The Dutch Data Prize ceremony was held in The Hague on 17 October 2024, during the FAIR-IMPACT National Roadshow. All finalists had the opportunity to present their dataset in a 90-second pitch, after which the jury chair, Dr. Claudia van Oppen, announced the winners in each of the three categories. The winners are:
The winning datasets were awarded with a glass Dutch Data Prize award and a cheque for €3,500, which the winners can use to further improve the FAIRness of their data and encourage data reuse. For instance, they can choose to use the funds to organise a symposium or enhance the oline accessibility of their data.
Evolution of data management
Among the 52 nominations, there was a great variety noticeable in the datasets, such as the type of data, size, age and presentation. This diversity made evaluating the datasets a challenging task. “A couple of years ago the focus was mainly on making datasets Findable and Accessible. Now there is also more and more focus on making datasets Interoperable and Reusable. It’s clear that FAIR data management has evolved over the years, a positive development in our eyes”, says Van Oppen, speaking on behalf of the entire jury. She emphasised that choosing a winner in each category was not easy. The jury also recommend that the Dutch Data Prize itself evolves, reviewing future editions on the category structure, make a distinction between early career and senior data awards, and maybe even develop a hackathon to test the interoperability and reusability of the datasets.
Dutch Data Prize
The Dutch Data Prize, an initiative of Research Data Netherlands (RDNL), is a valuable recognition of researchers’ contributions to their fields and to the principles of FAIR data. The prize is awarded every two years, with the ninth edition planned for 2026. The Dutch Data Prize has been awarded since 2010. Check out the previous winners.
