Scientific Data Structure: Experiments

In order to clearly assign, track and maintain legal ownership of Scientific Data, we employ a Data Structure based on “Experiments”. Experiments link Scientific Data to users and, particularly, their specific role and responsibility to it. For a detailed description of different Scientific Data Types and Roles and Responsibilities within an Experiment, see the Appendix - Definitions.

Each Experiment is identified by a unique and persistent DECTRIS Resource Name (DRN). The DRN is assigned during the creation of an Experiment and can NOT be altered or modified by any user, including us.

An Experiment can include a multitude of different types of Experiment Data, such as Raw Data, Metadata, etc. – see Scientific Data Types for a detailed description.

Notably, all Experiment Data is linked by the DRN ensuring a comprehensive dissemination of all information relating to an Experiment upon publication, as e.g. recommended by the FAIR principles.

Any user of our Service can get access to Scientific Data of an Experiment by taking on any assigned role. A detailed description of the roles can be found at Scientific Roles and Responsibilities.

When an experiment is created, the Local Contacts are automatically assigned: all Lab Managers or Lab Scientists are permanently linked to the experiment as Local Contacts. In their role, they are responsible for adequate collection and ingestion of Raw Data and Metadata. It is also their responsibility to ensure that ownership of the Experiment is assigned to the right user.

Every Experiment has exactly one owner,  the Principal Investigator (PI). The PI is the acting authority for any decision related to access, use, modification or dissemination of the Experiment Data. The PI also carries the final responsibility regarding the overall quality of the Experiment Data.

Each experiment also has one Sponsor. The sponsor can either be a user or a Lab. By default, the Lab at which the experiment occurs is assigned as sponsor, implying that the Lab covers cost for initial storage, archiving and computation. At any given moment, the Sponsor can be reassigned to any other user.

An Experiment can have a multitude of Collaborators. Collaborators can be added/removed to/from an Experiment by the PI and the Local Contact.

An overview of the rights of each role in an Experiment is shown below:

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