As research methodology and scope have expanded with technological advances, the management of data, software, and other digital objects has positioned itself as a critical and distinct component of the research lifecycle. The scale and diversity of new scientific data has required a reexamination of the roles of data managers in the research enterprise. Emphasis on the FAIR Data Principles, data management plan mandates, and the evolving digital contexts of both conducting and sharing research have made more complex the practice of data management.
Through multiple studies funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), faculty and graduate students examined the professional terrain of data managers through demographic, industrial, and practical contexts. New work from the Collaborative Analysis Liaison Librarian (CALL) Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant program at the University of Tennessee and the University of Denver investigate the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed as well as tasks performed in these roles. By investigating what and how data management is realized and who is involved, we aim to stimulate a discussion on the trajectory of earth science data professionalism and assess potential educational needs of both those entering the workforce and currently practicing. CALL asserts that an understanding of professional priorities must emerge through conversations with current data professionals and their collaborators. How do we teach digital collaboration? Who is facilitating data management education? These discussions are essential in advocating for research data management in its varied contexts as well as preparing future practitioners for its associated responsibilities.
To prepare for this session, we invite participants to think about the following questions:
- What would be the ideal curriculum to prepare you for your job?
- What knowledge, skills, and abilities do you expect from prospective employees?
- What do you expect are things you must learn on the job?
The panel seeks feedback from the ESIP community to inform future avenues of inquiry, provide context for current research, and promote further engagement with data management education.
The scale and diversity of new scientific data requires the reexamination of the roles of data managers in the research enterprise. Emphasis on the FAIR Data Principles, data management plan mandates, and the evolving digital contexts of both conducting and sharing research have made the practice of data management more complex. Through multiple studies funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), faculty and graduate students examined the professional terrain of data managers through demographic, industrial, and practical contexts. The Collaborative Analysis Liaison Librarian (CALL) Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant program at the University of Tennessee and the University of Denver investigates the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed as well as tasks performed in these roles. By investigating what and how data management is realized and who is involved, we aim to stimulate a discussion on the trajectory of earth science data professionalism and assess potential educational needs of both those entering the workforce and currently practicing.
An examination of workforce trends and development can open further discussions and help foster the professional alliance between information and research sciences. CALL has undertaken a job analysis, comprised of interviews and a survey with data professionals, of which the majority are ESIP members.
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