This is the eighteenth in the series of short statements from candidates in the coming CODATA Elections at the General Assembly to be held on 17-18 October 2025. Francisca Oladipo is a candidate for the CODATA Executive Committee as an Ordinary Member. She was nominated by the GO FAIR Foundation.

Professor Francisca Oladipo is Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Adewumi University, Kwara State, Nigeria, and Professor of Computer Science at Federal University Lokoja. She serves as Secretary-General of the Consortium of Universities in Kwara State (KU8+) and Vice-President and Board Secretary of VODAN (Value-driven Ownership of Data and Accessibility Network), a leading international network spanning Africa, Europe, and Asia dedicated to developing Afrocentric systems that ensure data sovereignty and ownership in residence.

Bridging the Global Data Divide: An African Perspective

I am honoured to stand for election to the CODATA Executive Committee at a pivotal moment for global data science. As CODATA’s mission emphasizes connecting data and people to advance science and improve our world, my candidacy represents a critical opportunity to ensure that Africa’s voice and the perspectives of the Global South are not merely present, but influential in shaping international data policy and practice.

The data revolution cannot truly be global if it does not include the majority of the world’s population. Africa is poised to host 60% of the world’s youth population by 2050. Hosting some of the most dynamic health, climate, and demographic datasets, the continent must move from being a data source to being a data leader. My work demonstrates that when we design data systems for African contexts, we create solutions the world adopts.

Proven Leadership in FAIR Data Implementation

Between 2020 and 2024, I was the Executive Coordinator of the African Implementation Network of the Virus Outbreak Data Network (VODAN-Africa), which one of the joint activities carried out by CODATA, RDA, WDS, and GO FAIR, where I led what became the world’s first and only successful implementation of machine-actionable FAIR Data Points in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was not theoretical work, but my team actually demonstrated data visiting between Africa and Europe (Leiden) in 2020. Post-COVID, we deployed functional FAIR infrastructure across 88 health facilities in 8 African countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Liberia) and the Netherlands (https://aun.mu.edu.et/vodan/). In 2024, VODAN Africa rebranded to Value-driven Ownership of Data and Accessibility Network with my appointment as Vice-President and Secretary of the Board, and in 2025, I was announced the CEO with further expansion into Tanzania, Somalia, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Namibia, Rwanda, China, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan.

This initiative, recognized in UNESCO’s 2021 Engineering Report and awarded “Most Inspiring Initiative” at Leiden Science Week in May 2022, demonstrates three critical points relevant to CODATA’s mission:

1. FAIR principles can be successfully implemented in resource-constrained environments when designed with local contexts in mind
2. African leadership in data infrastructure development produces globally relevant solutions
3. Cross-border, cross-continental data collaboration is achievable when built on principles of equity and data sovereignty

Further Proven work in FAIR Data Leadership

In 2024 (22 – 26 January 2024), @Lorentz Center@Oort in Leiden University, The Netherlands, Barend Mons, Erik Schultes and I, organised “The Road to FAIR and Equitable Science” workshop. We brough together 55 experts and stakeholders to have a broad, international expert discussion regarding the impact of the FAIR principles (Lorentz, 2014) during the first decade of implementation and to collectively design a roadmap for the next decade. Between August 18-27 August of the same year, we brought over 30 African Scientists and Researchers to Leiden University Medical Centre for the 2024 LUMC Fair Data Training.

These achievements directly align with CODATA’s Strategic Plan 2023-2027 priorities, particularly “Making Data Work for Cross-Domain Grand Challenges” and advancing FAIR data practices for trustworthy, equitable, and transparent science.

Transformative Institutional Leadership

My leadership at Thomas Adewumi University, Nigeria demonstrates the transformative power of data-driven decision making in higher education. Between 2022 and 2025, we achieved:

• 2,136% enrolment growth (from 66 to 2,676 students)
• Dramatic improvement in global rankings (from #252 to #47 in Nigeria on Webometrics)
• Over $500,000 in international research grants from Google, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, TETFund, and Philips Foundation
• Establishment of 14 specialized research centers including AI-integrated learning ecosystems and FAIR data infrastructure

This transformation was built on the same principles that guide CODATA: making data work for institutional improvement, building data literacy and skills, and creating sustainable data ecosystems that serve broader societal goals.

Building Data Capacity Across Africa

Capacity building for Open Science and FAIR data is at the heart of CODATA’s mission. My work in this area spans multiple dimensions:

Curriculum Development: I have led the development of data stewardship curricula adopted across African institutions, directly contributing to CODATA’s priority of building capacity for trustworthy, equitable, and transparent science through improved data skills and education.

International Collaboration: As PhD advisor at Tilburg University’s Network for Globalization, Accessibility, Innovation and Care (GAIC), I promote partnerships between the Africa University Network for FAIR Open Science and European universities, fostering the South-South and South-North collaborations essential to CODATA’s global mission.

