A Day of Data: Collaborating with Campus Partners to Host an Event for Data Experts, Researchers, and Problem Solvers Across the University

Cornell University Library, a large academic library, wanted to organize and host an event around research data to provide a networking space for students and faculty members across disciplines working with data. The goal was to bring together members of the Cornell research community interested in data-related topics such as data discovery, reproducible research, metadata and documentation, data sharing, and data reuse to discuss how we can, as a research community, better support and put into practice these principles. The Day of Data offered an opportunity for researchers to connect with others across the institution who have common interests or are working to resolve similar data-related challenges. Cornell University has a research data management service group (RDMSG) comprised of members who work in the library, information technology, specialized departments, and various computing centers located on Cornell's large, rural university campus. The RDMSG members formed a planning committee to organize the event. Following other successful yearly events at peer institutions, such as Yale University, University of Alberta and University of Minnesota, the Day of Data events included a keynote address and discussion panel, a FAIR data services fair, and afternoon sessions with multiple tracts of hands-on workshops. Organizing, planning, and running the event required collaborating with people and skills from across campus to create a successful networking environment. We will discuss the need for these types of events, how to advocate for and garnish support to host an event, where to look for funding and resources, and the importance of proper project management and delegation of tasks. We'll also address a few lessons learned throughout the process that might make future events even more appealing and useful for attendees.