Unlocking the Magic of Human Input in a Data-Driven World, an interdisciplinary tale

Presentation by Dr Samantha Pearman-Kanza on "Unlocking the Magic of Human Input in a Data-Driven World, an interdisciplinary tale" for Research Data Conversations at the University of Manchester. Abstract: Reproducibility and the creation of FAIR data is often seen as a technical challenge, but my journey has shown it to be a socio-technical challenge with humans at the core of the process. In this talk, I will talk about my journey from computer scientist, to web scientist, to masquerading as a chemist, into leading large-scale initiatives that place people at the heart of data processes. I’ll explore the great need for data stewards across the research data lifecycle, and reflect on the current state of data stewardship and Research Technical Professionals (RTPs) in the UK. Finally, I’ll introduce CaSDaR (The Careers and Skills for Data-driven Research Network+) and outline our vision to create a diverse, self-supporting community of data stewards, and outline how we plan to unlock the full potential of human input in a data-driven world.