Training and Mentorship: Through my roles facilitating workshops, including hosting the Deep Learning IndabaX Africa, the ExploreCSR Series, The HERtificial Intelligence Bootcamps, Women in AI Sessions, the Pan-Africa Center for AI Ethics Summer School, and organizing multiple international conferences, I have directly trained hundreds of early-career researchers in data science and FAIR principles.

Global Recognition and Networks

My international profile and networks position me to effectively represent diverse perspectives on the CODATA Executive Committee:

• Heidelberg Laureate Fellow (Germany, 2017)
• US Department of State TechWomen Emerging Leader (Google, California, 2016)
• 3× ACM Fairness, Accountability and Transparency Fellow (2019, 2020, 2024)
• MIT PostDoctoral Fellow (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014)
• Multiple time recipient of the Emerging Scholar Award (only African recipient, Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain (2024), Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Buenos Aires (2024), National Changhua University of education, Taiwan (2025))
• Faculty Scholar, Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
• Grantee: Women in AI, Black in AI, Women of Colour in Computing, Widening Natural Language Processing
• Fellow of Pan-African Scientific Research Council, African Scientists Institute, British Computer Society, and Nigeria Computer Society

These fellowships and my participation in global forums like IETF, Grace Hopper Celebration, Machine Learning Summer Schools, and UNESCO workshops have provided me deep understanding of international data science ecosystems and the critical importance of inclusive global data governance.

Research Excellence and Publication Record

With over 100 peer-reviewed publications and service on 10+ international journal editorial boards, my research contributions span the full spectrum of CODATA’s interests:

• 25+ papers on FAIR data management and FAIR principles published in Data Intelligence and leading conferences
• Pioneering work on machine learning, AI ethics, natural language processing for African languages
• Studies on data quality, interoperability, and ethical AI which directly aligned with CODATA’s Data Ethics Task Group priorities
• Research on curriculum development for data science education in emerging economies

What I Bring to CODATA

If elected to the Executive Committee, I will contribute:

1. Authentic Global South Perspective

Not as a token voice, but as a proven leader who has successfully implemented international data initiatives in African contexts. I understand both the challenges and the immense opportunities of extending CODATA’s reach across diverse economic and technological landscapes.

2. Practical Implementation Experience

Beyond policy documents and strategic plans, I have hands-on experience deploying FAIR infrastructure, building data literacy programs, and creating sustainable data ecosystems in resource-constrained environments. This practical knowledge is invaluable for CODATA’s mission to connect data and people.

3. Bridge-Building Capacity

My roles spanning African, European, and North American institutions position me to facilitate the South-North and South-South collaborations essential to CODATA’s global mission. I can help ensure that CODATA’s strategic priorities resonate across diverse contexts.

4. Focus on Equity and Inclusion

My work consistently emphasizes that Open Science and FAIR data must be truly open, not just technically accessible, but equitable, culturally appropriate, and respectful of data sovereignty. This aligns with CODATA’s commitment to trustworthy, equitable, and transparent science.

5. Youth and Innovation Champion

As Vice-Chancellor of a rapidly growing university and mentor to hundreds of early-career researchers, I bring insights into how we can better engage the next generation of data scientists and ensure CODATA remains relevant to emerging leaders.

Vision for CODATA’s Future

CODATA stands at a critical juncture. The data challenges of our time (from pandemic response to climate action, from AI ethics to digital sovereignty) demand that we move beyond traditional power structures and genuinely globalize data governance.

I envision a CODATA that:

• Actively works to decolonize data science by ensuring African and Global South innovations inform global standards, not just adopt them
• Prioritizes implementation support for FAIR principles in diverse contexts, not just advocacy
• Strengthens connections between CODATA’s strategic priorities and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Builds robust South-South collaboration networks that complement North-South partnerships
• Champions data sovereignty alongside data sharing, recognizing these as complementary rather than contradictory goals

Commitment to CODATA’s Mission

I am deeply committed to CODATA’s mission of connecting data and people to advance science and improve our world. My track record demonstrates that I do not just articulate vision, I deliver results. From the over 88 health facilities running FAIR Data Points across Africa, to the 2,676 students now studying at Thomas Adewumi University with AI-integrated curricula, to the hundreds of early-career researchers I have mentored, my work has consistently transformed aspiration into achievement.

The challenges facing global science require diverse perspectives, practical expertise, and proven leadership. I offer all three, grounded in a commitment to equity, excellence, and the transformative power of open, FAIR data.

I respectfully ask for your support in this election, not as a favour to African representation, but as an investment in CODATA’s future relevance and impact across all regions of our interconnected world.

This is the seventeenth in the series of short statements from candidates in the coming CODATA Elections at the General Assembly to be held on 17-18 October 2025. Mark Musen is a candidate for the CODATA Executive Committee as an Ordinary Member. He was nominated by the USA.

The essence of science is data, and “data science” is naturally central to science.  Most scientists, however, view data science as the analysis of data—without consideration of where the data come from, how they are managed, and how they are communicated.  CODATA consequently faces challenges educating the scientific community about the full spectrum of data science, and about the enormously important role that such an international organization can play in enhancing data infrastructure at a global scale.  

