NASA Open Science Trainings offers free online learning opportunities designed to help researchers, students, managers and other learners understand and apply open science principles and practices.
The training options include Open Science Essentials, a concise introductory course, and Open Science 101, a more comprehensive five-module program. Both courses are available to the public and NASA’s internal workforce through digital learning platforms.
Upon successful completion, learners are eligible to receive a digital badge and certificate, providing a way to showcase their newly acquired knowledge and skills.
NASA Open Science Training 2026 Overview
| Opportunity | Details |
|---|---|
| Organization | NASA |
| Training area | Open Science |
| Format | Online |
| Availability | Open to the public |
| Courses | Open Science Essentials & Open Science 101 |
| Open Science Essentials | Approximately 2 hours |
| Open Science 101 | Approximately 12 hours |
| Certificate | Yes |
| Digital badge | Yes |
| Cost | The supplied NASA page describes the courses as publicly available; it does not state a course fee |
| Application deadline | No deadline stated on the supplied page |
What Is NASA Open Science Training?
NASA’s Open Science training is designed to introduce learners to the principles, tools and practices that make scientific research more transparent, accessible, collaborative and impactful.
NASA describes open science as a collaborative culture enabled by technology that encourages the sharing of data, information and knowledge within the scientific community and with the wider public.
The courses are therefore useful for people who want to understand how modern research can be conducted and shared using open practices.
Open Science Essentials
Open Science Essentials is the shorter of the two available training options. It provides a high-level introduction to the fundamental concepts of open science and takes approximately two hours to complete.
The course is designed for learners seeking a concise, standalone overview rather than an extensive training program.
Register for NASA Open Science Essentials
What You Can Learn
The course covers topics including:
- Open science principles
- Benefits of open science
- Open data
- Open peer review
- Collaborative research
- FAIR principles
- Open Science and Data Management Plans
- Open-source software
- Open research results
- Persistent identifiers
- Open licensing
- Research repositories
- Version control
- Preregistration
- The role of artificial intelligence in open science
The course also examines some of the challenges researchers may encounter when adopting open science, including institutional and social barriers, concerns about being “scooped” and data ethics.
Open Science 101
For learners who want a deeper understanding, NASA also provides Open Science 101.
This is a five-module course that takes approximately 12 hours to complete. It goes beyond introductory concepts and focuses on practical execution, ethics and best practices.
Read the Full Open Science 101 Course Description
Open Science 101 Modules
Module 1: Introduction to Open Science
Learners explore what open science means, current practices, benefits and challenges.
Module 2: Open Science Fundamentals
This module introduces the “Use, Make, Share” framework, FAIR principles and important tools for implementing open science.
Module 3: Open Data
Participants learn practical approaches to finding, assessing, creating and sharing open data.
Module 4: Open Code
The course examines how open code can be practiced throughout the development lifecycle using the “Use, Make, Share” framework.
Module 5: Open Results and Collaboration
Learners explore scientific collaboration, ethical contributor guidelines, discovering and assessing open results, publishing and giving appropriate credit, and incorporating these practices into open science and data management plans.
Who Can Take NASA’s Open Science Courses?
The supplied NASA page states that both courses are available to the public and NASA’s internal workforce.
This makes the training potentially useful for:
- Students
- Researchers
- Research managers
- Scientists
- Academic professionals
- People interested in open research
- Learners developing digital research skills
The source does not specify a particular academic qualification or degree requirement.
Learn at Your Own Pace
For Open Science Essentials, learners outside NASA can create an account and register through NASA’s digital learning platform.
Once enrolled, participants can complete the course at their own pace, with progress saved between sessions.
This makes the training suitable for learners who want to develop knowledge of open science alongside their existing studies or professional activities.
Certificate and Digital Badge
One of the attractive features of the NASA Open Science training is the opportunity to receive recognition after completing the course.
According to the supplied NASA information, learners who successfully complete the training are eligible for:
- A digital badge
- A certificate
These credentials can help learners demonstrate their participation and achievement in open science training.
Skills Covered by the Training
The courses introduce learners to several areas that are increasingly relevant to modern research, including:
Open Data
Learn about approaches for finding, assessing and sharing research data.
FAIR Principles
Understand principles designed to improve how research data can be managed and made usable.
Open-Source Software and Code
Explore the role of openly shared software and code in scientific research.
Research Collaboration
Learn how researchers can collaborate and contribute to open scientific projects.
Research Transparency
Understand practices that can make research more accessible and transparent.
Research Ethics
Explore ethical considerations involved in sharing research data, code and results.
Artificial Intelligence
Open Science Essentials also introduces the role of AI in open science.
How to Register
Interested learners can visit NASA’s official Open Science training page and choose the course that best matches their learning goals.
For a quick introduction, Open Science Essentials takes approximately two hours. Learners looking for a more comprehensive program can choose Open Science 101, which takes approximately 12 hours.
Visit NASA Open Science Training
Important Information
The NASA page provided does not list a closing date for either course. It also does not state a conventional scholarship or financial award.
Instead, these are online learning opportunities focused on developing knowledge and practical skills in open science.
Learners should therefore distinguish these courses from NASA scholarships, internships or employment programs.
Final Thoughts
NASA’s Open Science training provides an accessible way for learners to build knowledge of open research, open data, research collaboration, scientific transparency and responsible research practices.
With two options available, learners can choose between the approximately two-hour Open Science Essentials course or the more comprehensive 12-hour Open Science 101 program.
Both courses are available to the public, and successful learners may receive a certificate and digital badge to recognize their achievement.
For anyone interested in developing modern research skills and understanding how science can be made more open, collaborative and accessible, these NASA training opportunities are worth exploring.
Start NASA Open Science Training
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