A University Support Model for eResearch A University ... - QUT ePrints

A University Support Model for eResearch Carolyn Young and Joseph Young Queensland University of Technology [c.young,j.young]@qut.edu.au

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.1 licence (Australia)

CRICOS No.00213J

Division Division of of Technology, Technology, Information Information and and Learning Learning Support Support

eResearch @ QUT

www.eresearch.qut.edu.au CRICOS No.00213J

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eResearch @ QUT - a current perspective eResearch @ QUT Underpinning infrastructure: university repository (QUT ePrints) High Performance Computing and data visualisation services corporate wiki for collaboration; ESOE (Enterprise Sign On Engine) - AAF compliant implementing Enterprise Data Management System

Established eResearch Working Party (2006) National and State engagement in relevant government bodies Recognised research centres focused on eResearch


The eResearch Support Service Project eResearch @ QUT Primary objective: scope a service model to support eResearch @ QUT Preliminary activities: TILS Division Research Support Strategic Plan 2007-2009 Survey of data management practices at QUT Data pilots with key research professors & Research Students Centre Creative industries, Institute for Sustainable Resources, Built Environment & Engineering


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eResearch characteristics - clues to support eResearch @ QUT Growing dependence on data which: is routinely generated by simulation; captured in many ways; manipulated, mined, transformed, linked and re-purposed is growing in size is becoming more complex and more specialised requires sophisticated data management practices Increased use of computation and visualisation Collaboration to support multidisciplinary research Increasing emphasis on digital rights management Open Access to research output www.eresearch.qut.edu.au CRICOS No.00213J

Researchers Current Data Management Practices

eResearch @ QUT

Joint survey of researchers data management practices (November 2007) Most outstanding finding: the similar pattern of institutional responses Key outcomes: 90% of researchers work generates digital data. popular software used by many + a very long tail of other software used by a few /one researcher. most back up on more than one system

(i.e.USBs, CDROMs and DVDs etc.)

Over 60% willing to share their data; most prefer via negotiated access . Most think data will have value beyond 5 years Over 75% want training in research data management.

www.eresearch.qut.edu.au

CRICOS No.00213J

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eResearch @ QUT In a large, distributed, complex beast like {this university}, the diversity of practice across a wide range of research disciplines means that evolving the infrastructure needed to support research in the digital era is not going to be easy. It is however, essential. We have to be prepared to make mistakes, to try things out and experiment. We have to be very conscious of the broader framework in which we are working and constantly try to reveal the deeper principles of practice. Consequently, we have to be careful not to limit our research record management practices to what the current technology offers as this will have changed during the life of the project. On the other hand, we do have to use the latest digital technologies to the best of our abilities to bring increased productivity and services to researchers. We have just entered the Wright Brothers phase of the Digital Era. (Survey of researchers practices, 2007)


Supporting eResearch - other models eResearch @ QUT Although significant eResearch activity, we could only identify a few institutions that have begun to provide an eResearch Support Service per se.

The Monash University combined elements of a similar nature to QUT.

Monash University e-Research Centre


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Supporting eResearch - Compliance Issues eResearch @ QUT Australian Code for Responsible Conduct of Research (2007) Institutions

must

have:

a policy on the retention of materials and research data must provide facilities for the safe and secure storage of research data and for maintaining records of where research data is stored must have a policy on the ownership of research materials and data during and following the research project. must have a policy on the ownership of, and access to, databases and archives that is consistent with confidentiality requirements, legislation, privacy rules and other guidelines.


Supporting eResearch - Compliance Issues eResearch @ QUT

The ARC Funding Agreement - Discovery Projects Part 20

research outputs including data and publications should be lodged in an appropriate institutional or disciplinary repository within 6 months of the completion of the ARC funded project or detail the reasons for not doing so in the Project s Final Report.


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Forming an eResearch Support Model eResearch @ QUT

Framed a project and sourced funding Looked at QUT s Current Situation What skills are needed to support eResearch? - Margaret Henty s work Where is the existing, relevant skill base at QUT? What critical links does the service need into the organisation? Issues workshop for relevant QUT staff


Critical links eResearch @ QUT The Office of Research and Research Students Centre Underpinning infrastructure services - e.g., IT Services Infrastructure Services section University research groups whose research involves eResearch tools and issues: Faculty of IT (computer scientists) - Microsoft QUT eResearch Centre OAKLaw researchers - legal protocols for managing copyright issues Other groups within the University that support research and/ or eResearch. National NCRIS programs - ANDS, ARCS, NCI, AAF


