17 October 2025

Youhua Ran accepted the 2025 Data Stewardship Award during the closing ceremony of International Data Week 2025, presented by WDS International Technology Office Associate Director Reyna Broadhurst. Stay tuned to hear more about what happened at IDW25!

Registration is now open for the regional sessions of the World Data System Members Forum 2025, and we invite the entire community, not just WDS members, to participate. This event is a valuable opportunity to see the work being done by WDS members worldwide and watch engaging presentations showcasing recent developments, innovative projects, and priorities for advancing data sharing and stewardship.  

We look forward to connecting with you online at the Forum! 

The World Data System is delighted to announce the opening of nominations for the 2026 WDS Data Stewardship Award. This esteemed award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to advancing the quality, integrity, and accessibility of research data.

The award honors exceptional data stewards who demonstrate exemplary care in managing and curating data across all stages of the data lifecycle—from initial design to reuse—while adhering to the highest standards of legal, policy, and ethical compliance.

Award Criteria
Nominees should be early career data stewards who have excelled in:

Note: Contributions from nominees working in the private sector must clearly demonstrate their value to the broader data community and align with principles of open science, rather than being solely profit-driven.

To learn more about past recipients, visit the award page.

Eligibility and Nomination Process

Eligible nominees are early career researchers within ten years of completing their Master’s degree, PhD, or equivalent professional training. Peers or organizations may submit nominations, or self-nominations are also welcome.

Selection Process

Nominations will be reviewed by a distinguished panel comprising members of the WDS Scientific Committee, representatives from the WDS International Technology Office, and Co-chairs of the WDS Early Career Researchers Network. Awardees will be selected based on their impactful contributions to the field of data stewardship. For detailed selection criteria, please refer to the reviewers’ rubric, also available on our website.

We are delighted to congratulate Scientific Committee member Christine Choirat on being named to the Top 100 Women in AI & Data – Switzerland 2025, a prestigious report celebrating the pioneers and leaders advancing artificial intelligence in one of Europe’s foremost innovation hubs. After transitioning from academia to government service five years ago, Christine has become a driving force for mission-driven innovation in the public sector, championing rigorous, lawful, and ethical solutions to real-world challenges. As the leader behind Lomas, Switzerland’s first open-source platform for confidential data analysis, she has enabled privacy-preserving research on sensitive data at a national scale. Christine’s commitment to equitable technology and her advocacy for greater female representation in AI strategy underscore her leadership. She is head of the Data Science & AI section at the Swiss Federal Statistical Office. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science are transforming environmental research, offering innovative tools for improved modeling, forecasting, and decision-making in hydrology. The upcoming event is part of the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) and AGU Hydrology Section Student Subcommittee’s (AGU-H3S) Cyberseminar Series on Navigating Academic Waters. It will feature a panel of experts discussing emerging methodologies, open-source platforms, cross-sector collaboration opportunities, and essential skill sets for early-career hydrologists. This event aims to provide valuable insights into the role of AI and data science in shaping the future of water-related fields while addressing professional development needs for those exploring career opportunities within and beyond academia.

When: 13:00 – 14:00 ET, 5 November 2025 

Environmental data collection often comes with unexpected challenges—storms, wildlife, or even algae can disrupt the best-laid plans. However, with the right practices, your data can still yield valuable insights. Building on the May 2025 workshop hosted by the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI), “Proactive Data Management for Post-Field Season Data Success” led by Dr. Tyler Butts (University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology), this follow-up webinar will focus on essential steps to take after the field season. 

Participants will revisit practices introduced in the earlier session, which can be watched here, such as implementing data management plans and organizing metadata, and reflect on how these strategies supported their fieldwork. The webinar will also cover exploratory data analysis techniques, reproducible research practices, and steps to prepare for data publishing, including an introduction to HydroShare. This free webinar is open to all and will be recorded for later viewing on the CUAHSI YouTube Channel. 

When: 12:30 – 13:30 ET, 12 November 2025 

Be part of an engaging discussion on the importance of mentorship in fostering professional growth and collaboration! This webinar from the World Conferences on Research Integrity's Early Career Researchers and Professionals Network will feature a mentorship presentation exploring what mentorship is, why it matters, how to make it effective, and strategies to overcome common challenges.

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session, open discussions, and networking activities. Additionally, you can contribute to shaping the WCRI ECRP Network’s pilot mentorship program by sharing your experiences and ideas. Whether you’re seeking guidance, offering mentorship, or simply interested in learning more, this webinar is the perfect platform to help build a strong mentorship culture together.

When: 13 November 2025, 10:30 - 13:00 UTC 

The Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL) and its European Chapter (EACL) are inviting proposals for tutorials to be held at EACL 2026 in Rabat, Morocco, 24-29 March 2026, and ACL 2026 in San Diego, California, USA 2-7 July 2026. Proposals are welcome across all areas of computational linguistics (CL) and natural language processing (NLP). 

