What is Data? The Statistician’s Role in Data Management Planning

In 2013, the White House Office of Science Technology Policy released a memorandum (Holdren) which mandated increasing access to the results of federally funded research. Almost 10 years later, Dr. Alondra Nelson (Acting Director, OSTP) updated the memo to reflect “all peer-reviewed scholarly publications authored or co-authored by individuals or institutions resulting from federally funded research are made freely available and publicly accessible by default in agency-designated repositories without any embargo or delay after publication.” As Area Statisticians for the Plains Area in the USDA/ARS, we were tasked to lead our scientists in embracing and moving towards an Open Access environment. Data Management Best Practices is a tenet of OA, one which many of us learn by doing, but there are foundational rules and principles with which many scientists struggle. In this presentation, we will describe our communication and training strategy with ARS scientists to set them on an efficient path towards data sharing.