Spotlight on: Sabine van den Akker
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?
Research data management appealed to me because of a strong interest in maintaining data quality and integrity, which is essential for reliable research outcomes. Working with medical and genetic data is particularly fascinating because they play such a crucial role in advancing diagnostics, treatments, and scientific understanding. Working as a biobank coordinator gives me the opportunity to contribute to research that aims to improve care for people with rare genetic diseases, and that sense of impact makes the work especially rewarding.
What is an activity/task of your role that you find yourself looking forward to?
Helping researchers connect with the right tools, resources, or people to move their projects forward is something I genuinely look forward to. Each project brings its own unique challenges, and that diversity keeps the work dynamic.
What is something unexpected that you can offer help with, if a colleague reaches out to you?
Guidance through the process of submitting studies subject to the Dutch WMO Act to the Medical Ethics Review Committee (METC). I am familiar with the entire trajectory: from preparing the required documentation to ensuring compliance with ethical and regulatory standards.
What do you think your community of research data professionals is missing?
I think we could benefit from more cross-disciplinary exchange. There is so much we can learn from each other’s approaches, especially when working with sensitive human material and genetic data.
What is a topic you would want to collaborate on with others?
I would love to collaborate on developing practical guidance for managing sensitive human data in a way that’s both legally sound and researcher friendly. Clear, workable solutions in this area can have a significant impact, not only on compliance but also on making research processes smoother and more efficient for everyone involved.
Could you point us to a resource, learning platform, tool or similar which you find useful or inspirational?
One tool I really enjoy using is Color Brewer. It is a simple yet clever site, specifically designed for creating color schemes for maps, charts, and scientific visualizations. It is one of those small tools that makes a big difference when you want your data to look good and easy to interpret.
Get in touch with Sabine van de Akker on: LinkedIn
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