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open source software strategy, policies, and initiatives
Supporting open source software development across GW, and helping researchers embrace open source tools and practices
What we do
The Open Source Program Office (OSPO) coordinates and supports open-source software across the university, helping researchers and educators embrace open-source tools and practices. It aims to create a culture of open collaboration and knowledge sharing aligned with GW’s research and educational mission.
We promote open-source software development, open data, and open access in research and education. We support our community in adopting open practices to grow our impact on a local and global scale.
The OSPO also provides consultations, training, tools, and resources in support of open-source software, open science, and open education.
To learn more about how the OSPO can support your open source work or if you are excited to join the GW open source community, please contact us by email at ospo
gwu [dot] edu (ospo[at]gwu[dot]edu) or book a consultation.
Join the GW Open Source Community
- Connect with a global community of engineers and scientists
- Learn how to produce high-quality and reproducible research
- Develop valued skills in a collaborative environment
- Support and improve a tool you love
Project Registry
Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to register publicly available projects to help us recognize and strengthen our GW open source community.
Student Awards
The GW University OSPO is awarding a minimum of $4000 in prizes annually for two contests beginning in 2024. Next deadline: October 20th.
Funding
Explore funding opportunities for your research and development projects involving open source software. Find fellowship and internship opportunities.
>90%
Fortune 500 companies use open-source products, reflecting the important role they play in the economy. Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2024
~30%
Fortune 100 companies have implemented OSPOs to help structure organizational policies and procedures around open source. Source: GitHub Octoverse Report 2022
89%
IT leaders surveyed believe open source software is as secure or more secure than proprietary software. Source: RedHat State of Enterprise Open Source 2022
'Open-source licenses allow people to coordinate their work freely, within the confines of copyright law, while making access and wide distribution a priority. I’ve always thought that this is fundamentally aligned with the method of science, where we value academic freedom and wide dissemination of scientific findings.'
Prof. Lorena A. Barba
OSPO Faculty Director
Featured Stories and news
GW Joins the Jupyter Foundation
April 18, 2026
GW becomes an Associate Member of the Jupyter Foundation, building on nearly a decade of Jupyter use in teaching and research at SEAS and beyond.
OSCON 2026
April 13, 2026
OSPO Student Ambassador Mia Diewald reflects on her expereince at GW's Second Annual Open Source Conference (OSCON).
Python Wasn't Built in a Day: An Origin Story Worth Knowing
September 25, 2025
The history and evolution of the Python programming language, highlighting five counter-intuitive takeaways from the documentary "Python: The Documentary."
GW's Open Source Program Office is generously supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.