Future Data Services: Strategic Fellowship 2022

The UK has a rich and generally well-supported data services landscape. However, in the coming years, there are likely to be a number of challenges in the provision of data services: recent years have seen significant changes to access rules, the legislative framework, user needs, technology, public perceptions, and so on. In addition, our understanding of how data services can best be provided has changed. There are many examples, in the UK and abroad, of good practice, effective technology, and successful communication or engagement, but it is not clear that the UK has learned lessons and disseminated knowledge appropriately.
This Fellowship will be instrumental in setting future the UK's data research strategy for the foreseeable future, by
- helping UKRI ensure that it has a clear understanding of what its future investments are designed to achieve, and how funding can be targeted to achieve it most effectively; and
- identifying gaps, networks opportunities for learning, and areas of rationalisation
The UK data landscape is relatively well-endowed with leading researchers and practitioners, examples of good practice, and supportive legislation. Nevertheless, there are areas of significant learning for the UK if it is to fully leverage its existing investment, and maximise the value of the future investment.

The specific objectives are to
- lead a strategic review of the data services landscape
- develop options for future long-term investments in social science data services infrastructure, paying particular attention to the different cost streams of different parts of the data services landscape
- draw up the scientific and strategic case for investment in data services by ESRC beyond 2024
- identify areas where smaller-scale investments and activities may usefully supplement major long-term investments
- develop and implement a stakeholder engagement plan for the Future Data Services programme.

The PI, Green is a rising figure in this area as both an early career researcher and a practitioner. She is supported by a highly multi-disciplinary effective network of researchers who are at the forefront of areas across diverse domains of data management. Green regularly engages with a variety of practitioners and policymakers across all areas of data access, management, governance, and use. The combination of her personal and organisational credibility offers a viable platform to deliver the main outcomes of this fellowship as part of UKRI's wider strategic goals.