Experimental Data Management Policy

Diamond is committed to ensuring that there is transparency in the manner in which Experimental Data produced using Diamond Facilities is owned, stored, accessed and managed.

The purpose of this policy is to provide Users conducting Peer Reviewed Research with information and guidance on Experimental Data ownership, storage, access and management and to ensure that Experimental Data is managed and used in ways that maximises public benefit.

This policy applies to Users of Diamond Facilities who conduct Peer Reviewed Research and produce Experimental Data.

Experimental Data arising from Proprietary Research is not covered by this policy and is subject to separate contractual arrangements.

Diamond’s Directors have overall responsibility for this policy. Any queries or suggestions relating to this policy should be sent to policies@diamond.ac.uk.

Experimental data is User Generated Data and all associated Metadata.

Ownership of Experimental Data is determined by the contractual obligations of the Users. These contractual obligations may be to the Users' Establishment(s), to other Users on the Experimental Proposal, to grant funding agencies or to other third parties, or it may be a pre-existing contractual obligation to Diamond.

Experimental Data will be stored by Diamond for a minimum period of 30 days from the date of its creation.   Following this initial storage period, Diamond will create a single archive copy of the Experimental Data for long-term access.  If more resilient long-term storage is required, this is the Users’ responsibility.

Subject to the section 'Where and how long with the Experimental Data be stored' above, during the Embargo Period (3 years from the date on which the User Generated Data is produced at Diamond), access to the Experimental Data will be restricted to the Experimental Team, and Diamond Employees and authorised Diamond service providers, for support and other facility related purposes.

Diamond shall use reasonable endeavours to preserve the confidentiality of Experimental Data during the Embargo Period.

After the Embargo Period, Diamond may make Experimental Data available on an open access basis under a CC-BY-4.0 licence.

Any PI or PI's Establishment that wishes to extend the Embargo Period for an additional 12 months at a time shall be entitled to submit an advance written request to Diamond's User Office within 3 months of the end of the Embargo Period. The request should specify the reasons for the proposed extension and will be considered and decided upon at a meeting of Diamond' Executive.

Users are responsible for meeting any third-party data management obligations that may be applicable.

Users are required to acknowledge the source of the Experimental Data and publish all publishable Peer Reviewed Research on an open access basis and in a timely and responsible manner.

This policy may be amended by us from time-to-time and it shall be your responsibility to comply with the terms of this policy from 1st April 2019 and any published amendments thereafter.

This policy was last updated and published on our website on 18th December 2018.