Go Ahead: Hang Your Paper on Your Office Door (opinion)

"A tweet can travel far, but it cannot spark a spontaneous conversation in the hallway. Conferences offer in-person engagement, but they are infrequent and often exclusive or too busy. Hanging a paper on your office door? That's immediate, local and quietly powerful. It is a symbolic gesture that brings your research into the physical space of the university, something rarely done in today's digital culture."

"We also live in an age when our work, mainly publicly funded science, is under increasing scrutiny. While the broader public might not be strolling through university hallways, our colleagues, students and visitors are. Making our research visible to them is a subtle but meaningful act of responsibility. It reminds us that, as scientists, we are not just scholars: We are also stewards of public trust and investment."

"Hanging a paper on a door is a small gesture. But it's a visible one. It says: Here's what I've been working on. This is how your investment in science is paying off. It's not about boasting; it's about transparency, accessibility and maybe even a bit of joy."

Posting a published paper on an office door with a QR code to the open-access version sparked an unexpected conversation with a student interested in related thesis work. This physical display of research differs fundamentally from digital sharing through social media or conferences by enabling spontaneous, immediate engagement within university spaces. Making research visible to colleagues, students, and visitors represents both transparency and stewardship of public trust in publicly funded science. This simple gesture communicates research progress and demonstrates accountability without requiring exclusive or expensive venues. While posting research may feel self-promotional, it primarily serves to make scientific work accessible and visible within local academic communities.

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