About Us

STAPLE was designed and coded by the following core group of people:

Erin M. Buchanan is a cognitive scientist, educator, and advocate for open and transparent science. Her research spans statistical methodology, language processing, and the development of tools that make science more collaborative and reproducible. She is a co-founder and lead developer of STAPLE (Science Tracking Across the Project Lifespan), an open-source project management platform designed to support large-scale, interdisciplinary research.

Erin has authored numerous publications on quantitative methods, psycholinguistics, and best practices in psychological science. She is also deeply committed to teaching and mentoring, helping the next generation of researchers build strong methodological foundations while fostering values of openness, rigor, and inclusivity. Through her work, she aims to bridge the gap between technology and research, creating systems that empower scientists to tackle complex, global challenges together.

Martin Kovacs is a researcher and software developer dedicated to advancing open, collaborative, and reproducible science. He is co-creator of Tenzing, a tool that simplifies the process of assigning and documenting contributor roles in research projects, and a main programmer for STAPLE, where he brings expertise in building systems that improve transparency and efficiency in team science.

With a background in psychology and a strong focus on research methods, Martin’s work bridges the gap between technical innovation and scientific practice. He is passionate about developing tools that empower researchers to work more effectively together, ensuring that recognition, accountability, and openness are at the heart of modern science.

Engerst Yedra is an electrical engineer and researcher with expertise in technological innovation, embedded systems, and applied data science. He earned his Ph.D. in Technological Innovation in Building from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, where his dissertation focused on developing new measurement techniques for the building industry. As a postdoctoral researcher for STAPLE, Engerst contributed his experience in software development, sensor design, and machine learning to improve how complex research projects are tracked and managed.

His work bridges engineering and science, with a focus on creating low-cost measurement systems, developing embedded solutions with platforms like Arduino and Raspberry Pi, and applying computational methods to real-world problems in both industry and academia. Engerst has published across technological and educational domains, presented at international conferences, and brings a strong commitment to collaborative, cross-disciplinary research that supports openness and innovation in science.

Chris Hartgerink is the founder of Research Equals, a platform that enables researchers to publish all parts of their research process to foster greater transparency, equity, and collaboration in science. With a background in meta-research and statistics, Chris has been a leading voice in the open science movement, advocating for practices and infrastructures that make research more accessible and reproducible.

As an advisor to STAPLE, Chris brings deep expertise in scholarly communication, research ethics, and community-driven innovation. His work emphasizes building inclusive systems that not only advance scientific progress but also ensure recognition for the diverse contributions that make team science possible.

Leonardo Marciaga is an undergraduate student at the Illinois Institute of Technology, originally from Panama. He contributes to STAPLE by bringing skills in coding, software development, and translation, helping to make the platform more accessible and user-friendly for an international research community. With a passion for both technology and cross-cultural collaboration, Leonardo supports the team in building tools that bridge languages and disciplines, reflecting STAPLE’s mission to make science more open and globally connected.