Meet the RDM Supporter: Vincent Brunst (GEO)

In our item 'Meet the RDM Supporter' an RDM Supporter talks about how he or she supports researchers with the range of data-related issues researchers encounter. This time it’s Vincent Brunst (GEO data manager) turn.

What is it you do to support researchers?

As a data manager of the faculty Geosciences I try to get and stay in touch with the researcher in all stages of their research. Naturally the pre-phase of the research is suitable for let the researcher become familiar with data management principles during the grant application, but fortunately also during and after research researchers find me for practical questions as: where to store their data or how to archive or publish their data. My motivation during these contacts is to always find the connection between the needs and wishes of the researcher and which services (within data management or wider) can be offered to fulfill these.

Do you have a simple tip for researchers to make data management easier?

All data generated during research has its value and deserves structure and proper management, so consider at the start of your project how you will handle your data or who you can give support for that.

What results have you achieved that you are proud of?

By far the understanding and awareness of the researchers at our faculty that data management is an import part of research, that data should be handled properly and that all the support is appreciated. This translates in an increasing number of request for data management plan reviews, an unprecedented increase of use of Yoda in all faculty departments, enthusiasm under faculty contributors of the data archive project and the formation of the virtual data team (VDT). The VDT is an collaboration with contributions of the research support office, IT, privacy, ethics and data management to discuss how to support researchers with their data challenges. Setting up such a team shows that the need for sharing knowledge about handling data challenges is a matter on faculty level, so the effect reaches all its researchers.

How do you see the future of sharing and opening up research data?

Very positive, because I see in my faculty that a lot of researchers feel it is self-evident that research data should be shared with a wider public and most of them are already contributing in making their data FAIR and open up to society. However, especially regarding the social oriented studies, work needs to be done to increase awareness that also these data, with all their confidential and privacy aspects, can be opened up easily, with respect to national and institutional regulations and guidelines. In addition there should become more facilities where research data can be recovered, so it will be found and re-used. In my opinion this will also give a boost to researchers to share and open-up their data. That’s why this aspect should be a backbone of the new faculty data archive.

Something else surprising about yourself that only few colleagues know about?

When weather conditions are not that extreme, 75% of my commute time I spend on the bike. It relaxes me to ride through a wooded area and help me to set my mind on or off my tasks as data manager.