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Services

eResearch Support Team

Directors, Directors, ITS ITS and and Library Library

Initial Proposed Model

eResearch Support Service eResearch eResearch Support Support Service Service

Manager Manager IT IT Research Research Support Support

Manager Manager Library Library Research Research Support Support

Admin. Admin. Assistant Assistant QUT QUT Repository Repository Officer Officer HPC HPC Services Services HPC HPC Supervisor Supervisor

Research Research Data Data Team Team

Senior Senior Research Research Support Support Specialists Specialists

Data Data Architect Architect

Research Research Support Support Specialists Specialists

Data Data Collab. Collab. Officer Officer

IT IT Coop Coop Student(s) Student(s) Project Project Student(s) Student(s)

Data Data Access Access Officer Officer

eResearch eResearch Access Access Coordinatror Coordinatror

IHBI IHBI Info Info Manager Manager

Liaison Liaison Librarians Librarians

Assistant, Assistant, QUT QUT Repository Repository Officer Officer

This This group group seeds seeds the the formation formation of of aa QUT QUT Research Research Data Data Group Group

HPC HPC Data Data Vis Vis Access Access Grid Grid Data Data Analysis/ Analysis/ Stats Stats Online Online Survey Survey System System Data Data Mgt Mgt Systems Systems Collab Collab Systems Systems Research Research Data Data Store Store Institutional Institutional Repository Repository Data Data Mgt Mgt Plan Plan & & Policy Policy Digital Digital Rights Rights Mgt Mgt Digitisation Digitisation Metadata Metadata ePress ePress Copyright Copyright Expertise Expertise HDR HDR Student Student Training Training

Key Recommendations eResearch @ QUT Revise university research data management policy Prepare a Data Management Plan template and a training program for researchers Implement the Initial eResearch Support Service model - review after two years, considering possible Future Model for eResearch Support Co-locate eResearch Support Service staff where possible so that they can establish themselves as a team Seek sustainable funding for the eResearch Support Service from 2009 to end reliance on soft money for existing services and to provide new services Provide a central, QUT data store for research data as part of the larger Enterprise Data Management system


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Some aspects of implementation eResearch @ QUT

Complete current research data management pilots + undertake new data pilots Investigate and select research data management technologies and applications Develop staff expertise and knowledge; co-locate staff where appropriate

Identify researchers with significant research data sets and collaborate with a view to adding to the ANDS Data Commons. Begin a promotion and training program with researchers. www.eresearch.qut.edu.au

Researchers

CRICOS No.00213J

Proposed Future eResearch Support Model - Researcher View

Future Support External Partners ExternalModel Partners

CRCs CRCs

State State HPC HPC Consortium Consortium (QCIF) (QCIF) Researchers Researchers

Individual Individual QUT QUT researchers researchers

(Uni (Uni && Commercial) Commercial)

QUT QUT faculty faculty research research groups groups

QUT QUT Institutes Institutes

Underpinning I/F, Support, Collaborators

eResearch Support & Collaboration

eResearch @ QUT Researcher (User) Services -normal support requests -Research support specialists HPC Data Visualisation Statistics/ Online Surveys Data Management Data Curation Institutional repository (ePrints), ePress Training

eRESEARCH eRESEARCH RELATED RELATED PROGRAMS PROGRAMS Faculty Faculty of of IT IT LAW LAW -- OAKLaw OAKLaw

NCRIS NCRIS

www.eresearch.qut.edu.au AAF, AAF, ANDS, ANDS, ARCS, ARCS, NCI NCI

Infrastructure, Research Apps & Middleware

Projects (internal & research collaboration)

Collaboration Technologies HPC systems and apps Data Viz Lab and Special Viz Facilities Servers - Online surveys, digital repository, data management apps. Works closely with ITS Infrastructure Services, Library systems, authentication and Web Group

Project Manager and small base of technical staff responsible projects Staff from other groups seconded as required but projects managed by this group.

IT IT Services Services Network, Network, Data Data Storage) Storage) authentication, authentication, Web Web

DIVISION DIVISION of of RESEARCH RESEARCH Research Research training, training, funding, funding, granting granting schemes, schemes, ethics ethics

LIBRARY LIBRARY Digital Digital repository repository Liaison Liaison Librarians Librarians Metadata Metadata

STATE STATE HPC HPC CONSORTIUM CONSORTIUM HPC, HPC, Data Data Storage Storage

IT HELP DESK Desktop Desktop Research Research Apps Apps

FACULTY/ FACULTY/ INSTITUTESUPPORT INSTITUTESUPPORT IT IT Coordinators Coordinators Local Local research research lab lab support support CRICOS No.00213J

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eResearch @ QUT

Thank you for your attention. Questions?


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