Appendix B: RDM Advisory Committee Terms of Reference

Mandate

The Research Data Management Advisory Committee was established by the Vice-President Research and Innovation to develop an RDM institutional strategy for Lakehead University. The RDM Strategy will outline how Lakehead University will support its researchers with an environment that enables and supports RDM.

 

Composition

  1. University Librarian (Co-Chair) – Robin Canuel
  2. Director, Research Services (Co-Chair) – Anne Klymenko
  3. Chief Information Officer or delegate – Andrew Brigham
  4. Scholarly Communications & Data Services Librarian - Nicole Stradiotto
  5. SSHRC Leader – Dr. Batia Stolar
  6. CIHR Representative – Dr. Vicki Kristman
  7. NSERC Representative – Dr. Shannon Zurevinski
  8. Lakehead University Research Chair in Decolonial Futures – Dr. Lana Ray
  9. Chair, Research Ethics Board - Dr. Claudio Pousa
  10. Manager, Research Ethics and Contracts – Sue Wright
  11. Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies - Dr. Chander Shahi
  12. RDM Champions - Dr. Monica Flegel
  13. University Archivist - Sara Janes
  14. Research Staff - Mannila Sandhu
  15. Graduate Students - Andrew Ault and Alexandra Stargratt

Secretary: Research Ethics and Events Coordinator

Administrative Office: Office of Research Services

Terms of Reference

In accordance with the Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy, institutional strategies should include items such as:

  • recognizing data as an important research output;
  • supporting researchers in their efforts to establish and implement data management practices that are consistent with ethical, legal and commercial obligations, as well as tri-agency requirements, including the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans – 2nd edition, the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research, and other relevant policies;
  • promoting the importance of data management to researchers, staff and students;
  • guiding researchers on how to properly manage data in accordance with the principles outlined in the Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management, including the development of data management plans;
  • committing to the adoption of established best practices when developing institutional standards and policies for data management plans;
  • providing, or supporting access to, repository services or other platforms that securely preserve, curate and provide appropriate access to research data;
  • recognizing that data created in the context of research by and with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, collectives and organizations will be managed according to principles developed and approved by those communities, collectives and organizations, and in partnership with them; and
  • recognizing that a distinctions-based approach is needed to ensure that the unique rights, interests and circumstances of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit are acknowledged, affirmed, and implemented; consider an Indigenous specific research data management strategy.

It is recommended that Lakehead University’s RDM Strategy follow the framework and pillars outlined in the Portage Institutional RDM Strategy Development Template (updated November 2021):  https://portagenetwork.ca/tools-and-resources/institutional-strategies/.  The institutional RDM Strategy will be submitted to the Vice-President Research and Innovation by November 1, 2022. 

Once approved, the Strategy will be publicly posted on Lakehead University’s Research and Innovation website no later than March 2023 and is expected to be a living document that is reviewed and revised where appropriate (i.e., as RDM services, infrastructure and practices evolve, etc.).