Research DX Promotion Fund

FY Reiwa 3 research data utilization promotion support project (Research DX promotion fund)

To promote data utilization in open science, it is necessary to incorporate research information management into conventional research. Specifically, for the utilization of a series of information technologies called the digital transformation of research (research DX conversion), that is, for the digitization of research information, research data collection utilizing the research data management platform, research data analysis, and promotion of utilization. It is necessary to tackle new issues such as selecting the appropriate data format required. Furthermore, it is essential to determine such information management plans appropriately and utilize methods without slowing down conventional research to maximize research results. Support by informatics researchers is considered vital.

Therefore, in the basic research and development department, to promote research DX conversion throughout RIKEN regardless of the research field, information technology and DX conversion costs are given to researchers or research groups within RIKEN for each of the following priority items. We planned a research data utilization promotion support project (Research DX promotion fund).

• By supporting open science technology to RIKEN researchers or research groups, we will bring about changes such as accelerating research, encouraging the expansion of research areas, and establishing new research methods.
• Create an environment (framework for research support using information) that makes it easy to work on open science, including open data. And encourage more researchers to participate in open science.
• Launch "data-driven research" that includes data in the research flow in various fields and induces innovation by promoting the return of knowledge.

We received fourteen applications for this in-house open call, and ten were adopted. Each project is underway with a one-year research period from October 15th, 2021, to October 14th, 2022. The following is a general review of the Jury Chairman of this project and the selected projects.

Michihiko Minoh, Infrastructure Research and Development Division, RIKEN Information R&D and Strategy Headquarters (Chairman of the Judging Committee)

The research data utilization promotion support project (Research DX Promotion Fund) from now on referred to as "open call for participants," an in-house open call for participants to support RIKEN researchers who promote open science and digital transformation of research (research DX). This open call for participants has 14 applications despite the short open call for participants. It contains many excellent proposals that contribute to the promotion of open science. We want to express our deep gratitude to many researchers for their deep interest. To proceed with the examination and selection strictly and fairly, we have set up an examination committee within the Information Integration Headquarters. The examination was conducted with the cooperation of 12 researchers from various research fields within RIKEN. Initially, we decided to adopt about 8 cases. Still, there are proposals from multiple research fields, especially for proposals with excellent content in terms of contribution to the promotion of open science and the validity of expected results. We have adopted the above ten proposals to provide more diverse support within the budget limit. You will be asked to formulate a research data management plan (DMP) with mentor researchers and promote research and development in under one year for the adopted projects. We sincerely hope that the selected researchers will play a leading role in promoting the utilization of research data at RIKEN. Promoting these points will significantly contribute to the development of open science in RIKEN.