They are looking for two types of proposals:  

These tutorials aim to help the CL/NLP community better understand key scientific challenges and their broader implications. Presenters may use specific technologies or systems to illustrate scientific insights. This is a unique opportunity for experts to share knowledge, foster interdisciplinary connections, and shape the direction of research and education in computational linguistics. 

Submission deadline: 20 October 2025 

The Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP), a member of the World Data System, has officially opened the session proposal portal for its upcoming 2026 January ESIP Meeting, happening online 20-23 January 2026. This year’s theme, “Bridging Divides: Data, Technology, Community,” emphasizes the importance of building open data ecosystems, harmonizing tools and resources, and fostering the human connections that drive scientific progress. ESIP Meetings are known for their interdisciplinary approach, bringing together participants from diverse fields to explore shared interests and opportunities for collaboration.   

To support session organizers in creating engaging and interactive formats, ESIP is offering resources designed to enhance session design and participant engagement. Organizers are encouraged to leverage these tools to facilitate meaningful discussions and connections among attendees. By hosting innovative sessions, contributors help advance the collaborative spirit that underpins the ESIP community and its mission. Submit your proposal today to help shape the dialogue at the 2026 January ESIP Meeting! 

Submission deadline: 23:59 PT, 13 November 2025 

Researchers working with language datasets are invited to contribute to a new Special Collection of the Journal of Open Humanities Data (JOHD), focusing on the innovative reuse of mono- and multilingual language datasets across the humanities. This initiative seeks to highlight diverse cases where existing deposited language data has been repurposed within research projects from any humanities discipline. Submissions may also describe how data reuse efforts have led to the creation of new datasets. 

Those interested are encouraged to submit discussion papers (3,000–5,000 words) that detail the reuse of one or more existing language datasets, ideally those created by others. All submissions should follow the Special Collection’s template guidelines. JOHD maintains an open access policy under the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, supporting the broad dissemination of knowledge while allowing authors to retain copyright and share their work widely. 

Submission deadline: 30 January 2026  

The ECHOES Cascading Grants Programme is offering funding for up to 50 projects to advance digital engagement, data sharing, and collaboration within the Cultural Heritage Cloud. Open to consortia and individual Cultural Heritage Institutions (CHIs), the program especially encourages applications from small and medium-sized organizations to help build digital skills and expand participation in cloud-based heritage initiatives. 

Call 2 supports projects that enable CHIs across Europe to join the Cloud, promote its benefits, and foster cross-border collaboration and innovation in digitization and preservation. More information, including a promotional video and highlights from the December 2024 Onboarding Workshop, is available for those interested in getting involved. 

Submission portal opens: 31 October 2025 
Submission deadline: 30 January 2026 

Project ACCoRD (A Community for Contract Regulation for Data) is addressing the challenges that hinder efficient access, movement, and processing of data critical for groundbreaking research. By gathering evidence and forming a community, ACCoRD aims to develop a national research contracting framework in the United Kingdom. Through stakeholder engagement, the project seeks to identify best practices, tackle major challenges, and produce solutions to streamline data contracting within the UK’s Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI).

If you are involved in research data contracting—as a data provider, legal expert, researcher, or institutional representative—your participation in the ACCoRD survey can help shape this framework and ensure your expertise is heard. The survey takes approximately 25 minutes to complete and offers an opportunity to join the community group driving this initiative forward.

The Alliance for Language Technologies (ALT-EDIC) project is seeking a Linguistic Data Manager to join its team. This role involves overseeing the management and curation of linguistic data, ensuring its quality, accessibility, and compliance with project standards. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of innovative solutions for processing and analyzing linguistic datasets, supporting the project’s mission to advance research in multilingual language technologies. Applicants should have expertise in data management practices, a strong background in linguistics or computational linguistics, and experience with relevant tools and platforms. For more details on the position and application process, visit the ALT-EDIC job portal. 

The Developing Belief Network, a global team of psychologists dedicated to studying the development and change of beliefs in children and caregivers worldwide, is seeking a Full-Time Data Scientist. This role offers an exciting opportunity to collaborate with a diverse network of developmental scientists and contribute to innovative research efforts. Responsibilities include coordinating data cleaning for a multi-timepoint, cross-cultural protocol, leading open-science initiatives to create a searchable OSF repository, refining data sharing policies, and consulting on survey design and analysis plans. Candidates should hold an advanced degree in statistics or a related field and possess expertise in R, Qualtrics, Excel, statistical analysis, and dataset management. Experience with behavioral data is beneficial but not required. 

The newly enhanced Learning Resources Catalogue from the Teaching with CLARIN initiative is now available, offering a fully searchable and user-friendly platform. This catalogue showcases open educational materials developed within the CLARIN community for university teaching, training, and workshops. With faceted search options by topic, skill level, audience, license, and resource type, it is easy to discover relevant materials. Each entry includes consistent metadata detailing educators’ experiences with using CLARIN infrastructure for teaching and learning. All resources are released under a Creative Commons License, ensuring accessibility and reusability for the global education community. 

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