated 6 months ago
The DeSci Journals
Problem
The DeSci Journals address the problem of Authors' copyright expropriation by the scientific publishing industry while generating 26/ year in revenue for publishers (more than the cinema industry!).
Total to date
This is the total amount allocated to The DeSci Journals.
About this idea
[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant
Maria Goreti Freitas[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)
Individual[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)
12[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language
No[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)
A platform for the creation of technical and scientific publications, leveraging web3 principles and technologies: 100% copyright to authors, % of authorship and scientific assets construction.
[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
No[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”
No dependencies.
[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?
Yes[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs
The project has been built in public, with the help of crowdfunding mainly from Gitcoin. The DeSci Journals' project is open source since its inception, and all commits are available through https://github.com/deScier.
[METADATA] Horizons
Education[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution
How do I perceive the problem I am solving?
Scientific publishing houses and science journals have outrageously high publication fees. These fees range from 2 to 6k USD for 1 paper, some charge 10k-15 USD/ paper. Open access is another 2-4k USD. Currently, it is right to say that the scientific publication industry hinders the advance of human knowledge.
Paying attention only to their profits, legacy scientific journals:
· Act as filters to what they believe is high quality research worth publishing;
· use high rejection rates which are uncoupled from merit, significance, and quality,
· take a long time from submission to publishing;
· undermine the expectations of the scientific community and the development of the human society;
· authors (scientists, professionals and, scholars), reviewers and most editors (also scientists) do not get paid for working in the peer-reviewing process of papers for science journals.
· Authors: 1) pay for publishing, 2) pay for open access and moreover, 3) **have their copyright expropriated**.
Universities and Research Institutions pay shockingly high annual subscription fees so that alumni and staff have access to journals.
What are my reasons for approaching it in the way that I have?
I have been a scientist for 40 years and know the problem from within.
After my retirement in 2019 I have been creating solutions aligned with the Decentralized science (DeSci) movement regarding intellectual property protection, publishing and funding.
We are currently building *The DeSci Journals*, a decentralized scientific publishing platform.
The DeSci Journals is a digital cooperative platform. We practice 100% copyright for Authors while industry standard is zero %. We use a 1-page with simple and straightforward submission flow for both articles https://platform.desci.reviews/summary/new-document and journals (recently developed and deployed in version 2) https://platform.desci.reviews/summary/new-journal which is a new much simpler feature when compared to pages long used in traditional scientific journals. We made adding wallets optional.
We have also introduced features such as the percentage of authorship, which can include laboratories, institutions and companies and, the choice of open access or paid access where the funds will go directly to the Author’s (or Authors’) wallet. For version 3 we will develop a web3 login and publish papers as NFTs to push forward a secondary market formation.
By using The DeSci Journals as platform for their technical and scientific publications which includes conferences an events, individuals and communities will capitalize on its technical merit. They will also tap into a flourishing ecosystem that aligns with a broader vision for the future of science, building a portfolio of tradable scientific assets.
Who will my project engage?
Researchers, scientists, students, startups and companies which produce knowledge.
How will I demonstrate or prove my impact?
Key metrics we track include:
- Number of journals: We have 5 journals in the platform.
- Number of published papers: We currently have 4 published papers, with two more under review, and we monitor the growth in submissions across our 5 journals.
- User engagement and platform adoption: We track the number of X followers and Discord members as proxy for potential users, journals created, and submissions from different communities, reflecting our influence in the DeSci and web3 ecosystems.
- Reputation within the community: After four successful Gitcoin rounds and becoming part of the DeSci on Gitcoin Coordination team, we measure our growing recognition and influence within the decentralized science and Web3 spaces.
- Revenue generation: We monitor revenue streams from publishing fees and future journal-as-a-service opportunities to ensure sustainability. So far, we have 1 full paper paid (180 USDC).
[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
The DeSci Journals contributes to the Cardano ecosystem by providing a real-world use case that enhances global accessibility, promotes economic empowerment, and aligns with sustainability goals.
By leveraging Cardano's inclusive and knowledge-sharing blockchain platform, we can revolutionize the scientific publishing industry, making it more transparent, efficient, and accessible to researchers worldwide. Our commitment to community engagement and collaboration further strengthens the Cardano ecosystem, driving innovation and fostering a thriving digital economy.
Cardano has the power to play a pivotal role in the decentralized science movement. Our goal is to establish a suite of decentralized platforms that transform how scientific knowledge is created, reviewed, published, and shared. Cardano's capabilities will reach a wider audience, including researchers, students, startups and companies to enhance the accessibility of scientific knowledge and promotes greater participation in the global research community.
