Apply for TDCC-NES Ontology Support

Ontologies help research outputs become more than isolated files or descriptions: they make the meaning of data, metadata, instruments, workflows, samples, methods, variables, and their relationships explicit and machine-readable. This allows research outputs to be connected across datasets, systems, and disciplines, making them easier to find, interpret, combine, and reuse.

The TDCC-NES Ontology Engineers offer free, practical support to researchers in the Netherlands who want to make their research outputs more FAIR, reusable, and machine-actionable. We help researchers get started with ontologies and linked data, choose suitable standards and tools, and apply open W3C Semantic Web technologies. We are working primarily in the domain of natural and engineering sciences (NES) as part of the Thematic Digital Competence Centre for NES. Our work is supported through the Strengthening Local and Thematic DCCs programme of Open Science NL.

The TDCC-NES Ontology Support Programme can help researchers in the Dutch Natural and Engineering Sciences domain to:

  • select, build, extend, review, or create mappings between ontologies;
  • standardise research data by mapping data and terminology to ontology terms;
  • model, construct, publish, and use linked data knowledge graphs;
  • build or review semantic architectures and workflows;
  • organise consultations, workshops, or training.

We are especially interested in projects with a clear ontology-related challenge, an engaged research team, a realistic timeline within the 2026–2027 academic year, and reusable outputs for others, preferably shared openly, such as data, software, methods, ontologies, workflows, or lessons learned.

You do not need any prior experience with ontologies, linked data, or Semantic Web technologies. Our aim is to help researchers build practical ontology expertise that stays within their projects and groups. We can support scoping, design, review, and knowledge transfer, while researchers remain responsible for development and implementation and stay fully in control of their projects and outputs.

Interested?

Please fill in the application form (~10 min) by Friday 10 July 2026 and tell us what you are working on, what support you need, and what your timeline is.

Apply here

We will inform applicants by Friday 7 August 2026. Selected collaborations will start from September 2026 onward, depending on project timing, scope, and available capacity. Our time is limited, so we may not be able to support all submitted projects. If we cannot take on your project directly, we will try to suggest another way forward.

For questions, small requests that require less than 16 hours from us, or time-sensitive support, please contact us directly at nes@tdcc.nl or join our open office hours.