Synthesis of NFDI4Earth Pilot Experiences (NFDI4Earth Deliverable D1.1.5)

NFDI4Earth pilot funding supports earth system science (ESS) researchers to tackle research data management (RDM) challenges in their subdomains. They have various aims from FAIR data provision to enhanced software interoperability. We have synthesized their experiences based on their project reports in a simplified qualitative content analysis. Pilot results have reached different levels of maturity by the completion of the one-year project phase. They have produced tools from prototypes to ready-to-use solutions and triggered discussions and processes on standards and RDM practices in their domains. As expected by NFDI4Earth pilot projects, the majority of the projects has shown to be committed to FAIR and open software, data and platforms and developed their solutions accordingly. Depending on the subdomain the pilots faced specific challenges, being of rather technological nature (software integration) or more based on the structure, connectedness and habits of the sub-community. The pilot projects provide valuable insights into the diverse ESS sub-domains which support the overall strategy of NFDI4Earth to combine technological progress with community work.This work has been funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through the project NFDI4Earth (DFG project no.460036893, https://www.nfdi4earth.de/) within the German National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI, https://www.nfdi.de/)