Library, Museums and Press Staff
August 7, 2026

Open Data Impact Awards Return for Second Year 

 

The University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press, in collaboration with the Data Science Institute and Delaware Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), is excited to announce the second annual Open Data Impact Awards for 2026. 

Building on the success of its inaugural year, the program recognizes undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, faculty, staff and collaborative research teams whose open datasets make a meaningful impact on research, teaching or public engagement. Those who recognize the power of open data to drive discovery, deepen learning and spark innovation are strongly encouraged to apply by Friday, Sept. 24, 2026. All disciplines are welcome.  

Three $1,000 awards will be presented to individuals or teams whose datasets exemplify excellence of openness, documentation, reusability and potential for scholarly or public impact.  

Eligible datasets must be: 

  • Freely accessible under an open license (e.g., CC0, CC BY). 
  • Deposited in a reputable open repository. 
  • Well-documented and ethically shared. 
  • Useful for research, teaching or community engagement.

Mark your calendar: 

  • Applications open on Aug. 10 and close on Sept. 24, 2026. 
  • Award recipients will be notified by Oct. 2. 
  • Award recipients will be recognized and invited to give a five-minute presentation about their work at the Data Science Institute Symposium on Oct. 8, 2026. 

 

Visit the Open Data Impact Awards page for application instructions, eligibility requirements and judging criteria.