Research Data Management

AIMMS Research Data Management (RDM)

• RDM news

  • 17/01/2024. The  first edition of the 2024 AIMMS RDM Kickstart course has been postponed and will take place on 20/01/2024 see the "RDM Course" section below for more details.

• Looking for RDM support?

  Data management can sometimes seem like a daunting task, especially when suddenly confronted with requests for data management plans and making your data FAIR etc. Fortunately, there is a growing network of RDM support developing at the VU.

  • The A-LIFE, C&PS, AIMMS Data Steward, Brett Olivier. For practical, data management questions, writing data management plans, metadata, annotation, tools, storage solutions or software development and publication. Please contact me any time by email or in-person Mon/Tues/Thursday in 02E35.
  • The VU library RDM support team is available for all your general RDM questions.
  • For questions about working with privacy sensitive data, contact the Faculty of Science, Privacy Champion.
  • More information on RDM in the Faculty of Science? Contact the BETA Data Steward or other faculty support team

• Facilities and documentation

  A quick guide to RDM related facilities and information available at the VU. 

  • Faculty of Science RDM resources
  • VU RDM resources
  • Looking for VU Data Storage options, try the Storage Finder or IT services.
  • DMPOnline at the VU provides an interactive, template driven portal for the collaborative, writing, sharing and exporting of DMP's. 
  • The VU library RDM libGuide provide a wide range of information on getting started.

• Spotlight on: Using DMP Online to write Data Management Plans

  Common questions when asked to write a Data Management Plan (DMP) are: "Where do I start?", "What is this DMP asking for?" and "How do I easily work on this DMP and share it with my colleagues or research partners?". To help you answer these questions the VU provides the DMP Online tool.

  DMP Online facility provides a web-based, template-driven way of creating DMP's. It includes the official templates of a number of funding agencies (including NWO and ZonMW) and supplements or replaces completing the DMP templates made available by funders. 

  Some of the advantages of using the DMP Online include:

  • Inline guidance. For each question in the DMP, guidance is provided on what is expected in that section
  • Collaboration. In progress DMP's can be shared with colleagues to review, edit or collaborate.
  • Comments. Each question has a comments section where colleagues or reviewers can provide suggestions on how to answer the related question.
  • Export. Once completed the DMP can be exported in various formats including Word, PDF, CSV or HTML.
  • Create a living document. Most DMP's need to be updates as the project progresses. DMP Online simplifies this process and has various facilites for working with and updating DMP's.
  • GDRP registration. As of 2023 all research project need to be registered in the VU GDPR registry. This is done using DMP Online, contact your privacy champion or RDM support for more details.

  Are you a researcher in the A-LIFE or Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Science (C&PS) Departments who want to create a DMP using DMP Online? You can easily access specialist Data Steward support on writing DMP's and using DMP Online.

• AIMMS PhD RDM Kickstart course information

  Welcome to the AIMMS PhD RDM Kickstart course

  The RDM Kickstart course starts with a workshop which will introduce you to concepts and good practices that enable good research data management. This includes topics such as the research data cycle, data formats, FAIR data and metadata, interoperability and archiving. 

  After the initial workshop, the complete course includes: creating your own DMP with personal feedback, an RDM consultation midway through your PhD and handing in a completed DMP/exit document together with your thesis.

  A typical course schedule includes:

  • The Kickstart Workshop (1 session, 14:00 - 17:00 on-campus): includes a lecture and practical session
  • 1st DMP hand-in (3 weeks after workshop): you complete your project DMP and hand it in for evaluation
  • 1st RDM consultation (1-6 weeks after hand-in): a consultation to discuss RDM and your DMP
  • 2nd RDM consultation (2 years after the workshop): consultation to discuss RDM and your project
  • PhD end (+- 4 years): together with your PhD hand in the RDM exit document 

  When is the next edition of the course?

  The next edition of the A-LIFE and Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences (S&F) course will start with the Kickstart workshop which will take place, on campus, from 14:00 -17:00 in either May/October*. 

  Please register your participation using the form: https://forms.gle/QGisUPLekoS1DvnT9

  *When the date is fixed and the registration opens it will be announced in the AIMMS and departmental PhD mailing lists. 

  Who can register for this course?

  • All new A-LIFE and S&F PhD's who started their studies in 2023/2024
  • All other ALIFE  and S&F PhD's, PostDocs and staff: voluntary**

  **Postdocs and staff are welcome to register, however, PhD's have priority and participants may be limited for practical reasons.

  I will contact you with more information on the course details when the registration closes.

  Planned future editions***

  • May 2024 - registration: March - April
  • October 2024 - registration: June - September

  ***A minimum number of participants per course is required, if this is number is not reached registered participants will be invited to enrol in the following edition of the course. 

  Please note that this course is neither associated with, nor can be substituted by, the "PhD Writing a data management plan" course organised by the VU Library.

  If you have any RDM/course questions or require more information, please contact Brett Olivier, the A-LIFE and S&F Data Steward.

• Comments, questions or suggestions?

  Please contact Brett Olivier the A-LIFE and S&F Data Steward.