I am honored to be nominated for a position on the CODATA executive committee, and I am excited about the opportunities to which I hope to be able to contribute.  I am a senior faculty member at Stanford University, where I serve as Director of the Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research.  I am an M.D. who has deep understanding of clinical data management.  I am a Ph.D. who has considerable experience in the management of laboratory data.  My work is well respected.  I am a member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and I have received two honorary doctoral degrees from European universities.  I have served as a member of the U.S. National Committee for CODATA since 2021.

My entire career has focused on data.  Early on, I studied how AI could be used to aid the design and execution of research protocols, improving the reproducibility of research and the completeness of data collection.  I then led the development of what, after nearly four decades, is still the most widely used open-source technology for creating standard terminologies and scientific ontologies for data annotation (Protégé), and the most widely used open technology for archiving and disseminating such resources (BioPortal).  BioPortal has become the foundation of a growing international consortium to create federated, discipline-specific repositories for terminological standards (the OntoPortal Alliance).  My team has also created the CEDAR Workbench, which is increasingly used to author standards-adherent, descriptive metadata to ensure that datasets are FAIR.

Thus, although I am an academic, I am not satisfied teaching classes and publishing papers. I believe that it is essential to build tools and other infrastructure that people actually can use.  Similarly, I believe that CODATA needs to do much more than to educate the global community about data science.  CODATA needs to stimulate the development of new technologies and data standards that can enhance data stewardship and data sharing on a global basis—and thus enhance scholarship of all kinds in very pragmatic ways.

Although the creation of technology to ease the development and application of data and metadata standards is central to my professional work, I am sensitive to the notion that different communities have different requirements.  Indeed, I believe that CODATA should play a role in working with a wide range of constituencies to help them to fashion their own discipline-specific approaches and standards.  For example, I have worked with the VODAN project for FAIR data management in Africa and I was asked by the National Institutes of Health to guide its Tribal Data Repository initiative to study data-governance requirements among Indigenous peoples in the United States.  I’ve thus come to appreciate first-hand many of the challenges of encouraging data sharing while ensuring appropriate data sovereignty and attention to the CARE principles. 

CODATA is not just about “data.”  CODATA touches nearly every aspect of research and scholarship, with the ability to influence best practices for data acquisition, data stewardship, data management, and data dissemination through training, standards, and technology.  I have experience in all these areas, and I would enjoy the opportunity to build bridges across different scholarly communities, helping CODATA to advance research practices internationally through increasing attention to “data science” in the broadest sense.

This is the sixteenth in the series of short statements from candidates in the coming CODATA Elections at the General Assembly to be held on 17-18 October 2025. Rodrigo Roa is a candidate for the CODATA Executive Committee as an Ordinary Member. He was nominated by Chile.

Rodrigo Roa: Candidacy for CODATA Executive Committee

My professional path bridges law, science policy, and data governance. As Executive Director of the Data Observatory, a public–private foundation co-founded by the Government of Chile, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Adolfo Ibáñez University, I lead initiatives that transform large and complex datasets into public value.

My work is grounded in building infrastructures that make data usable, trusted, and interoperable. Under my direction, the Data Observatory recently developed Chile’s National FAIR Data Policy, approved by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID). To put these principles into practice, we created the SURDATA Alliance, a Latin American network for interoperability and data governance that connects public agencies, universities, and research centers.

I also serve on the Strategic Committee of LatamGPT, a large-language-model initiative led by the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA). There, we are developing regional datasets and computing infrastructure to ensure that artificial intelligence in Latin America reflects our languages, contexts, and values.

This year, I had the privilege of convening the first CODATA Committee in Latin America, a step that symbolizes our commitment to make global data collaboration multilingual and inclusive. Science and data know no borders, and language should never be a barrier. My goal is to help emerging economies implement FAIR principles, and to connect CODATA more closely with governments, academia, and industry across the region.

Beyond data policy, I’m also a professional drummer—a lifelong rock musician who believes rhythm is another form of connection. Music, like data, is a universal language that brings people together. I hope to bring a bit of that Latin American rhythm and collaborative spirit to CODATA’s global mission.

It would be an honour to serve on the Executive Committee, to represent Latin America’s growing data community, and to help CODATA’s work resonate from Santiago and beyond.

This is the fifteenth in the series of short statements from candidates in the coming CODATA Elections at the General Assembly to be held on 17-18 October 2025. Pam Maras is a candidate for the CODATA Executive Committee as an Ordinary Member. She was nominated by the International Union of Psychological Science.

Pam Maras PhD, CPsychol FBPS, CSci

I am delighted to be nominated by the International Union of Psychological Science (IUPsyS) as a nominee for a second term as an ordinary member of CODATA Executive Committee 

IUPsyS is a full and active member of the International Science Council (ISC), and is the global body for psychology and is unique in its convening power. Over two million  psychologists are represented by IUPsyS national and regional members, all of whom use and/or collect data. I was elected the first female President of IUPsyS 2018-2022 and currently serve as Past President on its Executive Committee. My time working with IUPsyS, has included work on capacity building across regions, publications and communications, responses to public issues and more widely IUPsyS responses to disaster and other humanitarian situations. 

