New NSF data infrastructure initiative will accelerate the advancement and impacts of social and behavioral research

Data-intensive scientific research on human behavior and society can help improve community resilience to natural disasters, avoid supply chain disruptions and accurately predict infectious disease outbreaks. However, researchers in many disciplines have faced obstacles like incompatible data standards, missing or error-filled information, and technical difficulties in managing large data sets.

To help address a wide range of challenges and create opportunities, NSF is investing in the creation of a new data platform that will help researchers across the gamut of scientific disciplines access, collect, store and secure vital information. The $38 million commitment will establish the Research Data Ecosystem: A National Resource for Reproducible, Robust, and Transparent Social Science Research in the 21st Century. This NSF initiative will enable transformative research in fields that leverage complex scientific data about human behavior, society and the economy.