RDM and LIS

After the successful launch in 2023, the researchers at IVW have published numerous research data sets again in 2024, bringing the total to 15 such publications. To increase their visibility, an IVW-specific Zenodo community was established in 2024, where all IVW research data publications are now collected and made accessible to the scientific community.

An important development in 2024 was the automated generation of metadata in light and electron microscopy as well as in the photography of test specimens. The focus was on ease and flexibility of use and the automated integration of additional metadata, such as information on the specimen imaged, EDX analyses of the same specimen, or details on usage rights and licensing of the research data.

To improve the quality of metadata generated at IVW, a new Python program was also developed. This program recursively searches project folders and checks the metadata found for compliance with key requirements of IVW’s RDM manual. As a result, metadata can be automatically quality-checked continuously throughout the project and specifically before data publications. The use of this program facilitates compliance with the increased quality assurance requirements of funding agencies in the context of RDM.

New training offerings covered topics such as “RDM Responsibilities of Project Management,” “RDM-Compliant Project Folder Management,” and “Software Version Control with Git.” The IVW's own long-standing and highly popular course, “Python Programming Basics,” was also held again in 2024.

The development of IVW research data management was also positively recognized by the IVW Scientific Advisory Board, which stated in its interim evaluation report: “The RDM strategy and the presentation on sustainability both were very impressive and can lay the ground for visibility and for further research.”