Spotlight on: Pascal de Boer

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 a researcher myself and had to handle big data within my own institute. Therefore I got interested in possible IT solutions. Moreover, during multiple projects, we wanted to publicly publish our data in a repository in a FAIR way.

What is an activity / task of your role that you find yourself looking forward to?

I like to think with the researchers how to optimally use existing or new IT solutions within our institute for (FAIR) data management.

What is something unexpected that you can offer help with, if a colleague reaches out to you?

I have experience with several tools including our iRODS data management system and eLab Journal. Furthermore, microscopy data management and analysis is my specialism.

What do you think your community of research data professionals is missing?

More research field-specific knowledge exchange. Knowledge exchange is sometimes a little general. I also miss the engagement of researchers.

What is a topic you would want to collaborate on with others?

How others have or are planning to implement (field-specific) metadata standards in their existing or future data management tools.

Can you share with us a story from your work that was a highlight for you?

I'd like to share an interview I did for the University of Groningen Library's Open Science Blog: Good practices for FAIR data management

Get in touch with Pascal: University of Groningen profile

Do you want to read other interviews published in the Spotlight on series? Visit the series' page.

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