In this short statement, I have briefly outlined my background, philosophy and potential contribution to CODATA.

BACKGROUND

Academic/Professional background

I am a Chartered Scientist, Chartered Psychologist and Fellow of the British Psychological Society. I am Emerita Professor of Social and Educational Psychology at University of Greenwich, London where I held senior and national roles including Director of Research and Enterprise and Chair of an  independent committee for research integrity and ethics. 

Research

Initially an experimental social psychologist, my research activity for the last 15 years has mainly been on the application of psychological science  in education including on the cross cultural relevance of psychometric tests and interventions for adolescents with behaviour problems and large cross national studies in Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Latin America and New Zealand as well as interdisciplinary collaborative projects including with engineers for example, on the involvement of young people in STEM subjects at University; computer scientists for example on  gender; climate scientists for example, on behaviour following interventions  to reduce carbon in domestic situations; economists for example on young people’s attitudes to money and neuroscientists on AD/HD. I have obtained significant research funding including from the EU and UK Research Councils and Charities including Leverhulme, Nuffield, charity arms of Football Cubs and multinational companies and Government agencies. I have had policy involvement arising from my research and expertise. My publications were  ranked excellent/outstanding in the last UK research assessment exercise. I am currently advising on a global project in eight  geographic areas across continents on interoperability and curation of data and measures of young people’s anti-social behaviour and its impact.

PHILOSOPHY 

I take a principled approach to equality in science; ethical open access and interdisciplinary collaboration is best achieved by cooperation, making high quality data work for cross-domain grand challenges. I am Committed to Open Science and research integrity in all areas of science, including  the Social Sciences. The promotion of data policy and interoperative solutions that ensure rigour and policy for data use, maximises the combined resources of different disciplines and is essential to Science led policy in our current fragile eco/geopolitical world. 

CONTRIBUTION TO CODATA

If re-elected I would expect to continue to engage positively to ensure CODATA meets its mission at the disciplinary, interdisciplinary and public and policy levels.

Disciplinary level

If re-elected I would hope to facilitate the involvement of psychology with CODATA through IUPsyS on projects related to the CODATA mission particular on Cross Domain Challenges; it is here where the involvement of social science disciplines, especially psychology will add value to outcomes. Specific examples include AI and issues including bias, fairness, transparency, accountability, and ethics; interoperability, in particular where data are not “conventional”, and  other data issues that are pertinent to psychology and many other scientific disciplines including replicability and the potential loss of validity unless clear principles are taken on and underpin data across disciplines.

Interdisciplinary level 

The involvement of psychology and other social sciences in CODATA can only add to CODATAs considerable achievements so far. For example, the adoption and use of FAIR principles in social sciences is mixed, this is particularly problematic when interventions and policy comes from the social sciences. Psychology and psychologists including myself are already collaborating with scientists in other areas of basic and applied science and policy. My experience in this area will allow me to further support CODATA in increasing the number of ISC Scientific Unions that engage with CODATA. In my current tern on CODATA I have been involved with setting up the Scientific Unions Forum, I would hope to continue with this activity. 

Public and policy 

My experience and work in developing policy and in behaviour change will allow me to contribute to  CODATA  to maximise the implementation of policy on data. The engagement and ‘buy in’ by those outside the “scientific community” or that are in disciplines not engaged with CODATA could be advanced by simple strategies. For example, via simple Policy Briefs for ‘non-experts,’ in which outcomes are accessible, relevant and useful for public good. 

CONCLUSION

In this brief statement I have summarised my background, my philosophy and a few of the areas where I might serve CODATA. 

In my  current term, as a member of a large Scientific Union, I was one of the few social scientists on the Executive  Committee. It would be a privilege to serve CODATA again and support the continuation of its important work. I look forward to attending International Data Week and meeting colleagues in Brisbane.

This is the fourteenth in the series of short statements from candidates in the coming CODATA Elections at the General Assembly to be held on 17-18 October 2025. Burçak Basbug is a candidate for the CODATA Executive Committee as an Ordinary Member. She was nominated by the Middle East Technical University.

It is an honour and privilege to be nominated to be part of the CODATA Team, who are dedicated to connect people and science to address global challenges!

‘Knowledge grows, when it is shared!’ 

I am very passionate and enthusiastic as a scientist, as a woman, as a mother to provide a safer world to people in need. I strongly believe we, if we unite, can reduce the impacts of any disaster in anywhere in the World. We can create safer communities, safer nations, safer Globe for the humanity. It is our responsibility to leave a better World to our children, grandchildren, grand grandchildren… and for all of us!

On my current role, I work a Professor of Statistics and Disaster Science, at the Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara-Türkiye. I graduated from METU Department of Statistics in June 1999. My appointment to academia as a research and teaching assistant is 16 August 1999, which is the day before the devastating 17 August 1999 Marmara earthquake.  So, it was meant for me to work in disaster statistics. Since then, I have been working hard to understand disaster related data, use it to generate strong policies so that we can reduce disaster risks. 

