FAIR4Instruments workshop
Date: February 12-13, 2026
Location: Utrecht (Domstad)
Participation is invitation-based. If you would like to join the FAIR4Instruments workshop, please fill in the expression of interest form. For any questions or further details, feel free to reach out at nes@tdcc.nl
Instruments used in scientific research might be built by researchers or purchased from commercial suppliers. They may stand alone, operate as part of a laboratory workflow, or function as a small component of a large, international Internet of Things. Knowing more about an instrument that has been used in scientific research, what it is, where it is, and how it was used, can be essential for understanding the research data it produced. The ability to reproduce a scientific result or to re-use research data may depend heavily on knowledge about the instrument(s) involved.
Through FAIR4Instruments workshop, we aim to explore with key stakeholders how information about instruments and equipment is currently managed or shared with researchers, and how this impacts the potential reusability and reproducibility of research results. Bringing together those responsible for managing or providing instruments with those who use them will facilitate a unique conversation that can improve understanding of both the challenges and the possible solutions.
By examining the use of scientific instruments in the context of FAIR data, whether that involves using instruments to produce FAIR data or making data about the instruments themselves FAIR, we aim to stimulate ideas and connections that can benefit the management of research facilities, the recognition of those involved in instrument stewardship, and the quality of science itself.
The FAIR4Instruments workshop aims to connect theory with practice. The event will highlight emerging best practices for instrument registration, showcase real-world cases from across the Dutch NES domain, and bring together voices ranging from instrument users and facility managers to international experts working on persistent identifiers and research infrastructures. Together, participants will investigate current practices, identify gaps, and define opportunities for developing a shared approach to FAIR instrument registration.
FAIR4Instruments is organized by the Thematic Digital Competence Centre for Natural and Engineering Sciences (TDCC-NES) in collaboration with Dutch universities, SURF, and DANS. By fostering shared understanding and cross-institutional collaboration, the workshop seeks to catalyze a community of researchers and infrastructure professionals ready to champion this topic and potentially collaborate on future collaborative projects.
Organizing Committee:
Joost Bengsch (TU Delft)
Marlon Domingus (Erasmus University Rotterdam / Erasmus MC)
Wim Hugo (DANS)
Sara Ramezani (SURF)
Natascha van Lieshout (SURF)
Maurice Vanderfeesten (SURF / VU Amsterdam)
Lena Karvovskaya (TDCC-NES)