This document is a draft of the Data Management Plan (DMP) of the HELLAS-CH national research infrastructure (RI). As noted in the proposal it will be a “live” document, being updated through the duration of the project. Therefore, some of the provisions in this version might be modified or updated in later versions.

 

1.  Open Science Strategy

HELLAS-CH adopts the EU “as open as possible, as closed as necessary” data management strategy. Through Open Access to the RI infrastructure, Open Access publications and data sharing, we aim at maximizing the dissemination, collaborative use and reuse of the data produced, ensuring that we contribute to the global public knowledge and scientific community.

1.1.       Open Access to the RI facilities and services

Access to the RI facilities and services will be open, under the following access categories/options:

  • Peer-reviewed access based on scientific excellence
  • Non-peer-reviewed proprietary access
  • Mission oriented access
  • Single or multiple visit access
  • Access outside the premises of the RI (remote access)

The access categories and access policy of HELLAS-CH are fully compatible with the European Charter of Access to EU 2016, as amended in EU 2024.

1.2.        Open Access to RI Publications

  • Open Access Journals: Publications resulting from this project will be published in Open Access journals to make findings immediately accessible to the public and the scientific community.
  • Preprints: The project will make use of preprints, to be deposited both locally (at an accessible RI repository)  or in existing repositories (e.g., arXiv, bioRxiv) for early dissemination of research results, ensuring rapid feedback and engagement from the scientific community.

1.3.        Data Sharing

  • All data will be made available on open-access platforms like Zenodo or OpenAIRE, accompanied by detailed metadata and clear documentation to ensure that other researchers can replicate, reuse, and build upon the findings. An embargo period of three years will apply to research results in order to allow for intellectual property (IP) protection and/or for preparation of scientific publications.
  • Data Sharing Agreements will be put in place for any sensitive data, ensuring ethical and legal compliance.

1.4.        Engagement with External Stakeholders

  • The project will actively engage with industry, non-partner research institutions, and other science and technology stakeholders to share and disseminate findings and collaborate in the development of RI-related science and technology.
  • Regular public communication will be maintained through the RI website, conferences, webinars, and public reports, ensuring that the broader community and society can benefit from the RI research results.

 

2.  Data Summary

2.1.       Types of data to be collected or generated

The types of data that will be generated and collected during the RI operation and from user projects include:

  • Experimental Data: Data from user experiments at the RI labs, including spectroscopic and imaging data measured from the RI instrumentation and sensor data related to them (e.g. measurements of pressure, temperature, voltage, laser power, etc.).
  • Simulation Data: Computational data from numerical and other types of simulations, including model parameters and output.
  • Metadata: Structured information associated with experimental setups, instrument calibration details, parameters used in simulations, and experimental conditions.
  • Instrumental Data: Raw data from instruments used in the experiments (e.g., laser sources, end-stations, oscilloscopes, detectors, spectrometers, etc.).
  • Documentation: Lab notebooks, experimental protocols, and user manuals.

Additional data types may be added, as needed, in revisions of this document.

2.2.        Data Formats and Standards

HELLAS-CH offers access to a wide range of instruments, which generate data in an equally wide range of formats, often proprietary. The RI will make the effort to use widely adopted formats and standards (and convert its data to those formats where necessary) to ensure interoperability and ease of sharing .The following formats and standards will be used:

  • Data Formats:
    • Text-based formats like .csv, .txt, and .xml for numerical data and metadata.
    • Hierarchical data formats like HDF5 (.h5) will be considered for large-scale experimental data.
    • Image formats such as .tiff, .png, and .jpg for optical data, with associated metadata in .json or .xml.
    • Raw Instrument Data: Format will be specific to the instrument (e.g., .dat, .bin, .img, .raw), but will be converted into open formats upon processing.
  • Metadata Standards: The project will adhere to open metadata standards such as:

2.3.       Data Collection Process

Data collection processes at the HELLAS-CH RI include:

  • Real-Time Measurements: Data will be captured using digital connected experimental equipment of the RI infrastructure (e.g., lasers, spectrometers, end-station signal detectors and cameras, power meters, etc.).
  • Manual Data Entry: Certain experimental details and observational data will be manually logged by researchers, particularly where complex human interpretation or qualitative data is involved.
  • Simulation Data: Data generated from computational models will be stored in project-specific formats and processed into formats compatible with open data repositories.

 

3.  FAIR Data Principles

HELLAS-CH RI adheres to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) data management, as detailed below.

