The Research Data Access and Preservation (RDAP) Summit is an annual conference focusing on the management, access, and preservation of research data. The conference brings together data managers and curators, librarians who work with research data, and researchers and data scientists from academic institutions, data centers, and industries. As a graduate assistant at FSU Libraries, diving into the world of research data management has been quite the ride, and attending the RDAP Summit provided me with a unique opportunity to explore this fascinating realm even further.
The 2024 Summit took place virtually on an innovative event management platform called Pheedloop. Upon logging into the Pheedloop, I was immediately impressed by its user-friendly interface and intuitive design. The platform featured different channels catering to various needs, including tech support, “Ask the Organizers Anything”, job openings, and resources for first-timers like myself. This thoughtful organization made it easy to navigate the virtual landscape and access relevant information and support throughout the conference.
This year’s summit revolved around the theme of “Bridging Boundaries: Interoperability in the Data Community”. Throughout the three-day conference, the importance of collaboration and open data reverberated in every session. From the inspiring keynote presentations to the engaging panel discussions, it was abundantly clear that the RDAP community is committed to breaking down silos and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. During the welcoming session, Iratxe Puebla, the Make Data Count Director of Data Cite, shared that even though we’ve come a long way in open data, and there have been great processes in data sharing in the last decade, data sharing is still not prioritized by researchers because other activities provide more credit during tenure and review process. An analysis of review (Alperin et al., 2020), promotion and tenure documents of universities from the US and Canada found that among research-intensive universities, only 9 mentioned data. To provide some context, Make Data Count is an initiative that promotes open data metrics to enable evaluation and reward of research data usage and impact. It advances several strategic priorities that are central to successfully curating research data, including building open, transparent metrics for data use.
Alperin et al. 2020. The value of data and other nontraditional scholarly outputs in academic review, promotion, and tenure. Open Handbook of Linguistic Data Management. MIT Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/ye06-n045
One presentation that stood out to me took place during the first session I attended, called “Into the Unknown: Seeking Perspectives from Non-Users”, which was presented by librarians Anna Biszaha and Kesley Badger from Ohio State University. Their project aims to understand how researchers and the campus community perceive the library’s data services. They conducted 16 interviews focusing on 3 themes: current research data practices, research data training and support needs, and anticipated needs in the field. They aimed to target researchers outside of their personal networks to provide better insight into unmet needs.
The findings were both surprising and somewhat expected — only 25% of participants had previously utilized libraries’ data services, and many did not report a clear use of any campus “data service”. As someone relatively new to the field, this session resonated with me on a personal level, reminding me of my own journey of discovery during my orientation week as a graduate assistant at FSU Libraries. Throughout the week, I found myself repeatedly saying, “I had no idea libraries offered so many services!” and “I wish I had known this during my college years!”
Biszaha and Badger also emphasized the significance of messaging and scoping during their presentation—how data services are communicated to researchers and what falls within the libraries’ scope. On one hand, researchers expressed difficulty in discerning their data needs from library advertisements/marketing, while libraries hoped to reach new users without compromising their ability to support the broader campus community.
The virtual poster session was another highlight of the RDAP Summit. It was fascinating to see researchers and practitioners showcase their work in a visually compelling yet concise format and engage with attendees to discuss their findings. What struck me the most was the accessibility of the virtual posters even after the conference ended, underscoring RDAP’s commitment to knowledge dissemination and community building.
Speaking of accessibility, the last few sessions of RDAP addressed some complex challenges within the data field. For instance, there was an outstanding presentation by Chreston Miller and LaDale Winling, professors from Virginia Tech. Their session, titled “Identifying Patterns of Racial Discrimination through Natural Language Processing”, delved into the prevalence of racially restrictive covenants that were widespread from about 1910 to 1950. These covenants posed discoverability issues due to their volume, prompting Miller and Winling to employ Natural Language Processing (NLP) to look for patterns and changes in these covenants over time. Their research aims to enhance the accessibility of historic analog documents by digitizing them, accessing their content, and addressing questions of historical significance, particularly related to racial segregation in American cities.
Additionally, Sibyl Schaefer from UC San Diego Library gave a fascinating presentation on digital preservation titled “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and Your Data May Not Be Fine)”. Schaefer emphasized that digital preservation is more than just technology; it involves the formulation of policies, strategies, and actions to ensure ongoing access to digital content. She highlighted the core principle that Digital Preservation is fundamentally about Risk Assessment. Schaefer elucidated the various risks associated with digital preservation. These risks include those stemming from climate change, including natural disasters and network failures resulting from disruptions in coaxial cables, as well as increased political conflict and decrease in funding. These insights shed light on the complex landscape of digital preservation and underscored the critical importance of proactive risk management strategies in safeguarding digital data for future generations.
In conclusion, attending the RDAP Summit was a transformative experience that deepened my understanding of research data management and preservation. Throughout the three-day conference, I gained invaluable insights into the complexities and challenges faced by data professionals across various disciplines. Moreover, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have connected with researchers, specialists, and fellow attendees, which truly broadened my experience and will continue to influence my future academic and professional journey.
This blog post was authored by Ashlee Huang, STEM and Data Graduate Assistant at FSU Libraries.
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