In 2000, I moved to the UK to persuade my graduate studies at the University of Warwick (MSc.in Statistics-2001) and London School of Economics and Political Science (Ph.D. in Statistics-2007). I worked under the supervision of the late Emeritus Professor Henry. P. Wynn, who was the president of the Royal Statistical Society UK (https://rss.org.uk/news-publication/news-publications/2024/general-news/henry-philip-wynn,-1945%E2%80%932024/ ). I learnt a lot from him in the World of Statistics. 

I have been teaching, researching and developing for 26 years at international level as well as national level on disaster risk reduction, earthquake insurance, applied statistics, linear models, statistical design of experiments, survey and sampling methods, disaster risk governance. I had opportunity to merge theoretical knowledge with field experience in the following events:

• Covid-19 response in the UK and in Türkiye
• 13 May 2014 Soma Mine Disaster
• 23 October 2011 Van Earthquake in Türkiye
• 2009 Urban Disaster Risk Reduction Training in Japan at Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture in Japan, then follow-up visits in 2011 and 2015.
• Syrian Refugee Response Evaluation of UNICEF 2015
• August 2020 Giresun Flood in the Black Sea Coast of Türkiye
• 30 October 2020 Earthquake in Izmir as a result of the Sisam Fault Rupture
• 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaras Earthquakes 

I was the project coordinator of the Turkish Disaster Data Bank (TABB in Turkish acronym) between 2012 and 2014. I worked as the Course Director of MSc Disaster Management and Resilience at Coventry University-UK between 2019 and 2020. Prior to this, I was the Director of the METU Disaster Management Centre between 2008 and 2018.  I am a full member of the Chatham House-UK. I serve as an editorial board member of the ODI journal ‘Disasters’. 

I am a co-chair of the CODATA International Data Policy Committee (IDPC) since 2022 as well as the UNESCO-CODATA Data Policy for Times of Crisis Facilitated by Open Science (DPTC) Toolkit Project. 

I believe in multidisciplinary, multi-hazard approach where theory and practice meet to create disaster resilient individuals, communities, nations and globe. I have experience working with the high-level policy makers at the institutions such as the World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and more. 

In years, a lot of people asked me “What is a statistician’s role in disasters?” so many times. I used to respond them ‘You need to make the data talk, explain, tell you some scientific baseline so that you can generate policies to help people live in safer and better conditions, with reduced risks!’

If elected, I will work very hard to contribute the CODATA Team to achieve CODATA’s vision with my networks, experience, willingness to learn and share, research and data skills, energy, dedication, loyalty and passion! Thank you so much! 

This is the thirteenth in the series of short statements from candidates in the coming CODATA Elections at the General Assembly to be held on 17-18 October 2025. Leo Lahti is a candidate for the CODATA Executive Committee as an Ordinary Member. He was nominated by Finland.

Data comes to life through user communities to advance science and improve our world. This principle has guided my data science research and advocacy work for over two decades. As a professor of Data Science at the University of Turku, Finland, I share CODATA’s mission to connect data and people towards these goals.

I earned my doctoral degree at the Department of Information and Computer Science, Aalto University, Finland, in 2010. I have also spent nearly a decade abroad working on data-intensive research in e.g. European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN, European Bioinformatics Institute, and Croatian Meteorological Institute. My research team now focuses on the analysis of complex natural and social systems, and open data science has become fundamental for such research.

At the national level, I have contributed to open science policy work as Vice Chair of Finland’s national coordination on open science. I led the development of the National Policy on Open Access to Research Methods and Infrastructures (2023). I also serve on the board of Open Knowledge Finland, and participated in the Ministry of Justice working group reforming the Public Information Act, focusing on transparency of data and algorithms in a digital society. I received the National Open Science Award (2021) from the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies. This national work parallels many international developments and could inspire and inform related policy development within CODATA.

At the international level, I have participated in global research and training networks, such as the Bioconductor Community Advisory Board, and coordinated international research software development and data science training events as a certified instructor for Data Carpentries, a global network for evidence-based data science pedagogy. Within CODATA, I have led the Finnish national branch since 2022, acted as a liaison for the Data Ethics Task Group and served in the Executive Committee 2023–2025. My work builds on this experience as a data science researcher, educator, and community builder. 

As a member of the CODATA Executive Committee, I will be looking forward to build on these networks and on my experience from the first term. I will particularly focus on the following:

• advance international policy work towards responsible data science standards
• strengthen international training networks on data science 
• expand CODATA’s work and visibility in Northern Europe and globally by developing connections with other relevant networks

Through these and other activities, we can continue to promote the CODATA mission towards open, responsible, and globally connected data science.

This is the twelfth in the series of short statements from candidates in the coming CODATA Elections at the General Assembly to be held on 17-18 October 2025. Cyrus Walther is a candidate for the CODATA Executive Committee as an Ordinary Member. He was nominated by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.

