About Us
The UW-Madison Open Source Program Office (OSPO) is dedicated to fostering a campus-wide culture grounded in open collaboration and transparent research. Our mission is to promote open source principles across all academic disciplines, encompassing software development, hardware design, research data, and the broad distribution of knowledge. By championing these practices, we ensure that university-led innovation translates directly into public knowledge, making our discoveries more accessible, reproducible, and impactful for the global community.
A vital way we achieve our mission is through the OSPO Internship Program, which connects talented students with experienced mentors to work on high-impact open source projects. This program provides students with hands-on experience in collaborative development and scientific computing while helping researchers scale their impact. By bridging the gap between academic theory and practical application, we empower the next generation of open source contributors to build the future of technology and research.
OSPO also serves as a central hub for the vibrant open source community at UW-Madison. We highlight the individuals behind the work through our “Faces of Open Source” series and celebrate significant achievements through initiatives like the annual Open Awards. By hosting events, developing management playbooks, and facilitating cross-departmental connections, we create a sustainable ecosystem where open source practitioners can thrive, share their expertise, and collaborate on solutions to complex global challenges.
Powering the Wisconsin Idea
The Wisconsin Idea, a longstanding tradition here at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is the principle that education should be used to influence the world outside of the classroom. Our programs have fostered multiple notable open source projects. By championing collaboration, connecting students to high-impact research, and celebrating open source achievement, we encourage students and faculty to make an impact on the world around them.
Mission Statement
Universities are engines of innovation and productivity in the world. They both leverage and contribute to technology through their educational, research, and outreach activities. The way that various technological products are disseminated and shared is a fundamental issue that greatly shapes their use and impact. The move to open science, open access, and open source is a key strategy for streamlining the use of these products, fostering collaboration, and accelerating progress. However, effectively making this transition to openness is challenging and calls for institutional support.