Other NSF Directorates, where are your data sharing guidelines?

The NSF has released its revised policy on dissemination and sharing of research results.

I’m quite impressed with the policy.  The high level information is rather vague, but the detailed guidances provided by the directorates and divisions have given it real substance.  As you can see from this summary, the guidelines definitely vary across fields!

Unfortunately, only a few of all NSF directorates and divisions have issued guidances, as per this official inventory.

Other directorates, where are your data sharing guideances?  I know that writing them is difficult, but it is important.  Now is the time when they are needed.  Even if the best you can say right now is that you are playing it by ear, as the Physics division has done in the MSP guidance, stating it explicitly has value as a starting place:

The Physics Division is not in a position to recommend a Division-specific single data sharing and archiving approach applicable to the disparate communities supported through the Division.  The Division will rely on the process of peer review to allow each of these communities to identify best practices.

Below is a list of all the directorates and divisions in the NSF.  The bolded ones have data sharing plan guidances here.  If you belong to one of the directorates or divisions that does not yet have a data sharing plan guidance, speak up and work towards the beginning of a written expression of your community’s expectations. This sort of process institutionalization is key to a fair funding process for new investigators and to an efficient review process for everyone.

Directorate for Biological Sciences

• Division of Molecular & Cellular Biosciences
• Division of Biological Infrastructure
• Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
• Division of Environmental Biology

Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering

• Division of Computing and Communication Foundations
• Division of Computer and Network Systems
• Division of Information and Intelligent Systems

Directorate for Education & Human Resources

• Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings
• Division of Graduate Education
• Division of Human Resource Development
• Division of Undergraduate Education

Directorate for Engineering

• Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems
• Division of Civil, Mechanical & Manufacturing Innovation
• Division of Electrical, Communications & Cyber Systems
• Division of Engineering Education & Centers
• Division of Industrial Innovation & Partnerships

Directorate for Geosciences

• Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
• Division of Earth Sciences
• Division of Ocean Sciences
• Integrated Ocean Drilling Program

Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences

• Division of Astronomical Sciences
• Division of Chemistry
• Division of Materials Research
• Division of Mathematical Sciences
• Division of Physics

Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences

• Division of Social and Economic Sciences
• Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences
• Division of Science Resources Statistics