On September 9–10, a dynamic group of data-sharing leaders gathered at Carnegie Mellon University for the RDA-US Futures Meeting. The goal? To talk openly about the future of US-based data-sharing consortiums: how challenge can spark opportunity.
Day 1: Gems, Grit, and Big Ideas
We kicked things off by asking each organization to share their “gems”, that is, the things they’re most proud of:
- RDA-US (Beth Plale): A strong community, a smart communications strategy, and the TIGRUS program.
- OHSL (Anil Srivastava): A passionate team of young, data-driven scientists.
- USNC/CODATA (Bonnie Carroll): The SWORDS international education program in cyberinfrastructure and data science.
- GoFAIR (Christine Kirkpatrick): The RAiD Pilot and GoFAIR’s training network.
- South Big Data Hub (Renata Goss-Rawlings): Building research partnerships and institutional capacity.
- World Data Systems (Meredith Goins): Trusted digital repositories and a thriving early-career researcher network.
Then came some thoughtful reflections:
- Sayeed Choudhury asked us to consider what would be lost if RDA-US were to shut down.
- Amy Nurnberger echoed that concern.
- Hilary Hanahoe proposed a US National Data Week to bring everyone together.
- Maria Praetzellis saw overlap in training efforts and agreed a national event could be a great way to collaborate.
- Natalie Myers emphasized the value of the TIGRUS program—and its larger EU counterpart, TIGER.
The day wrapped up with a clear sense of urgency and purpose. We identified key strategies and action items to help navigate this transitional moment.
Day 2: Keynotes and Next Steps
Day two began with a keynote from Hilary Hanahoe, who spoke about the importance of regional voices in shaping RDA’s global mission. Sayeed Choudhury followed with a talk on openness—drawing from his experience in open source and, more recently, open AI through the Open Forum for AI.
What’s Next: Two Task Forces in Motion
Two new task forces are now up and running, moving quickly to shape the future:
1. Transition Team
Charged with developing a plan to advance RDA-US. In alignment with RDA Global they’ll explore different succession scenarios and consult with sister organizations like CODATA, GoFAIR, WDS, and SBDH. The team will present their plan to the RDA-US Steering Committee in early November.
2. Funding Triage Team
Focused on short-term (bridge) funding to keep RDA-US operations going. They’re drafting a document that outlines RDA-US’s core principles and what’s at stake if it shuts down. This is seen as something funders can rally behind.
Also of note: Sayeed Choudhary stepped down from the Steering Committee due to a conflict of interest, as he’s now part of the Transition Team. RDA-US operations at Indiana University are set to wind down by the end of 2025.
Want to Get Involved?
Both teams are welcoming input! If you’re interested in contributing or learning more, reach out to us at rda-us@rda-foundation.org.