The UK Polar Data Centre (UK PDC) is an interdisciplinary data centre supporting polar scientists across the UK on a range of grant-funded research projects. The scope of polar research extends from Antarctica to the Arctic, and most recently the Himalayan cryosphere. The PDC is part of the NERC Environmental Data Service, one of several data centres working together to manage data across the environmental sciences.
The PDC supports polar scientists throughout the lifecycle of their grants, from data planning, to data deposit, and data citation. Our data managers can supply discipline specific data management advice and quality assurance. FAIR principles are applied throughout this process. The PDC can help ensure compliance with relevant funder requirements (e.g. NERC data policy) and with journal publication data accessibility requirements.
Cost for data management is included in the funding of some NERC grants (e.g. standard grants). This includes data management planning and long-term management of datasets deposited at the data centre. If specific in-project data management or software development needs are identified this should be costed into the initial funding proposal. All data management should be costed in the initial funding proposal for non-NERC grants and some NERC grants (e.g. highlight topics). Please contact pdcservicedesk@bas.ac.uk for further information.