Digital Research Data at TU Darmstadt
Welcome to the web pages of the TU Darmstadt for dealing with digital research data!
The TUdata team, which was formed in 2018, supports all members of the university on behalf of the Executive Board in securing, archiving, publishing and re-using research data. To this end, the University and State Library, the University IT Service and Computing Centre and the Department VI – Research and Transfer work together at TUdata.
In December 2015, the university adopted guidelines on digital research data at the TU Darmstadt that were updated in 2022.
Our topics and services
Research data management , e.g. with the TU-GitLab and the Hessenbox
Retrieval and citation of research data
Creating data management plans using the TU data management organizer TUdmo
Archiving and publication of research data with TUdatalib
What are Research Data?
Research Data are the most essential resource in modern science. Scientific hypotheses and theories are formed and verified by research data. The German Research Foundation (DFG) considers their Guidelines on how to deal with Research Data from 2015 as “crucial foundation for all scientific work”. The DFG also points out the importance of research data for research and science by acknowledging that the variety of research data “resembles the variety of scientific disciplines, epistemological interests and research types.”
The Guidelines on digital research data at TU Darmstadt define research data as all digital data “that are created by transformation from an analogue medium or in the course of experiments, measurements, simulations, computer program development, studies of primary sources, surveys or inquiries or are their result.” This includes everything from pictures to multi-dimensional models, audio and video recordings, texts, tables, databases and even computer programs (source code and application software). Subject or device specific raw data in various formats are also considered as research data.
To make use and understand research data, correct documentation and software is vital. Research data are often preserved in different aggregation levels and very specific digital formats that correspond to their different disciplines.