In honor of Open Access Week, I wanted to write a quick blog to support the growing global movement promoting the free and immediate sharing of learning, data, and scholarly research.

Last Friday, I was in Washington, D.C., for Tech@State’s Open Source Conference. Tech@State is an inspiring step by the State Department, connecting technologists to targeted goals of the U.S. diplomacy and development agenda via networking events as part of Secretary Clinton's 21st Century Statecraft initiative.

Earlier this week, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced its new pledges totaling $11.7 billion from many donor governments as well as other private sources like Chevron, the United Methodist Church, and the Gates Foundation.

Health workers—community health educators, medical assistants, nurses, midwives, doctors, and others are key to improving people’s lives.