3.1.        Findability

  • Unique Identifiers: All datasets will be assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) or similar persistent identifier.
  • Data Cataloging: Datasets will be uploaded to public data repositories (e.g., Zenodo, Figshare, OpenAIRE) where they can be found by researchers.
  • Metadata: All datasets will be accompanied by metadata that complies with open metadata standards to ensure they are discoverable. The metadata will include:
    • Authors
    • Keywords
    • Experiment descriptions
    • Instrumentation details
    • Software used

3.2.        Accessibility

  • Access Levels: Data will be made publicly accessible as per the Open Data policy of the European Commission. Any data that cannot be made public for privacy or security reasons (e.g., proprietary or sensitive data) will be stored with restricted access.
  • Data Repository: Data will be stored in institutional or public repositories that ensure long-term availability, such as Zenodo, DataCite, as well as the RI’s dedicated repository.

3.3.        Interoperability

  • Standardized Formats: As mentioned above, data will be stored in standardized and widely accepted formats that enable easy sharing and use by other researchers. HELLAS-CH will collaborate with EU RIs such as Laserlab Europe, NFFA and E-RIHS to promote adoption of common data formats and standards.
  • Interoperable Metadata: Metadata will comply with standard schemas such as Dublin Core or RDF, and the use of common vocabularies (e.g., Keywording via the Thesaurus of Laser Science Terminology).

3.4.        Reusability

  • Licensing: All data will be made available under an Open Access license, such as CC-BY or CC0, unless there are specific restrictions on data use.
  • Documentation: Detailed documentation will be provided for each dataset, including experimental protocols, methodology, and software used, to ensure that the data can be reused by others.

4.  Data Storage and Security

4.1.        Storage

  • Long-Term Storage: All data will be stored in FORTH and HMU servers, dedicated cloud storage, or publicly available repositories that ensure long-term preservation and access.
  • Backup Strategy: Regular backups of data will be made to prevent data loss, with offsite storage to safeguard against unforeseen events.

4.2.        Security

  • Data Security: Access to sensitive data will be restricted using password protection, user authentication, and encryption where necessary.
  • Security Standards: The project will adhere to EU data protection regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), if applicable, for personal or sensitive data.

 

5.  Data Sharing and Dissemination

5.1.       Data Sharing

  • As part of its Open Science strategy, HELLAS-CH commits to open data sharing following the FAIR principles above. Data will be shared through open-access repositories such as Zenodo, OpenAIRE, and through the RI’s own repository.
  • Datasets will be made available for public access after an embargo period of 3 yrs maximum, to allow for IP protection and scientific publications, in compliance with EU policy.

5.2.        Data Sharing Plan

  • Data will be shared via DOI-registered datasets, alongside associated publications to ensure proper attribution to the data authors.
  • Collaborators and stakeholders may request access to non-public data for the duration of the project under a Data Sharing Agreement.

5.3.        Ethical and Legal Issues regarding Data Sharing

  • Before sharing data obtained in the RI operation, HELLAS-CH consortium will ensure compliance with intellectual property (IP) regulations, including the protection of proprietary information and technology.
  • Personal data: In case of personal data collection (e.g. for user access), all legal and ethical requirements regarding data privacy will be strictly followed, in accordance with national and EU law, including GDPR. No personal data will be shared, except as required by Greek and EU law.

 

6.  Roles and Responsibilities

  • RI User: Responsible for generation and management of his/her project data, including compliance with the DMP.
  • Access Laboratory Principal Investigators (PIs): Responsible for overseeing collection, management, and ensuring compliance with the DMP for the data generated in his/her lab.
  • General RI Coordinator: Will act as RI Data Manager, being in charge of organizing, storing, and maintaining datasets throughout the project lifecycle together with the individual PIs and RI users. Will also be responsible for ensuring that data management practices adhere to EU regulations, IP, and ethical guidelines.
  • RI Research & Admin Personnel: Responsible for generating and submitting datasets to the central data repository. They will also contribute to metadata creation.

 

7.  Ethical and Legal Compliance

  • Ethical Approval: HELLAS-CH research projects usually do not involve human subjects or animals, therefore are not expected to need ethical approval. For cases where this is needed, research involved will be carried out in accordance with ethical standards, and the necessary approvals will be obtained before data collection. Participating partners will consult with their ethical compliance bodies (e.g. FORTH’s Research Ethics and Gender Equality and anti-discrimination Committees) before proceeding on these issues.
  • Data Protection: In case personal data is involved, the project will comply with the GDPR and related Greek and EU laws for data collection, storage, and processing.

 

8.  Data Management Costs

  • The costs associated with data management, including storage, backups, security, and dissemination, will be budgeted as part of the project’s overall financial plan.
  • Long-Term Preservation Costs will be included to cover storage and accessibility costs beyond the duration of the project.

 

9.  Data Management Plan Review and Updates

The above Data Management Plan will be reviewed at least annually by the HELLAS-CH consortium and updated as necessary. Any changes in data management practices, tools, or policies will be documented and communicated to all RI stakeholders.