Summary of Findings - Managing Environmental Research Data Summary of Findings - ERC Report 13

The key step in harnessing the potential of environmental research data is capturing them quickly after they have been collected or generated. There is a risk that the reuse value of the data will be greatly reduced if a significant amount of time passes after the conclusion of the project. Every project funded under the STRIVE programme is obliged to submit all significant data sets and information generated during the project to the EPA at the conclusion of the research project. To support researchers in meeting this requirement, the EPA has developed a large-scale computer system named the ERC Server for the upload, storage, management, dissemination, and long-term preservation of these data resources. This development was assisted by the ERC Postdoctoral Fellowship Environmental Research Data Management which ran from 2004 until 2007. One of the key deliverables of this fellowship was the establishment of a software-based data management system for use by the environmental research community. The SAFER-Data system was developed. SAFER-Data is a fully web-based interface to the ERC Server for use by STRIVE-funded researchers and the environmental science community to upload and manage data resources generated during their research. SAFER Data is also the principal point on the EPA website for the dissemination of environmental research data generated by STRIVE-funded research projects. This report describes the development of the environmental research data archive by the EPA and the development of SAFER-Data to provide web-based access to this system.

Also available for download:

• ERC Report 13: Managing Environmental Research Data