Open data, open methods, and reproducible and transparent research are increasingly endorsed by funders, publishers, institutions and learned societies. But what does making your research open, transparent and reproducible mean in practice? What are the advantages and the pitfalls? 

This edition of the Data Conversations will focus on research software. We will talk about the problems researchers working with code encounter, the ways to approach them, and the support offered by the eScience Center.

In this Data Conversations researchers from different Faculties, Institutes and disciplines will have a chance to hear and learn from each other about their experiences with research software.

Come and share your research software stories and hear others. Find the registration button at the bottom of this page.  At the moment, Data Conversations take place online. You will receive an email with a Zoom link after your registration.

Agenda

12:50 - 13:00  Sign in; check your microphone

13:00   Data Conversations begin

Brett Olivier "You want to see my what?! First data, now code …"

Maaike de Jong "The Netherlands eScience Center: building capacity in digital skills"

13:45 Q&A session

14:00 Conclusion by Sander Bosch "Building capacity in digital skills at the VU"

About the speakers

Brett Olivier studied Biochemistry and Genetics at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. During his doctoral research in Computational Systems Biology he started writing simulation software, which he used to study the control and regulation of metabolic networks. He then continued this research at the VU and Heidelberg University, and has been actively involved in the development of interoperable, model encoding standards in Systems Biology (e.g. SBML). Currently working as a Data Steward at the AIMMS Institute and VU Faculty of Science he tends to spend far too much time with computers (sometimes even for work).

Maaike de Jong is Scientific Community Manager at the Netherlands eScience Center. She obtained her PhD in evolutionary biology and has done research in ecology, evolution and genomics. In the past five years she shifted her focus to open science, leading international projects on research data infrastructures and open data. At the eScience Center, Maaike combines her experience in research, open science, community building and training to advance the adoption of digital skills and software sustainability in the research community.

What to expect?

Data Conversations will feature a series of short talks from researchers or colleagues who support research. Each talk will be about 10 minutes long and there will be time for a Q&A session. There can be a discussion in smaller groups to give you an opportunity to meet like-minded colleagues across the VU.

Who should attend?

Data Conversations brings together researchers, research support staff, and data management, and data science experts from all subject areas. Early career researchers as well as experienced academics are welcome to attend.

About Data Conversations

Data Conversations started at the University of Lancaster in the UK. The Lancaster Data Conversations aim to bring data practitioners together to talk about how researchers create, collect, use and share data. The Data Conversations at the VU Amsterdam share the same aim and are intended to provide a forum for researchers from different subjects and disciplines to exchange practices and ideas around open data, FAIR data, research data management and related open science topics.