My name is Cyrus Walther and I am excited to stand for re-election as an incumbent Member of the CODATA Executive Committee, nominated by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics and representing Early-Career scientists. 

In my candidacy statement, I am thrilled to introduce you to my background and expertise for this position, discuss my work and engagements in CODATA during this term, and outline plans and perspectives I have for the upcoming term. 

So, let’s get started! 

Being nominated by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, my proficiency lies in experimental astroparticle physics and databases on which I am researching in my Ph.D. at TU Dortmund University and the LAMARR Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Germany.

Moreover, my passion lies with raising the voice of Early-Career researchers and bringing their perspectives on humanities cross-domain grand challenges to the table.
Based on my experience from two presidential terms for the International Association of Physics Students, I was awarded the Fellowship of the International Science Council, serving as a Fellow to champion science as a global public good with a core focus on Early-Career scientists. Together with my engagements in the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, the Coalition for the Advancement of Research Assessment, and the Forum of International Physics of the American Physical Society, I am putting my international early-career-focussed network fully in the service of CODATA and its initiatives.

Since 2023, I have had the honor of serving CODATA on its mission to connect data and people to advance science and improve our world. During my time on the Executive Committee, I engaged with various initiatives and tasks, for example, in the selection committee for the new CODATA Connect Early-Career leadership and in the work as their contact person in the Executive Committee. Together with our three new CODATA Connect Co-Chairs, I developed initiatives to further CODATA’s engagement with the young generation of researchers, two of which you will be able to experience during International Data Week 2025, with the sessions:

•  “Early Career Researcher perspectives on data repositories across disciplines, geographies and cultures”  
• “Pitch Your Research: 3-Minute Scientific Research Pitch Competition”

which are proposed, planned, and executed by Early-Careers. 

Furthermore, I represented CODATA at the Opening of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology at UNESCO, raising awareness for CODATA’s vision and values as well as its importance for the global scientific community. This connects to my overall engagement actively supporting the CODATA secretariat and Executive Committee in my role as a member of the Executive Committee, working on initiatives, projects, and day-to-day tasks, by utilizing my skill set in the best possible way.

With the new term ahead, I am thrilled to continue my engagement in the CODATA Executive Committee, expanding on this term’s successes but also tackling open tasks and fields of improvement for CODATA. Herein, I would like to approach three central spheres of action: 

• CODATA & Early-Careers
• CODATA Reach & Communication 
• CODATA – Increasing Membership Engagement

CODATA & Early-Careers: Continuing my engagement for CODATA Early-Careers, I will empower our CODATA Connect Chairs by identifying necessary resources to advance and broaden our Early-Career offers. Additionally, I will strengthen our CODATA-RDA Schools with close contacts to our hosts, the International Center of Theoretical Physics, working towards a continuation and possible expansion of our schools, which will strengthen the development of an engaged Early-Career alumni community, happy to join CODATA groups and committees. 

CODATA Reach & Communication: Approaching the reach and communication of CODATA, I will work on increasing the reach of CODATA and CODATA’s offerings, promoting CODATA, especially to young researchers and key stakeholders. By engaging Early-Career researchers in the content creation and utilizing a broad network of Early-Career contacts, we will be able to reduce the workload of the CODATA secretariat and allow CODATA to increase its reach to new target groups and enhance its promotional capacities.

CODATA – Increasing Membership Engagement: Working on the partnership of CODATA and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics as a pilot project for further unions, I will bridge both associations closer by identifying synergies in their Working and Task Groups, such as the CODATA Task Group on Big Data and the Open Science Working Group of IUPAP. This will increase awareness of the capabilities in the respective other association and rigorous exchange of knowledge and engaged individuals between both bodies. This way, CODATA will fuel its Task Groups and initiatives with larger numbers of engaged researchers, not only in physics but also from various disciplines.

With these three areas of engagement, I believe I will utilize the strengths of my skill set to serve CODATA in its Mission and Vision with putting data science and AI in service of science, promoting data, and making data work for cross-domain grand challenges. 

I am looking forward to engaging with all of you during the International Data Week 2025 in Brisbane and the CODATA General Assembly and to dive deeper into our ideas and expand on initiatives and projects.

I hope for your support and thank you for considering my candidacy!

Yours sincerely,
Cyrus Walther

______

For further information, feel free to reach out to me via e-mail (cyrus.walther(at)iaps.info) or connect with me on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/cyrus-walther/).

This is the eleventh in the series of short statements from candidates in the coming CODATA Elections at the General Assembly to be held on 17-18 October 2025. Steven McEachern is a candidate for CODATA Treasurer; incumbent and standing unopposed. He was nominated by the DDI Alliance.

My name is Dr. Steve McEachern, and I currently serve as Director of the UK Data Service. I commenced in this role at the University of Essex in August 2024, following 15 years as Director of the Australian Data Archive (ADA) at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, Australia. As Director of UKDS, I am responsible for the strategic development and direction of the UK Data Service, leading a partnership of 5 organisations delivering the UKDS award from the Economic and Social Research Council from 2024-2030.