[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?
I am Maria Goreti Freitas PhD. Scientist, ex-FIOCRUZ (https://fiocruz.br), co-Leader of the deScier Genesis Team. I am a high skilled leader, and have worked in multicultural teams, Fluent in Portuguese (mother language), English and Greek. I’ve lived abroad for more than 25 years. https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-goreti-freitas-phd-68a27738.
I have been bringing Academia to society since July 2019 when retired from FIOCRUZ, after 40 years of service as a Public Health scientist.
As part of The DeSci Journals’ Genesis Team I am uniquely qualified to lead a project on scientific publications due to my extensive scientific experience, active involvement in business development, the crypto economy, and the DeSci movement. I am confident, resilient, dreamer, and long-term visionary. I believe in the power of decentralization to bring projects to life and create a positive impact on the lives of many people. My Co-Founder Danilo Melo and our Advisors https://descier.science bring a wealth of expertise and dedication to advancing decentralized science in the areas of scientific publishing, business strategies, community engagement, and crypto finance.
All our grants were crowdfunded from Gitcoin, except from a recent 1.5k grant from AuraSci (July 2024). We received grants amounting to 4k during Gitcoin GR15 (October 2022), 2k in the Gitcoin Beta round (May 2023). For GG20 Gitcoin round grants amounted to 2.3k and 300 ARB from Arbitrum for DeSci on Gitcoin and DApps & Apps, respectively (July 2024).
Our milestones are in Karma Gap where we track and report our developments: https://gap.karmahq.xyz/project/the-desci-journals-1/grants?tab=overview&grantId=0x5e2ce6fa3a1062905743bf905ab40e9dad86027470de1a6675001e38478ed270
[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?
The DeSci Journals is currently in its version 2, and we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead as we integrate more advanced blockchain technologies for the forthcoming versions.
A: Milestone output
web3 login
B: Acceptance criteria
web3 login integrated to the platform
C: Evidence of milestone completion
web3 login system integrated enabling contributors to authenticate their identities through their digital wallets.
A: Milestone output
Minting PDF Papers into Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
B: Acceptance criteria
At least one PDF papers minted into NFTs
C: Evidence of milestone completion
The added feature to mint PDF papers into NFT on chain, verifiable in platforms such as Open Sea. This will ensure that each published paper is not only uniquely identifiable, immutable, and easily verifiable, but also that authors can build a portfolio of scientific assets.
A: Milestone output
Project Close-out Report and Video
B: Acceptance criteria
Project Close-out Report and Video completed.
C: Evidence of milestone completion
Project Close-out Report and Video published and links provided.
[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?
Co-Founders
Maria Goreti Freitas PhD. Scientist, ex-FIOCRUZ (https://fiocruz.br). Co-Leader of the deScier Genesis Team. Leadership, working in multicultural teams, Fluent in Portuguese (mother language), English and Greek. Lived abroad for more than 25 years. https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-goreti-freitas-phd-68a27738.
Created SciDAO in July 2022 which later developed to deScier in September 2022. Bringing Academia to society since July 2019 when retired from FIOCRUZ, after 40 years of service.
Danilo Melo MD. Physician, AI imaging, Sports Medicine. Co-Leader of the deScier Genesis Team. Leadership, Angel investor, scientist, professor, MBAs. https://www.linkedin.com/in/danilo-melo-bb8586202.
Working in the project since its inception as SciDAO since July 2022. Co-created deScier in September 2022.
[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Expenses will be disbursed through the auditable platform deWork.
Development (Months 1-10) ~70%
Operational and travel expenses (Months 1-12) ~20%
Communications and marketing (Months 1-12) ~10%
[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?
Our cost structure aligns well with the Cardano ecosystem's mission of fostering a secure, scalable, and sustainable blockchain, while also prioritizing outreach through marketing:
Development (70%): The focus on development reflects the commitment to building high-quality, long-term solutions. By dedicating the majority of the budget to this, the project ensures the creation of robust, efficient, and innovative blockchain-based tools or applications, contributing to the technical advancement of the ecosystem. This aligns with Cardano’s focus on rigorous research and peer-reviewed development.
Operational and Travel Expenses (20%): These costs ensure smooth operations and support collaboration, allowing for the engagement of experts and key stakeholders. These activities are vital for maintaining transparency, trust, and alignment with community-driven goals.
Communications and Marketing (10%): A smaller but crucial portion of the budget is dedicated to raising awareness and engaging the broader community. This aligns with Cardano’s mission of inclusivity and the promotion of decentralized participation, ensuring that the project’s value is widely recognized and adopted.
