About the lab

The DataLab is a product of ZMT’s strategic digitalization initiative DigiZ, and is conceptualized and managed by the Data Science and Technology and Research Data Service groups. See Contact the lab for details.

Development of the lab began in 2020, coincidentally aligned with the broader pressures of remote working due to the pandemic, with the major aim to reduce the barriers to scientific collaboration — especially with ZMT’s tropical partners. The lab creates a scientific collaboration platform which brings together users, data and tools with a low barrier to entry.

A strategic goal at the DataLab is to operationalize ZMT’s “Open Science, Open Data” policy. A meaningful implementation involves an exchange of responsibilities between the lab and the user groups, as outlined in our Guiding Principles. Please refer to our Terms of Use for details.

While the lab managers follow an open development model for the strategic and operational aspects, a high degree of user autonomy is enabled through a community-driven model for establishing shared workflows.