Supporting E-Science: Scientific Research Data Curation

1. Supporting E-Science: Scientific Research Data Curation Radovan VranaDepartment of Information Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lučića 3, Zagreb, Croatiarvrana@ffzg.hr

2. Introduction • Outcomes of the continuous development of science: • Creation of new methods of scientific research • Creation of different types of research output including research data • Usually, scientific output can be found in form of journal articles and books, and it is preserved and made available in form of digital collections in libraries (on-site or off-site) • Research data are rarely preserved: data may be unreadable, corrupted, erased, or otherwise impossible to recover and use + scientific research too expensive to let research data be destroyed or forgotten INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 2/14

3. E-science, research data and researchdata curation • E-science is characterized by a creation of great quantities of data generated from sensors, satellites, high-performance computer simulations, high-throughput devices, scientific images • To facilitate global collaboration, e-science needs infrastructures that will make possible sharing of computing resources and data resources INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 3/14

4. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (in design phase) will create 30 terabytes of data nightly, (1.28 petabytes uncompressed) per year INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 4/14

5. E-science, research data and researchdata curation • Data curation is the active and ongoing management of data through its lifecycle • It is of interest to scholarship, science and education • Maintaining, preserving and adding value to digital research data throughout its lifecycle INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 5/14

6. Why is data curation needed? • Research data have ceased to be merely the output of the research endeavor ->they have become a new input to new research • Research data need to be captured and preserved in order to minimize the risk of data loss in an ever-changing environment • With the growth in volume, complexity, and heterogeneity of digital information, the requirement for active management becomes more challenging INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 6/14

7. Why is data curation needed? • Properly curated research data in digital format can be readily integrated into new research • Benefits for research community: • Improved access • Improving data quality • Encouraging data sharing and reuse • Protecting data • Not all data created by scientific research will have long term value INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 7/14

8. Whose responsibility is it? • Scientists themselves are the most responsible for the created research data: • many researchers appear to be unaware of the range of issues associated with data management best practice INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 8/14

9. Whose responsibility is it? • Whatshouldthey do? • applyopen-sourcesoftwareandopenstandards to encourageinteroperabilityamongdifferentsoftwareandhardwareplatforms; • create metadata and annotations so that digital objects can be reused; • link related research materials and make sure the links are persistent; • use persistent identifiers; be consistent about citation formats; • decide which digital objects need to be curated over longer term, keep data storage devices current; • validate and authenticate migrated data. INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 9/14

10. Whose responsibility is it? • Libraries are well positioned to support research data stewardship • Three crucial attributes which make them uniquely positioned to curate the output of academic research: • they have a mission that includes long-term preservation; • they have structural funding; • they have a network in the research community INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 10/14

11. Whose responsibility is it? • For some libraries, research data curation is an unwanted activity and they reluctantly accept this task • This type of activity requires constant funding, trained library staff, adequate hardware and software, written data curation policies, logistics support from the academic institution to which library belongs etc. • Or, a new type of organization which will integrate library and archival sciences, cyberinfrastructure, computer and information sciences, and domain science expertise? INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 11/14

12. Whose responsibility is it? • No final decision has been made yet about what organization will take the responsibility for data curation • Responsibility is shared between: • scientists themselves, • libraries and • different organizations which curate data on commercial bases for profit INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 12/14

13. Where research data are to be kept? • Digital repository: digital archive of the intellectual product created by the faculty, research staff, and students of an institution • Digital repositories can store different file formats and types of content • The best possible solution for the problem of data curation in this transitional period INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 13/14

14. Conclusion • Maintenance of a complete and accurate scholarly record, including the portion in digital form, is essential for continued progress in research and learning • Research data has important role in science as it can provide support to new scientific research • To preserve research data, a new type of activity called data curation has been developed to facilitate re-use of data of previously completed scientific research in a new scientific research • Science will be able to access more easily its fundaments and make new scientific discoveries possible. INFuture 2011 - November 9th 2011 rvrana@ffzg.hr 14/14