Appropriate data use and acknowledgement to build science

Although TERN’s principles and funding guidelines are to provide publicly accessible, free data, it is essential that the ecosystem science and management communities acknowledge the use of these data sets. Providing an appropriate and fair licensing framework is essential for establishing and maintaining long-term ecosystem monitoring data sets, and requires a significant shift in data sharing practices and in Australian governments and research institutions valuing research data that is published and shared.

This builds on several of TERN’s principles of operation, namely:

• TERN data sets will be shared and used under appropriate licensing conditions that enable free and public access, but enables the data user and contributor to advance their work.
• TERN’s success depends on individual ecosystem scientists being willing to share their knowledge and data, based on the understanding that it is contributing to the collective benefit of the ecosystem science community now and into the future.
• Establishing a network of like-minded scientists with common requirements for quality assured, archived, long-term data sets will increase our ability to act collaboratively when requesting research and infrastructure funding.

TERN and its Facilities will adopt a modified version of the Creative Commons licensing approach used in AusGOAL (Australian Government’s Open Access and Licensing Framework). This approach will be applied to data submission and data retrieval  operations through each TERN Facility’s data portal. This will enable data providers to select an appropriate level of licensing and attribution to ensure they are properly acknowledged, and in some cases involved, in subsequent uses of the data they have provided.

This approach enables data providers to be assured they will receive credit for sharing their data, and have the opportunity to collaborate on further use of their data.

If you are in Adelaide on Tuesday 27 March, you might be interested in attending The ACEAS Great Debate as a prelude to the TERN Symposium.

Registration to the 3rd TERN Annual National Symposium is now open. Program and registration information are on the symposium webpage.

TERN's AusCover Facility is holding a Data Users Workshop in Brisbane on 8 March. Visit the web page for links to the program and information on how to register.

TERN's AusPlots Sub-Facility is holding a Field Method Training workshop at the Renmark and Calperum Station Supersite in South Australia, 4-9 March. Limited places available, so get in quick!

In our December newsletter the TERN Director summarises — and celebrates — the huge effort that has gone into creating the TERN network so far. We introduce you to the complex world of the Australian Supersite Network. At workshops in Adelaide and Perth, TERN facilities work with various collaborators; we invite you to get involved in TERN; and there's some wild talk. You'll have to read the newsletter to find out more.

New research supersite will tell woodlands climate story (media release)

What would it take to get you to share (both deposit and use) data in TERN facility portals? If this question interests you join our discussion on LinkedIn.