Getting to know... Willem-Jan Knibbe
In our 'Getting to know' series, we introduce the members of the LCRDM Advisory Board. Who are they, what drives them, and what is their vision for research data management? This time we have some questions for Willem-Jan Knibbe, Director of the Wageningen Data Competence Center (WDCC) at Wageningen University & Research.
Why did you choose to become a member of the LCRDM Advisory Board?
"I have become a member to succeed my former colleague Jacquelijn Ringersma. She was always active in the LCRDM Advisory Board and there found much helpful shared experience. I am trying, not as well as she did, to continue on that path."
What are your tasks as a member of the board?
"I am happy to share input from my work experience at Wageningen University and Research, learn from my colleagues at the LCRDM Advisory Board, and since recently also share from the RDA (Research Data Alliance) Regional Advisory Board. I have recently become a member there representing The Netherlands."
What is your daily job, next to being a member of the Advisory Board?
"I am the director of the Wageningen Data Competence Center. This is a team and programme organization dedicated to advancing competencies for data driven research at Wageningen University and Research."
Can you cross a bridge to the Open Science community?
"Ah, that is some question! The Open Science community of course is extended and on the one hand everywhere where people are dedicated to sharing research with society, and involving society in research, and on the other hand sometimes seemingly restricted to programme oriented centrally funded activities. Let us say that we too embrace the ideals of Open Science and are happy to work on them, whenever possible with the community and sometimes even supported by programme-based calls for proposals."
Do you have any resolutions or points of improvement for the board for this year?
"I do think it is and remains an extremely useful forum for exchanging good practice and strategy in Netherlands research data management. I’d say let us just continue the content focused approach and enjoy the community building aspects! Of course, also given my role there, I do think it very interesting to further explore how this connects internationally such as through RDA."
Pedro's question:
"It would be interesting to learn how the next person envisions open science in 10 years. The question is whether open science will have become the standard practice, thus no further initiatives on Open Science are needed, or whether efforts to convince the research community will still be necessary."
"Wow, that is another ‘some question’! I am not so sure that open science has become the standard 10 years from now. I have some feeling that artificial intelligence developments, largely now commercially dominated, will have huge influence on what we now perceive as open science. We may have to be (remain) very attentive what new pathways between science and society will be opened, and how open these will be."
What would you like to know from the next person in this ‘getting to know’ item?
"How do you feel about LCRDM in the international context of research data management?"
