In collaboration with Ithaka S+R, DCN Members Jake Carlson, Joel Herndon, and Lisa Johnston collaborated on a grant from the National Science Foundation to explore the development of infrastructures for data sharing within data communities. The project, announced in May 2021, brought together scientists and information technology professionals for focused discussions about initiating and sustaining data communities. The research team has released the final report of this effort:
Leveraging Data Communities to Advance Open Science: Findings from an Incubation Workshop Series
The report summarizes the key findings of the workshop series and the challenges different data communities face, including:
- Data communities have different needs across their lifecycle
- Metadata and ontologies are social infrastructure
- Information professionals are an important resource
- Aligning funding structures with sustainability is a challenge
- Data communities need to resist the urge to overbuild
The report concludes by providing different recommendations for various stakeholders, including data communities at different developmental stages, information professionals, universities, and repositories.
In addition to this report, the team will host a webinar titled “Collaboration Between Researchers and Information Professionals to Promote Data Sharing” on August 31 focused on the benefits and challenges of involving information professionals on research teams and consideration of how institutions can better support such collaboration.
Congratulations to the team on this publication!
Ithaka S+R is part of ITHAKA, a not-for-profit organization helping the academic community use digital technologies to preserve the scholarly record and to advance research and teaching in sustainable ways. Ithaka S+R helps academic and cultural communities serve the public good and navigate economic, technological, and demographic change. Their work also aims to broaden access to higher education by reducing costs and improving student outcomes.