IU's Research Data Commons Working Group
May 16, 2023
A group from across the university has been tasked with providing recommendations for establishing an Indiana University Research Data Commons (IU-RDC). This objective embodies a collective recognition of the importance of a university-wide resource for discovering, sharing, and accessing data resources across the IU community. Such an initiative would build on our world-class strengths in centralized cyberinfrastructure and other areas to present researchers with more integrated and easy-to-access resources; enable richer training opportunities for students and faculty; and empower IU to better serve local organizations, our state, and other partners. This is an ambitious goal, but a lot of work has been undertaken by working groups at individual campuses and units already.
As a first step, this working group is tasked with collecting input from faculty, students and others on a vision for the Research Data Commons and the practical steps for achieving it in the near-, medium- and long-term. The working group will be soliciting your feedback through an open town hall webinar on May 23 at 1p.m.
We will also administer a brief survey to learn how a more coordinated approach to research data could help researchers in their day-to-day activities (for example, what processes could be simplified). The group is also tasked with identifying useful models and best practices from other universities, and possible funding sources through, for example, NSF data hub grants, so that IU’s activities in this area will be financially sustainable in the long run. The working group also appreciates feedback on scope, access, governance, funding, staffing, outreach, training, maintenance, and anything else we consider important towards a research data commons. From feedback received, the working group will develop a preliminary report and submit to VPR by June 30, 2022.
The group consists of 12 members; please feel free to reach out to us individually at any time, and/or provide input through the survey or townhall meeting.
Kosali Simon (CHAIR)
Distinguished Professor, Herman B Wells Endowed Professor, O’Neill Chair
O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Associate Vice Provost for Health Sciences
Diane Dallis-Comentale
Ruth Lilly Dean, University Libraries
Shiaofen Fang
Professor and Chair, Computer and Information Science, IUPUI School of Science
Kun Huang
Professor, Biostatistics and Health Data, IU School of Medicine
Associate Director of Data Science, IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
Matthew Link
Associate Vice President, Research Technologies, University Information Technology Services
Gerardo Maupomé
Professor, Global Health
Associate Dean of Research, IUPUI Fairbanks School of Public Health
Filippo Menczer
Luddy Distinguished Professor of Informatics and Computer Science; Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering
Director, Observatory on Social Media
Aaron Neal
Associate Vice President, Enterprise Systems, University Information Technology Services
Brea Perry
Professor, Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences, IUB
Associate Vice Provost for Social Sciences, IUB
Beth Plale
Michael A. and Lauren Burns McRobbie Bicentennial Professor of Computer Engineering; Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering
Pervasive Technology Institute, Office of Vice President for Information Technology
Angie Raymond
Associate Professor of Business Law and Ethics, Kelley School of Business
Director, Program on Data Management and Information Governance, Ostrom Workshop
Sarah Wiehe
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Dean of Community & Translational Research
Co-Director, Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute