AI & ML in Polar Science: Challenges and Best Practices

17 September 2025

The webinar examined how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are being applied to address the challenges of rapid environmental and social change in the Arctic and Antarctic. Presenters—including Johnathan Kool (Australian Antarctic Data Centre), Munish Madan (Arctic Institute of North America), and Christy Caudill (Canadian Biogenome Project)—shared insights on optimizing metadata, evaluating the capabilities and limitations of AI/ML in polar research, and co-developing AI tools with Indigenous Data Sovereignty considerations.

The session highlighted practical strategies for integrating FAIR principles into research workflows, discussed ethical frameworks for collaboration with Indigenous communities, and addressed challenges such as algorithmic bias and intellectual property concerns, using real-world case studies to illustrate best practices.

View presentation slides here. A recording of the webinar will be made available soon.

WDS Webinar Series on International Repository-related Policies: Chile and Paraguay

4 September 2025

The webinar on International Repository-related Policies, with a focus on Chile and Paraguay, brought together regional experts to discuss data repository policies and foster international collaboration. Featuring insights from Isabel Abedrapo (Chile) and Liz Bettina García Márquez (Paraguay), and moderated by Andrea Mora Campos (Costa Rica), the session explored unique challenges and opportunities in the region. The webinar inspired new partnerships and helped develop actionable guidelines to advance Open Science initiatives tailored to Latin American needs. The webinar was presented in Spanish with a bilingual moderator.

View presentation slides here. A recording of the webinar will be made available soon.

WDS Webinar Series on International Repository-related Policies: Argentina and Colombia

10 April 2025

This webinar was the first of our International Repository-related Policies series, and it featured experts from Argentina and Colombia. Our expert panel discussed their unique perspectives on Open Science Policies and how they impact data repositories in each one of their home countries. These sessions aim to inform researchers and policymakers on how to navigate international policy landscapes effectively.

The webinar was presented in Spanish with a bilingual moderator.

View presentation slides here.

2025-2027 World Data System Action Plan Webinar

20 March 2025

This webinar provided an overview of the 2025-2027 Action Plan, highlighting the strategic initiatives and key objectives that will guide our efforts over the next three years. Thanks to the valuable feedback from our members in 2024, we finalized the action plan and identified key priorities for our community of data repositories. These priorities are reflected in the plan’s objectives, and our actions over the next three years will focus on achieving these objectives in service of the WDS community. 

David Castle, WDS Scientific Committee Chair, and Suzie Allard, Principal Investigator to the International Program Office, shared their insights into the action plan process and explored the new opportunities arising from the updated objectives. 

View presentation slides here.

Data Repository Descriptive Metadata: Recommendations & Resources

14 and 15 January 2025

In this 2.5-hour workshop, we emphasized the importance of metadata used to describe data repositories, with a focus on the re3data Registry of Research Data Repositories, and the recommendations from the RDA Common Descriptive Attributes of Research Data Repositories. While some of these attributes are straightforward, others are more complicated to represent; thus, the reasons they are more difficult were summarized and time to discuss with participants is allocated. We also covered potential use cases and applications for these metadata. Towards the end, an optional follow-on activity over the next couple months was described.

View presentation slides here.

Making Research Data Publicly Accessible: Estimates of Institutional & Researcher Expenses

4 December 2024

Earlier this year, the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) released an important report titled “Making Research Data Publicly Accessible: Estimates of Institutional & Researcher Expenses.” Stemming from the NSF-funded Realities of Academic Data Sharing (RADS) project, the report illuminates the financial commitments that institutions have undertaken to align with public access and data-sharing mandates. The full report can be accessed here. 

In the webinar, Cynthia Hudson Vitale, Shawna Taylor, and Jonathan Petters explore the report’s insights on institutional expenses. They shed light on costs shouldered not only by central campus offices—including libraries, IT departments, and research administrations—but also by researchers themselves as they engage in a variety of data-sharing activities. Join us for an informative session that explores both the challenges and investments associated with making research data widely available. 

View presentation slides here.

CoreTrustSeal – Levels of Curation & Preservation: Towards an Inclusive Repository Typology

19 November 2024

This webinar provided updates from CoreTrustSeal, including the announcement of newly elected Board members and details about the requirements revision process from Chair Olivier Rouchon and Vice-Chair Hervé L’Hours. The session also featured an overview of recent position and discussion papers on evolving curation and preservation levels, highlighting their implications for developing an inclusive repository typology based on ‘level of care.’ The papers have been published for community review.

View presentation slides here.

WDS Workshop on Open Science Policies across Latin America

11 November 2024

This workshop, as part of the Research Data Alliance’s 24th Plenary, was specifically designed for data repositories across Latin America. It reflected on Open Science policies pertinent to Latin American regions and collaboratively develop actionable guidelines tailored to regional needs.

The workshop brought together representatives of scientific data repositories from Latin American countries.

English recording: Workshop

View presentation slides here.

Open Climate Knowledge and Data with Creative Commons

22 October 2024

The webinar, held in celebration of Open Access Week, featured presentations from Monica Granados and Taylor Campbell of Creative Commons, who shared updates on open climate initiatives and the Open Climate Data project—including licensing options, usage examples, best practices, and available training and consulting services. Reyna Jenkyns, Associate Director of the WDS-ITO, concluded the session by highlighting the World Data System’s endorsement of the Open Climate Campaign and its ongoing collaboration with Creative Commons.

View presentation slides here.

Evaluating Dataset AI Readiness for Data Repositories: Considerations and Approaches

1 and 2 October 2024

The workshop on AI Data Readiness, presented by WDS-ITO staff in collaboration with the ESIP Data Readiness Cluster, introduced participants to the ESIP AI Data Readiness Checklist, covering key aspects such as data quality, documentation, access, and preparation. Attendees engaged in discussions and review sessions for each checklist category, followed by a pilot exercise applying the checklist to datasets from their own repositories. The session concluded with a brief overview of additional developments related to AI data readiness.

View presentation slides here.

Enhancing Data Sharing: Insights and Initiatives

18 September 2024

The webinar focused on the transformative impact of data sharing in research, emphasizing its role in fostering collaboration, innovation, and scientific discovery. Special guests from Yet2, Andrea Guemez and Anne McLaren, presented an in-depth analysis of current trends and metrics in data sharing practices, exploring how new incentives could encourage broader adoption. The session also featured a major announcement from the National Institutes of Health (NEI), with Kerry Goetz and Amber Reed unveiling a new initiative from the National Eye Institute to promote and facilitate data sharing among researchers, aiming to set new standards and build a more collaborative research ecosystem.

View presentation slides here.

The Value of TDR Certification: A Survey of CoreTrustSeal Certified Repositories

28 August 2024

This session explored the meaning and implications of Trustworthy Digital Repository (TDR) certification, with  Rebecca Frank presenting findings from her research into repository staff attitudes toward CoreTrustSeal (CTS) certification. She discussed both the benefits and challenges of CTS certification for digital repositories, including internal and external impacts and drawbacks. The presentation offered valuable insights for digital repository professionals and CTS community members seeking a deeper understanding of how certification is perceived and valued by repository staff.

View presentation slides here.

WDS Federated Search Planning: Unlocking the Power of Federated Search

18 July  2024

The webinar showcased the latest advancements in research data management using federated search tools, highlighting their growing importance for efficient access to diverse datasets. Guest speakers Chantelle Verhey (WDS-ITO), Dr. Jung-Ho Um (KISTI), and Dr. Nobutada Yokouchi (UTokyo) discussed foundational principles of federated search—including FAIR, indexing, and query optimization—alongside standards for interoperability and integration. The session examined how federated search accelerates research workflows and featured case studies illustrating its applications across academic, scientific, and industry domains. Attendees gained practical insights into the pivotal role of federated search in driving innovation, collaboration, and discovery in data-driven research.

View presentation slides here.

“Navigating the Path to Success in Disaster Data Management” by Junshi Xia and Zhang Feng

24 June 2024

The webinar featured Professors Junshi Xia and Zhang Feng, who explored key aspects of disaster data management, including data sharing, discovery, and integration. They provided practical guidance and shared their professional experiences to inspire early career researchers in navigating this complex field. The session offered valuable insights and strategic advice for those looking to advance their careers in disaster data management.

View presentation slides here.

Joint Statement on Research Data with STM, Crossref, and DataCite

20 June 2024

The webinar brought together representatives from WDS, STM, Crossref, and DataCite to discuss the endorsement of the Joint Statement on Research Data and its significance for strengthening connections within data infrastructure. Guest speakers Helena Cousijn, Martyn Rittman, and Hylke Koers explored the statement’s history, its impact on research assessment, and the importance of endorsing shared recommendations. The session concluded with a Q&A and discussion, offering valuable insights for researchers, publishers, and organizations involved in data and open research infrastructure.

View presentation slides here.

Navigating the Research Data Management Compliance Maze as an Indonesian Early-Career Researcher: Unravelling Policies across Borders

23 April 2024

World Data System Early Career Research Network member Madiareni Sulaiman presented a webinar examining the varying levels of expertise among early-career researchers regarding research data management (RDM) policies and open research initiatives. The session emphasized the importance of ongoing professional development for both researchers and support personnel after RDM policies are implemented, and built upon topics discussed at DSWS 2023 in Tokyo.

You can also view the slides from the presentation.

Rising Stars: A Webinar on Early Career Researchers’ Conference Experiences in Data 

27 February 2024

Claire Rye and Lianchong Zhang, WDS Early Career Researcher Network co-chairs, shared their experiences and key takeaways from IDW23 and DSWS, highlighting networking opportunities and the significance of their research within the data science community. They discussed the specific challenges faced by early career researchers and the unique aspects of presenting at major data science conferences, offering insights into their journeys, the impact of their work, and the evolving role of early career professionals in shaping the future of data science.

You can also view the slides from the presentation.

