The University’s Open Source Program Office (OSPO) has received a two-year, $719,330 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to transition from a grant-funded initiative to a sustainable, permanent University institution.

“This grant represents a critical milestone in our journey to make the OSPO a permanent part of Syracuse University,” says director Collin Capano. “Over the next two years, we’ll be working to establish sustainable funding mechanisms and integrate open-source development more deeply into our academic curriculum, ensuring that OSPO continues to serve our community long after Sloan Foundation funding ends.”

OSPO, a joint initiative of the Office of Research and the School of Information Studies, serves as a bridge between academic research and open-source software development, helping faculty across disciplines create, maintain and share research software while providing students with hands-on experience in collaborative software development.

Since its founding in 2023, OSPO has supported projects spanning fields from psychology and political science to physics and finance and engaged students in developing tools that advance both research and student career readiness, according to Capano.

The renewal grant will enable OSPO to expand impact through several key initiatives. OSPO’s successful software development program will be transformed into a dual-track system: an academic course allowing students to earn credit while working on faculty research projects, and a paid internship program focused on OSPO-led initiatives.

“These projects address University needs while positioning students at the forefront of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence,” Capano says. “Students who participate in our programs graduate with more than just course credits—they have public portfolios showcasing real contributions to actual projects. This demonstrated experience with industry-standard tools gives our graduates a significant competitive advantage.”

OSPO has already developed several innovative tools for the Syracuse community, including a data storage finder that helps faculty identify and budget for research data storage solutions. Projects currently under development include an AI-powered research chatbot trained on papers published by Syracuse University faculty and an AI-based preprint server alert system that monitors new research publications and delivers personalized summaries to faculty based on their interests.

OSPO also addresses a critical federal mandate requiring all federally funded research to be publicly accessible, as academic institutions must provide infrastructure and expertise to support open science practices.

During the grant period, OSPO staff will conduct a formal evaluation of possible institutional homes for the program and document findings in a comprehensive playbook to guide other universities developing open-source programs.

OSPO will also expand its educational offerings through a series of microcredentialed workshops covering research computing fundamentals and open-source development practices, with materials made freely available to students from any discipline.

“The integration of open-source and AI development into the curriculum enhances our students’ employability while strengthening the University’s research capacity,” Capano said. “We’re creating a model that other academic institutions can adopt and adapt for their own communities.”

In addition to Capano, OSPO co-principal investigators are Duncan Brown, vice president for research; David Seaman, dean of University Libraries; and Eric Sedore, associate vice president for information technology and chief technology officer.

OSPO was established with seed funding from the Sloan Foundation; the renewal grant will support the program through October 2027.