Over the last 25 years, I have been actively involved in the development and application of new methods, and technological advancements, in data archiving and social survey data collection, and in the teaching of research methods in the social sciences. Over the last few years, I have lead work packages in major projects in social science data infrastructure, within Australia, the UK and Europe, including WorldFAIR and the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Research Data Commons.

I have had an active role in CODATA activities since first engaging with CODATA through the Dagstuhl workshop series in 2017. Since 2017 I have co-convened the CODATA-DDI Alliance Dagstuhl workshops, and facilitated the associate membership and Memorandum of Understanding between the DDI Alliance and CODATA. I subsequently lead the Social Surveys work package in the recently completed WorldFAIR project lead by CODATA.

I was elected as the treasurer of CODATA, nominated by the Australian National Committee, in 2021, and served on the Australian Academy of Science’s National Committee on Data in Science (the National Committee responsible for CODATA participation) from 2021-2024. Since that time I have moved to the UK to take up my new role, and joined the UK International Research Data Initiatives Forum, which serves as the UK National Committee, in 2024. Thus I bring experience of membership from 2 national committees and 2 associate members to my role.

Alongside my CODATA participation, I am also vice-chair of the DDI (Data Documentation Initiative) Alliance Executive Committee; co-chair of the Research Data Alliance Social Science Interest Group, and member of the Service Directors group of CESSDA, the Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives.

During my tenure as Treasurer, in collaboration with the CODATA Secretariat and Officers, we have been able to maintain and strengthen CODATA’s strong financial footing. I am therefore very keen to continue my role as CODATA Treasurer to continue the development of CODATA’s strategic goals and support the operational and financial activities of the organisation, and put forward my candidacy for your consideration.

This is the tenth in the series of short statements from candidates in the coming CODATA Elections at the General Assembly to be held on 17-18 October 2025. Christine Kirkpatrick is a candidate for CODATA Secretary General; incumbent and standing unopposed. She was nominated by the USA. 

Greetings, CODATA Community! It has been my honor to serve as Secretary General for the past four years. Over that time, I’ve learned much about our organization and forged bonds to work with individual members, the International Science Council, other national committees, affiliated organizations, and unions. 

In my first term, I was active in strategic planning, supporting the Secretariat in challenges large and small, and brought my background as a Computer Scientist and data person together to inform our AI strategy. That work resulted in a concept paper co-authored with my fellow executive committee member, Prof. Tyng-Ruey Chuang. I took part in one of the working groups for the Global Open Science Cloud (GOSC), and served on the advisory boards for the Cross Domain Interoperability Framework (CDIF) and the CODATA-RDA School of Research Data Science (SORDS). I engaged with members formally and informally, contributed to CODATA’s positive culture and harmony, liaised with task groups, wrote letters of collaboration, forged new partnerships, spoke at member events, and was part of a podcast series spearheaded by the head of CODATA’s early career initiative. In May 2024, I represented the UNESCO-CODATA Data Policy in Times of Crisis WG at the UN Science and Technology & Innovation (STI) Forum for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I was put forward by the ISC to speak to the Group of Friends on Science for Action at the UN, a coalition of ambassadors using direct engagement with scientists to inform policy.  

My home institution is the San Diego Supercomputer Center where I lead the Research Data Services division and head GO FAIR US. I am a founding faculty of University of California San Diego’s School of Computing, Information and Data Sciences. Aside from my work in research data and Computer Science, I am also a part of the Stakeholder Alignment Collaborative – a team of interdisciplinary scholars led by Prof. Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld. This past year we released a book, “The Consortia Century” that examined ways individuals join to achieve together what they can’t do alone, particularly related to challenges around data-driven research. In looking across hundreds of consortia, I can say with confidence that CODATA is a very special, very successful organization. It is imperative that we link arms – both with old friends and making room for new members, to continue to ensure CODATA is a forum for identifying pain points and opportunities, for experimentation and practical solutions, and for advancing science in the long tradition of our sister organization the International Science Counci,l and the unions and national committees represented.

I feel confident in my ability to serve CODATA for another term. I pledge to all of you to be available, to work on behalf of you and the groups that you represent so that your voices are heard and your goals and CODATA’s are aligned for positive impact. 

This is the ninth in the series of short statements from candidates in the coming CODATA Elections at the General Assembly to be held on 17-18 October 2025. Lianglin Hu is a candidate for the CODATA Executive Committee as an Ordinary Member. He was nominated by China.

Professor Hu Lianglin currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Big Data Department at the Computer Network Information Center (CNIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He is also the Secretary General of CODATA China and the Director of the National Basic Science Data Center (NBSDC), the only national data center cross all basic science domains supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China. Additionally, he initiated and promoted CODATA’s work on data ethics. With over two decades of dedicated research and practical involvement in scientific data governance and open sharing, he has made significant contributions in areas such as the development and application of multidisciplinary data resources, data quality, data policy, data standards, data ethics, and open-sharing models, which include data publication since 2015 and new model based on trusted data spaces since 2024.

