1,000 Datasets Available for Download Now on the GRIIDC Website!

There is no better way to ring in the New Year than by announcing that there are now over 1,000 datasets available for download on the GRIIDC website! This important milestone was reached in October 2016, and the number of datasets publicly available continues to increase daily.

Since 2011, the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC) has been storing and sharing data produced by Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) researchers studying the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Researchers from diverse fields of study — including biology, ecology, chemistry, physical oceanography, genetics, engineering, sociology, political science, and public health — have made their data available through the GRIIDC system. More recently, GRIIDC has partnered with the Florida RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Program (FLRACEP) to provide data management services.

Researchers, policy makers, and the general public are able to search for and download Gulf of Mexico data from the GRIIDC Data Discovery portal. Data can be searched using an interactive map, by keyword, or by dataset Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs). Each dataset has a landing page where you can find a listing of related publications, view a map of where the data was collected, and download the data and metadata files.

GRIIDC stands apart from other data repositories as stored data is focused primarily on Gulf of Mexico research. GRIIDC also provides researchers with a variety of tools to help manage data throughout the lifecycle of a project. For example, the GRIIDC Dataset Information Form (DIF) is a resource designed to assist researchers with data management planning. Another unique aspect of GRIIDC is that every data package is reviewed for completeness, and the GRIIDC team works with researchers to improve data and metadata submissions, ensuring quality datasets. This one-on-one support helps educate researchers about best management practices.

While GRIIDC assists researchers with multiple phases of data management, the main functions of the online system are storing and sharing data. Sharing data is important as it increases collaborations among researchers, reduces data loss, provides recognition, and supports the advancement of research. Shared data can be used to address innovative scientific research questions, assess policies and programs, and enhance educational initiatives.

GRIIDC is excited to see what data will be submitted in the New Year. Let’s make 2017 an even bigger year for data sharing!