Spotlight on: Inês de Oliveira Coelho Henriques
Every other week, the Thematic DCCs and the Data Steward Interest Group (DSIG) put the spotlight on one research data steward working in the Netherlands, to stimulate knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer learning.
What drew you towards the research data management field?
I was drawn to research data management due to my previous role analyzing data from several hospitals. While I found the work fascinating, I often got stuck in a cycle of validation, cleaning, and requesting clarifications for the data I received, which I initially saw as routine. In hindsight, I realize these issues were the result of inadequate data management practices. What I appreciate most about this area is that it’s something you don’t realize you need until you experience it firsthand.
What is an activity/task of your role that you find yourself looking forward to?
I am currently involved in the Healthy Data Program, an initiative led by Radboudumc and Radboud University to unify the practices and infrastructure on campus and make research data available and ready for reuse by all its researchers. It's an ambitious endeavor, requiring significant cultural change among researchers who aren't typically rewarded for making their datasets reusable. However, I am motivated to work with them, as they are increasingly more aware and interested in the abstract and complex topics surrounding the FAIR data principles.
What is something unexpected that you can offer help with, if a colleague reaches out to you?
I can provide guidance on how to FAIRify your data. When I was a new data steward, I had the opportunity to work with a 'FAIR'-focused team that developed tools for adhering to a lot of the FAIR principles. This exposure allowed me to learn and work on many new topics, such as creating data models and implementing them to transform datasets. Now, I often receive questions from new data stewards and researchers seeking to understand the FAIR principles and how to apply them in various projects.
What do you think your community of research data professionals is missing?
More connection with experts in legislation surrounding data sharing and consent. To me, it feels like there is a disconnect/lack of understanding between the goals of the open science/FAIR community and the concerns of legal teams. It would be beneficial if these two domains could collaborate more closely and share their views.
What is a topic you would want to collaborate on with others?
I would love to collaborate on the regulatory aspects of pharmaceutical products, driven by my background in Pharmaceutical Sciences and work experience. I believe that shifting from extensive PDF submissions to a data collaboration approach would greatly benefit regulators and help them evaluate the safety and efficacy of medicines more easily.
Can you share with us a story from your work that was a highlight for you?
Recently, I said goodbye to the European Joint Program on Rare Diseases (EJP-RD), a project I was part of for its last two years and where I learned much of what I know today. We concluded the project by delivering the Virtual Platform, a network that connects institutions and individuals working with healthcare data, particularly in rare diseases.
Get in touch with Inês on: Linkedin|ORCID
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