He actively participated in five consecutive CODATA conferences starting in 2004. In 2006, he took charge of organizing the China-US Roundtable on Scientific Data Cooperation. Furthermore, in 2021, he proposed the establishment of the CODATA Data Ethics Task Group, which was approved as a working group in 2022 and upgraded to a task group in 2023. Since then, he has been collaborating with Prof. Johannes John Langba, Dr. Andrew M. Cox, Dr. Louise Bezuidenhout, and others to promote research in this area. Additionally, serving as Secretary General of CODATA China since 2021, he has efficiently organized five successful China Science Data Conferences, with a total attendance exceeding 3,000 participants. During his tenure, the China Scientific Data Conference was restructured to facilitate discussions related to CODATA’s strategies, the implementation of FAIR principles, and other priorities proposed by the international data community. The latest conference, themed Scientific Data and Sustainable Development, attracted more than 500 data experts in China, including executives from 90% of national science data centers. Moreover, his dedication extends to promoting the work of GOSC’s data interoperability group, where he serves as secretary.

He conducted extensive research and practical work on the development and application of multidisciplinary data resources, data open-sharing service models, data quality, data standards, and data policy.

Multidisciplinary Data and its Cross-domain Applications. The NBSDC, which he leads, has gathered and managed basic science data across fields such as physics, chemistry, materials science, zoology, botany, and information science, with a total data volume exceeding 3 petabytes. Since 2024, he has organized numerous meetings focused on interdisciplinary research driven by scientific data and has funded five projects studying urban environmental health, the impact of geographical ecology on human development, drug research on natural products, and more.

Data Open-sharing Models. He collaborated with Professor Li Jianhui to introduce the FAIR principles and data publishing in China. Together, they successfully launched China Scientific Data (http://www.csdata.org/en), the first bilingual and multidisciplinary open-access data journal. They also established the Science Data Bank (https://www.scidb.cn/en) as a supporting data repository, which later became the designated general repository for Nature journals. With the fundamental changes brought about by AI access to data and the increasing demand from data sharers to understand the subsequent utilization of their data, starting in 2024, he led his team to explore data service models based on trusted data spaces. In July 2025, NBSDC’s Basic Science Data Space was successfully selected as a 2025 Trusted Data Space Development Pilot by the National Data Administration.

Data Quality. He proposed a comprehensive framework based on the scientific data life cycle, including an evaluation index system with corresponding methods and a maturity model for assessing data quality. This model has been widely adopted in China and has contributed to the development of certification standards. Additionally, he played a key role in establishing important national standards such as GB/T 34945-2017 Data Provenance Descriptive Model, GB/T 36344-2018 Evaluation Indicators for Data Quality, and GB/T 43707-2025 Scientific Data Provenance Metadata, and his team developed a series of software to support the implementation of the standards, some of which were introduced in last year’s training class for developing countries.

Data standard. He proposed a comprehensive framework for the scientific data standard system and led the development of more than 40 standards covering all stages of the scientific data life cycle, including both national and group standards. The Chinese national standard “GB/T 42813-2023 Data Paper Publication Metadata, by his team, was announced on the official website of the Chinese government, and recommended for adoption as a proposed standard by ISO/TC 46 at the 52nd annual meeting in 2025. Furthermore, since 2022, he has served as China’s expert for ISO/TC 184/SC 4/WG 13 – Industrial Data Quality.

Data Policy. He led the development and implementation of a CAS-level data policy titled “Measures for Scientific Data Management and Open Sharing in CAS” in 2019. As AI increasingly accesses data, he has guided his graduate students in developing a comprehensive ethical framework that integrates data, algorithms, models, and applications into a unified four-layer structure. To address data providers’ needs regarding data usage, he led his team in establishing a feedback policy to improve data service quality.

If elected as a member of the CODATA committee, he will fully leverage his existing work foundation to advance CODATA’s activities and objectives.

As the Secretary General of CODATA China, he will continue to promote CODATA China and support Chinese scientific data experts in making greater contributions to CODATA. His efforts will particularly focus on advancing CODATA’s strategic objectives: to share China’s data resources and interdisciplinary case studies for “Making Data Work”, to promote the sharing of good practices between experts in China, other countries and regions on data policy and standards for “Promoting Data Policy”, to advance international training workshops and various conferences in China for “Data Science and AI for Science”.

As the director of the NBSDC, he will provide data resources and testing environments for CODATA’s initiative, Data Work for Cross-Domain Grand Challenges, for WorldFAIR+. The NBSDC is eager to collaborate with all scientific data centers—including GOSC, EOSC, ARDC, AOSP, MOPS, NDRIO, NFDI—and other data service institutions or platforms to collectively address challenges related to cross-border and cross-language data resource discovery and collaborative services, which will be grounded in emerging technologies such as trusted data spaces and large language models (LLMs).

As a data standards expert, he will actively promote the development of CODATA policies, including standards and ethics. Furthermore, he will collaborate with CODATA colleagues to support interoperability among standards and data infrastructures, facilitating the demonstration of open science at regional and global levels under policy guidance and ethical constraints.