One platform cannot solve everything: FID GEO’s Collaborative Approach to Open Science

The Fachinformationsdienst für Geowissenschaften (FID GEO) is a DFG funded initiative that has been supporting the geoscience community for nearly a decade. It provides publication services through its partner domain repositories GFZ Data Services (for research data and software) and GEO-LEOe-docs (for text publications). FID GEO promotes digital transformation and Open Science practices through workshops, publications, conference contributions and engagement in thematic events. Its activities are aligned with international developments, striving to synchronize national progress with global standards and best practices for data management and distribution. Collaboration is a cornerstone of FID GEO's work.

For many years, researchers have expressed a strong desire for a ‘single source’ platform to manage growing datasets, publications and projects. And yet, the complexity of existing infrastructures is often overwhelming. A one-size-fits-all solution is neither technically feasible nor sustainably maintainable. Instead, widespread implementations of machine-readable (meta)data standards offer a path forward, enabling links between distributed data systems and the persistent identification of authors and institutions. Competing infrastructures, limited funding, and overlapping goals further complicate the landscape. FID GEO addresses these challenges through collaboration and guidance, helping researchers navigate this complex landscape and demonstrating practical ways to make scientific outputs visible, reusable and aligned with the FAIR and Open Science principles.

This presentation will share best practices, lessons learned, and future directions for fostering a collaborative and open research environment. FID GEO envisions a geoscience community empowered by shared data and collaborative infrastructures, better equipped to address pressing global challenges.