As chemists and information specialists, we know how important data is and recognize its growing influence within the research process. Data is everywhere; we create data, sift through data available online and in research literature, and share data among our co-researchers and peers. It can be downright challenging to organize data, curate it, share it, and also comply with grant requirements and professional standards. As educators, we strive to teach students valuable concepts and skills that they can apply in graduate school and professional careers. Many students at our institutions, however, do not receive formal training in data management and curation.
To help address these issues, five institutions (Lewis & Clark College, Reed College, University of Puget Sound, Whitman College, and Willamette University) have come together to explore how we as researchers and educators can more effectively manage and curate data through a one and a half day workshop.
Workshop Format
The workshop will take place over a day and half on June 6th and 7th, 2019. We welcome individuals or teams composed of faculty, students researchers, librarians, IT members, technicians, instrument specialists, etc., or any combination therein.
Day One of the workshop will cover the lifecycle of research data and research data management and curation (RDMC) content specifically tailored for chemists and their unique needs. Participants will have the opportunity to:
Day Two will distill some general concepts around chemical data literacy and culminate in the collaborative creation of a one-hour RDMC curriculum module for chemistry majors. Student, faculty, and librarian participants will work together to develop a flexible draft module suitable for ready integration into the undergraduate curriculum.
Attendees are encouraged to bring examples from their current work to apply what is learned, and implement RDMC practices at their campuses. By working together as a team from each campus and supporting each other across institutions, researchers along with librarians and Information technology staff will build successful services, as well as have a powerful impact on how future researchers utilize these important skills.
Workshop Partner
We are partnering with Dr. Ye Li, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Librarian at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to develop the curriculum and facilitate the Chemistry Research Data Workshop. Dr. Li earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry as well as an M.A. in Library and Information Science from the University of Iowa. She spent six years working as the Chemistry Librarian at the University of Michigan before moving to the Colorado School of Mines and ultimately MIT. She is a member of the Research Data Alliance Chemistry Research Data Interest Group and has published on chemistry research data management, research data sharing, and improving chemical information literacy.
This one-and-a-half day workshop will be held on the Lewis and Clark campus (directions to campus). It will be held on June 6th (9am -5pm) and June 7th (9am-12pm).
Registration and Cost
Please register for the workshop here.
There is no registration cost for the workshop. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Day One and breakfast and lunch on Day Two will be provided. Participants may apply for lodging and funding to support travel; preference will be given to participants traveling from outside of the Portland area. Contact a member of the Chemical Data Planning Group if you have questions.