This white paper was written as a contribution to the “Imagining Tomorrow’s University: Rethinking scholarship, education, and institu- tions for an open, networked era” workshop, a joint NIH/NSF-funded event held 8–9 March 2017 in Rosemont, IL. In this paper, I present an overview of what I consider open science, its importance, and how it plays a role in my research agenda. I also discuss challenges faced in pursuing research openness, and recommend changes to university leaders to address these barriers.