Applying the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance to Ecology and Biodiversity Research with Dr. Maui Hudson

14 November 2023

Maui Hudson, an indigenous scholar from New Zealand, presented a webinar on applying the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance to ecology and biodiversity research. He discussed how Collective benefit, Authority to control, Responsibility, and Ethics (CARE) can guide researchers and institutions in ethically and equitably working with indigenous communities, especially in ecological and biodiversity data collection and stewardship. The session explored practical approaches for honoring indigenous rights and interests in research conducted on indigenous lands, with Dr. Hudson sharing examples and recommendations relevant across scientific domains. The presentation concluded with a Q&A session.

You can also view the slides from the presentation.  

Why Attend IDW 2023?

11 October 2023

This webinar provided an overview of International Data Week 2023 – The Festival of Data, which will take place on 23–26 October 2023 in Salzburg, Austria and online. Presenters discussed the event format, program elements, and the Whova platform, and shared practical tips for both onsite and online participation. Representatives from the Organizing Committee also answered attendee questions about IDW2023, helping participants prepare for this upcoming global event.

IDW 2023 will be hosted by the University of Salzburg through its Data Science and Geoinformatics departments, supported by the Governor of Salzburg and with assistance from the Austrian Academy of Sciences – GIScience and the European Umbrella Organization for Geographic Information.

You can also view the slides from the presentation.  

Data Experts on Career Development: Perspectives on Data Management Across Time, Disciplines, and Research Environments with Bruce Wilson

5 September 2023

Bruce Wilson is a chemist by original training, who found himself drowning in data as a result of work in industrial process analytical chemistry and some early successes in high throughput research methods. His work building tools to meet his own data management needs led to building tools to help other scientists across a wide range of domains manage, find, and use data. Bruce presently serves as the Manager for the NASA-funded Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center (ORNL DAAC) and as the Group Leader for ORNL’s Remote Sensing and Environmental Informatics Group. In this webinar, Bruce shared his thoughts about successes and challenges as an individual contributor and a leader in data management and scientific cyberinfrastructure, based on a career that includes work in industry, government labs, and academia. Bruce also answered questions from guests in a Q&A sessions from two different time zones, which have been combined into this comprehensive recording.

Roaring into the Future of Research

A Conversation with the Research Organization Registry’s Amanda French

23 August 2023

The Research Organization Registry (ROR) is a community-led project building an open, sustainable, usable, and unique identifier for every research organization in the world. ROR IDs help connect research outputs to the organizations that produced them, increasing discoverability and reproducibility.

This webinar featured ROR’s Amanda French, who provided an overview of the ROR registry, how to register your organization for an ID, and how ROR IDs are being used by repositories, publishers, funders, and other stakeholders. 

See the presentation

Data Experts on Career Development: Open Session with David Castle

17 May 2023

This webinar was led by Dr. David Castle, Professor in the School of Public Administration and the Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria and Researcher in Residence at the Office of the Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada. He is also the Chair of the World Data System Scientific Committee (WDS-SC).

In this webinar, Dr. Castle discussed the concept of “cumulative progress” and how career advancement can involve chance and serendipity, as well as preparation and curiosity. He cited Louis Pasteur’s statement, “Chance favors the prepared mind,” to emphasize the importance of being receptive to unexpected opportunities. He also shared his own career path from science to philosophy to ethics, which was influenced by various encounters and interests. He encouraged participants to be open-minded and network with diverse peers and mentors.

CoreTrustSeal and World Data System: Partners Advocating for Data Repositories–Getting to Know CTS and WDS

20 April 2023

Meredith Goins, Executive Director of World Data System International Program Office, and Jon Crabtree, Chair of the CoreTrustSeal Board of Directors hosted this webinar They introduced us to World Data System and the CoreTrustSeal, two organizations that used to share an office and now collaborate as partners to support data repositories.

Why attend SciDataCon 2023?

14 April 2023

Are you interested in learning more about SciDataCon, the international conference on data for research and innovation, which will be taking place as an integral part of International Data Week 2023: A Festival of Data, Salzburg, Austria, 23-26 October 2023?

The Committee on Data (CODATA) and World Data System (WDS), both data organizations established by the International Science Council, organized a webinar entitled “Why attend SciDataCon 2023?”. In the webinar Simon Hodson and Meredith Goins shared their insights on and discussed with the community the themes, topics, and submission process of SciDataCon 2023. The event recording and slides may be useful to understand the background on SciDataCon and IDW conference in general as well as to answer questions that you may have regarding scope of this years’ edition and opportunities it offers.

Research Analysis: WDS Members and Canadian CTS Cohort Needs Assessment

14 March 2023

Caroline Lee of the WDS-ITO presented on the results of a review conducted by the World Data System’s International Technology and International Program Offices. The review aimed to identify the needs and challenges faced by the WDS and Canadian CTS Cohort members by analyzing their strategic plans and technical roadmaps. The webinar focused on discussing the new organizational assessment method used in the review, the findings of the review, and was followed by a Q&A session.

Data Experts on Career Development: Open Session with Claudia Medeiros

28 February 2023

Claudia Medeiros, Vice-chair of the WDS Scientific Committee, discussed her career trajectory and answered questions from early career researchers interested in how to manage research data, to make their research more visible, and to enhance collaboration with others.