2026-04-02
Fireside Chat Interview Series 2026
Conversations on Sustainable Research Data Management
Join our fireside chat series featuring seasoned leaders from research data infrastructures (RDI) as they share hard‑won insights on building, running, and sustaining reliable data ecosystems. Each session will uncover practical lessons for long-term sustainability governance, federated services, community buy-in, and long‑term sustainability – designed to inspire the current and future RDI leaders.
Base4NFDI is a key part of Germany’s efforts to develop sustainable RDM services and has several activity lines exploring how to provide long-term perspective to its own cross-discipline open science services (infrastructures). The series is co-organised by the Research Data Alliance (RDA) and the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) which builds the essential bridges to the global community on RDM challenges and infrastructures.
The 45-minute interviews, held by Najla Rettberg, Coordinator of Base4NFDI, will engage with timely topics, for example:
- Sustainability: Transitioning from project to permanent operating models
- Community Buy-In: Enhancing user engagement and uptake
- Governance: Finding the right fit when it comes to business models and financing approaches
- Long-Term Impact & Scalability: The role of digital sovereignty and AI
All sessions are open to those who register, they will be recorded, with a comprehensive report of key lessons and summaries to be published afterward.
Dates of the Fireside Interviews:
- 28 April 2026 at 15h CEST (13h UTC +2)
- 18 June 2026 at 10h CEST (8h UTC +2)
Register here: https://uni-goettingen.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uROpjU9FQ_KGM2Wt2Vu2bA#/registration
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a global dialogue shaping the future of research data management. Register now and join the conversation!
Our first conversation on 28 April at 15h CEST (13h UTC +2) will be with Michael Schull, M.D., the CEO of the Canadian Data Alliance.
Photo Credit: Digital Research Alliance of Canada
About Michael:
As CEO of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, Michael leverages his extensive experience in building national and international research and data partnerships, and organizational growth and sustainability to support the establishment of a researcher focused, accountable, agile, strategic and sustainable digital research infrastructure (DRI) ecosystem in Canada.
About the Digital Research Alliance Canada: https://www.alliancecan.ca/en/about
Rosie Hicks, CEO of the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), will share her insights in a second fireside chat on 18 June 2026 at 10h CEST (8h UTC +2).
Photo Credit: Australian Research Data Commons
About Rosie:
Rosie Hicks is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC). The ARDC is a sector-wide initiative enabled by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) to provide Australian researchers with competitive advantage through data. The ARDC’s mission is to accelerate research and innovation by driving excellence in the creation, analysis and retention of high-quality data assets. Rosie has expertise and extensive knowledge of the Australian research infrastructure sector, and leadership experience including as the inaugural CEO of the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF). Her career, spanning Japan, UK and Australia, includes every aspect of scientific instrumentation from product development and technical marketing to the management of multi-user facilities, working in environments that cross academic and industry domains.
About ARDC: https://ardc.edu.au/