Data from: Advanced technologies and data management practices in environmental science: lessons from academia

Environmental scientists stand uniquely poised to capitalize on recent advancements in technology, computation, and data management, however, it is unknown the degree to which this is occurring. We analyzed survey responses of 445 graduate students in California to evaluate understanding and use of such advances in the environmental sciences. Of students who had completed their degree, 64.3% had completed the data life cycle, 30.5% had archived research data so that it is available online, and 61.4% had no plans to create metadata for research data sets. Roughly one-third of students used an environmental sensor and collaborated with someone outside their expertise. Results varied by students’ research status and by university type. Doing excellent science in this data-intensive age may necessitate greater emphasis by university programs on data management best practices borrowed from information technology, and skills supplemented by unique training opportunities, courses, counsel from technological specialists, and unconventional collaborations.

环境科学家具备得天独厚的优势，能够充分利用近年来在技术、计算与数据管理领域取得的进展，但目前尚不清楚这一优势的实际发挥程度。本研究针对加州445名研究生的调研问卷回复进行分析，以评估环境科学领域研究者对上述技术进展的认知与应用情况。在已完成学业的毕业生中，64.3%的学生完整走完了数据生命周期流程，30.5%的学生已将研究数据归档至线上公开渠道，另有61.4%的学生未计划为研究数据集制作元数据（metadata）。约三分之一的学生使用过环境传感器，并与跨专业领域的人员开展过合作。调研结果因学生的研究阶段与所在院校类型存在显著差异。在这个数据密集型时代开展顶尖科研工作，或许要求高校培养方案更加重视借鉴信息技术领域的最佳数据管理实践，并通过特色培训项目、专业课程、技术专家咨询以及跨领域非常规合作等途径，强化相关技能培养。