Navigating the challenges of data management in the DAM research missions

The research missions of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM) focus on highly relevant topics for society and support science-based decisions for the sustainable use and management of coastal areas and oceans. In these large-scale, transdisciplinary and cross-institutional projects, effective data management is an important prerequisite to ensure the long-term preservation and reusability of research data. Our working group supports scientists involved in the DAM research missions to make their research data FAIR - Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. We regularly discuss various challenges in research data management such as reservation towards data sharing, or a lack of knowledge, personnel and resources to implement sustainable data management. Consequently, we develop and offer solutions, formulate recommendations and organize informational and training events. We highlight the advantages of FAIR data handling, promote the connection to DAM-related activities such as the project “Underway” Research Data and the Marine Data Portal, and support data publishing and archiving e.g. in PANGAEA - Data Publisher for Earth & Environmental Science. We found that existing and dedicated data managers, good communication and training, as well as practical technical solutions are key to supporting scientists to manage their data FAIRly.