What\u27s the Deal with Data? Understanding Research Data Management & Support at UVM

In 2011, the National Science Foundation (NSF) began requiring that researchers submit two-page data management plans (DMPs) with their grant applications in order to demonstrate how they will preserve and provide long-term access to federally-funded research data. In 2013, the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a memorandum that requires all granting agencies to develop a plan to make both the data and published articles of federally-funded research publicly available, free of charge. These policies directly impact the University of Vermont: in FY 2014, UVM received 615 grants and contracts amounting to $128 million, 70% of which was through Federal grants. This presentation shares initial findings from an exploratory sequential mixed methods research project focusing on the data management practices and challenges of faculty at the University of Vermont. In the first qualitative phase of this project, a document analysis of successful DMPs was coded for emergent themes related to data management planning. In-person, semi-structured interviews were also conducted to gather more in-depth information about data management planning, including challenges and issues of support. Themes were triangulated and are presented here, along with future directions for research