Research Data Management

A-LIFE and Chemistry (AIMMS) Research Data Management portal

• RDM news

  • 29/04/2025. The next edition of the 2025 PhD RDM Kickstart course will take place on 28 October 2025. Please see the "RDM Kickstart Course" section below for more course and registration details.
  • 05/02/2025. PE&RC graduate school members, please note that the "AIMMS RDM Kickstart course" and the "Research Data Management course" mentioned in your TSP both refer to the: "PhD RDM Kickstart course" (see course details below).

• 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, 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.
  • For A-LIFE researchers for any RDM and software related questions try the A-LIFE Research Data Management channel or contact Irene. 
  • 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, see the RDM support website or contact your privacy champion 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.

• PhD RDM Kickstart course information

  Welcome to the PhD Research Data Management Kickstart course

  PE&RC graduate school members, please note that the "AIMMS RDM Kickstart course" and the "Research Data Management course" mentioned in your TSP both refer to this course.

  The Research Data Management (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. 

  During the workshop you will start writing a Data Management Plan (DMP) for your PhD project and hand it in for review. You will then discuss your DMP with a Data Steward and get personalized feedback on your data management plan. Midway through your PhD you will have a second consultation to discuss RDM with the aim of preparing you for an eventual handing in of a completed DMP and/or data exit document together with your thesis.

  Register for the next edition now: https://forms.gle/EYM6j93JfPdE5hmx6 (Google form)

  The course schedule includes:

  • The Kickstart Workshop (1 session, 14:00 - 17:00 on-campus): includes a lecture and practical session where you start working on your own project DMP.
  • 1st DMP review (2 weeks after workshop): you complete a draft DMP for your project and hand it in for review.
  • 1st RDM consultation (1-4 weeks after hand-in): an in-depth consultation to discuss data management in your project and your draft DMP.
  • 2nd RDM consultation (2-3 years after you take part in the workshop): a second consultation to discuss your project data management and begin preparations for the final step.
  • PhD end (4 years):  Hand in your updated RDM exit documentation together with your thesis. 

  The next edition

  The next edition (2025.2) of the A-LIFE and Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Sciences (CPS) course will start with the Kickstart workshop which will take place on campus: 

  • 28 March 2025 from 14:00 -17:00

  Please register for the course now: https://forms.gle/EYM6j93JfPdE5hmx6 (Google form)

  Who should register for this course?

  • All new A-LIFE and Chemistry PhD's who started their studies after 2023
  • Other A-LIFE  and Chemistry PostDocs, staff: voluntary

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

  Once you have registered you will receive an Outlook event invitation and receive more information when when the registration closes.

  Future editions

  The RDM Kickstart course is presented twice per year at the end of the first and last quarters.

  • Kickstart course workshop 2026.1: March 2026 (registration from November 2025)
  • Kickstart course workshop 2026.2: Q4 2026 (exact dates still to be confirmed)

  Please register as soon as possible to expedite scheduling. 

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

  If you have any RDM/course related questions or want more information, please contact Brett Olivier, the A-LIFE and Chemistry Data Steward. PI's and project leads, customized versions of the workshop can be arranged for consortia and large projects, please contact me to discuss options.

• Comments, questions or suggestions?

  Please contact Brett Olivier the A-LIFE and CPS Data Steward.