Open Data Impact Award

The Open Data Impact Award recognizes University of Delaware researchers who make their data openly available and demonstrate the impact of that openness. This award is a collaboration between the University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press, the Data Science Institute and EPSCoR.

Whether you’re an undergraduate just starting your research journey or a seasoned faculty member, this award celebrates your commitment to transparency, reproducibility, and public engagement through open data.

What is Open Data?

Open data refers to research data that is freely available for anyone to access, use, modify, and share. It is typically published with an open license and stored in a trusted, accessible repository. Open data supports transparency, reproducibility, and innovation across disciplines.

Open Data Impact Award Application Form

Table of Contents

Why Apply?

  • Three awards available, each with a $1,000 prize
  • One award is reserved for a student researcher (undergraduate or graduate)
  • Recognition for your open data efforts
  • Support for your research visibility
  • Inspiration for others to follow open science practices

Who Can Apply?

  • Undergraduate students
  • Graduate students
  • Postdoctoral researchers
  • Faculty (all ranks)
  • Staff
  • Collaborative research teams (Teams must decide how they will split prize funds)

All disciplines welcome!

Key Dates

  • Applications Open: August 1, 2025
  • Deadline to Apply: October 3, 2025
  • Winners Contacted: October 10, 2025
  • Winners Announced: October 24, 2025 at the Data Science Institute Symposium. Winners are expected to give a 5-minute lightning talk about their work.

Required Specifications for Datasets

  • The dataset must be openly accessible under a recognized open license (e.g., CC0, CC-BY, CC-BY-SA).
  • The dataset should be deposited in a reputable open data repository (e.g., Dryad, Zenodo, Dataverse, etc.).
  • The dataset should be described with appropriate metadata and documentation.
    • Documentation should explain the data collection methodology, variable definitions, and any data processing steps.
  • Intellectual property rights — the dataset should be collected directly by the applicant and the applicant should have all distribution and sharing rights to the data. It should not be collected from third-party sources.
  • The dataset must comply with all relevant ethical guidelines and regulations (e.g., IRB approval, data privacy).
  • If the dataset contains sensitive information, appropriate anonymization or de-identification procedures must be followed.

How to Apply

  1. Ensure your dataset meets all of the requirements above.
  2. Review the Evaluation Criteria below.
  3. Prepare a short narrative and documentation for your open data project.
  4. Submit your application via the Open Data Impact Award Application Form

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Openness (25%)

  • Open License & Repository: Is the dataset openly licensed and stored in an accessible repository?
  • Findability: Can the dataset be easily found and understood through its metadata and description?

2. Data Quality & Integrity (30%)

  • Accuracy & Completeness: Is the dataset accurate and complete?
  • Documentation: Is the dataset clearly and thoroughly documented?
  • Data Provenance: Is the origin and processing of the data well explained?

3. Reusability & Impact (30%)

  • Reusability: Can others easily reuse the dataset?
  • Potential Impact: Could the dataset significantly impact research, teaching, or public engagement?
  • Citation Readiness: Is it easy to properly cite the dataset?

4. Ethical Considerations (15%)

  • Ethical Compliance: Does the dataset follow ethical guidelines and regulations?
  • Bias Awareness: Does the applicant show awareness of potential biases in the dataset and its use?

Questions?

Contact us at lib-rdsg@udel.edu with questions. Good luck!