Research Data Management Roadshow and Support

The Research Data Steward role was introduced to the University of Galway Library in May of last year. The role's primary purpose is to provide essential support and advice for research data management (RDM) and data governance across the research lifecycle. RDM consists of data tasks of planning and design, sourcing and collection, processing and analysis, and publishing and preservation, all through the lens of FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) principles. 

As the University of Galway Library's first Research Data Steward, I have been developing resources to support researchers, addressing gaps in RDM support and building a roadmap for its future. With progress being made in these areas, it was time to get the word out to University of Galway researchers by embarking on an RDM Roadshow to each school to introduce myself and speak on key updates.

The goal of these Roadshows was two-fold: first, to provide an overview of RDM services and resources offered by the library and to outline plans for further development of RDM support, and second, to understand the unique RDM support needs of each school. Presenting at school board and research committee meetings offered the opportunity to represent the library and to hear researchers' thoughts, concerns, and ideas on what successful RDM support looks like.

Roadshows have so far been held with eight schools. Some key learnings and takeaways from the Roadshows include the following:

• School managers and school level research leads were receptive to requests for joining board meetings to speak about research data, showing an interest in this area.
• Awareness was low of library research service offerings and researchers were very pleased to learn of the RDM support available to them from the library.
• Meeting funder and university policy data requirements are top of mind for researchers, especially around data storage, DPIAs and DMPs.
• There is a strong desire, especially for researchers requiring ethics approval, for there to be communication and process alignments between research support staff and departments.
• Meeting with school boards and research committees led to an up-tick in requests for RDM support from the library. 

The research data steward will continue engaging with school level research leads and planning more Roadshows for the remaining schools.

Questions about RDM support from the University of Galway Library? Contact Kate Harrigan, Research Data Steward at kathleen.harrigan@universityofgalway.ie for more information.