Promoting Open & Transparent Research Practices in the Physical Sciences through PSDI

Presentation given by Dr Samantha Pearman-Kanza and Dr Nicola Knight on behalf of PSDI for the Keele Open Research Network. Openness and transparency are among two of the most important factors to consider with respect to conducting scientific research. However, the data, tools and education available to enable these processes are often lacking. The Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure (PSDI) Initiative is conducting research and developing services to mitigate this and to provide the physical sciences community with the knowledge, exemplars and tools to promote FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Re-useable) research and data. This presentation covers a number of the different areas PSDI is working on. It will explain the barriers and challenges to open digital research, discuss the vital aspect of process recording (with respect to understanding what researchers actually want and how to choose the right tools for you to record your processes in the first place), and outline the considerations needed for producing fully FAIR data (and metadata), research and code. It also discusses the relevant initiatives within PSDI (training, workshops, services) that have been designed to pave the way for the scientific community to be more open and transparent with their research practices.