Join us for a journey through the inception, growth, and eventual challenges faced by the Reproducibility Society at the University of Surrey, a grassroots initiative that sparked a movement in open and reproducible science collaboration. Established in June 2019, the society brought together research students from diverse disciplines to foster discussions on transparent and rigorous research methods. Drawing inspiration from the UK Reproducibility Network and various postgraduate-led initiatives nationwide, the society successfully influenced university policy, creating a supportive community for skill-sharing, motivation, and resource exchange. An initially successful project central to the society was the Monthly Mini Hacks. These were workshops that addressed the coding learning curve and promoted collaboration among students and research staff. Using Open Science Framework and open access publishing platforms, we facilitated hands-on coding experiences where information was freely available to everyone.

This talk delves into the story of student collaboration, the highs and lows of open science advocacy, and the valuable lessons learned from the challenges encountered. The Surrey Reproducibility Society experienced triumph, such as university-wide implementation of policies championed by the society, and failures, including the societies eventual dissolution. This talk reflects on the society’s journey, sharing tools for attendees to implement in their own initiatives, and learn from the success and struggle of our grassroots initiative. We explore the potential for future endeavours, emphasising the importance of adaptability, community engagement, and resilience in advancing the cause of open and reproducible science within the academic landscape. We intend for attendees to leave our talk wiser than we were, inspired to make positive change, and equipped with the tools to do so.