This webinar will provide an insightful overview of the Research Data Alliance (RDA), a global community enhancing research data management. Attendees will learn about RDA’s history, from its establishment in 2013 to its growth into an international volunteer-led organisation with over 10,000 members. The presentation will emphasize the importance of community networks, featuring inspiring case studies and success stories from these networks that unite experts from various sectors. Participants will be guided on how to get involved in RDA, exploring different opportunities such as joining working groups and participating in events and projects. Benefits of active engagement, including professional growth and networking opportunities, will also be highlighted.
DRI took over the coordination of the RDA in Ireland node in 2023. This webinar aims to introduce newcomers to RDA groups, activities and outputs while discussing particular benefits for the Irish community. We look forward to facilitating and supporting local participation in a global community leading the way in research data management innovation.
Guest Speakers:
Dr. Sara El-Gebali is the RDA/EOSC Future Domain Ambassador for FAIR Implementation. She serves as a Project Leader at the SciLifeLab-Data Centre in Sweden, where she spearheads the implementation of technical solutions that empower data-driven research on a national scale. She is also the founder of FAIRPoints, a community-driven initiative dedicated to implementing pragmatic measures aligned with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles.
As a key member of the steering committee for the FAIR Digital Objects forum, Sara is a strong advocate for the development of equitable technical solutions and promotes inclusive and meaningful engagement practices. With a robust background in life science and a PhD in cancer research, she is an impassioned community builder. Sara is an outspoken champion for the inclusion of historically marginalized groups in STEM and Open Science. More about Sara: https://selgebali.netlify.app/
As RDA Community Development Manager, Dr. Kathryn Barker’s responsibilities involve managing and coordinating engagement with the global RDA community. In collaboration with the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), she facilitates Australian engagement with RDA and supports Australasian growth. Kathryn completed her PhD in marine biogeochemistry and satellite remote sensing at the University of Plymouth, UK and has an academic background in oceanography, marine biology and environmental sciences. After finishing her PhD, Kathryn worked in industry as a project manager and engineer on large-scale applied Earth Observation research and data services projects for the European Space Agency and the European Union. She managed many large-scale projects and teams across Europe and worked with a wide range of stakeholders spanning academia and industry. In Australia, Kathryn diversified her expertise into the data sciences and computational domains with a focus on research data management. She has previously managed projects across a broad range of scientific and technical domains with the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre and Curtin Institute for Computation, and provided institutional research support with the ARDC.
Michelle Dalton is Head of Research Services at University College Dublin Library. Her role involves strategic oversight of a diverse range of research support functions within the Library including research data management, Open Science, publication strategy and research evaluation, GIS, and Citizen Science. She has over fifteen years professional experience working in academic, medical and special libraries. Her interests include open science skills development and research culture.
