How does the ongoing generative AI boom affect researchers, including PhD students? What can we learn from it, which parts can be integrated into our daily work? And how do these innovations connect to Open Science and Research Data Management?

Open data, open methods, and reproducible and transparent research are increasingly endorsed by funders, publishers, institutions, and learned societies. But is there a tention between using AI and opening up your methods? Can ChatGPT be part of a transparent research workflow? 

We will talk about various tools and share experiences with them. In this edition of the Data Conversations, we will dive into many open questions and see if we can create some clarity or if we just complicate things even more.

Researchers, Students and Staff from different Faculties, Institutes, Services and disciplines will have a chance to hear and learn from each other about their experiences.

Come and share your stories and hear others. Find the registration button at the bottom of this page.

Location: the meeting is IN PERSON at VU Campus

Agenda

12:00 - 12:15 Grab your lunch and get comfortable

12:15 - 12:30  Benno Kruit Past, present & future of AI for Data Wrangling

12:30 - 12:45 Janni Harju AI in academia: from code to communication

12:45 - 13:00 Joint Q&A

13:00 - 13:30 (optional) Further discussion, sharing ideas and experiences and networking

Abstracts

Benno Kruit Past, present & future of AI for Data Wrangling

Working with messy, semi-structured data is unavoidable in the daily grind of data analysis & science. Can AI help us find and interpret other people's datasets, or improve the ones we publish ourselves? In this talk, we'll look into how AI has been used to improve dataset search engines and analysis platforms, and what developments we can expect in the near future.

Janni Harju AI in academia: from code to communication

The Physics of Living System section’s AI club aims to explore the potentials and pitfalls of using AI in research and teaching. In this talk, you will hear and see how the club’s members have been using generative AI to write and understand code, visualise science, and draft and stylise writing.

About the speakers

Benno Kruit

Benno Kruit is a postdoctoral researcher in the Knowledge in AI group. His research focuses on semi-automatically creating structured knowledge bases and data integration.

Janni Harju

Janni Harju is a 3rd year PhD student studying theoretical biophysics in the group of Chase Broedersz. Her work focuses on understanding chromosome organisation through a combination of theory and simulations.

What to expect?

Data Conversations will feature two short talks from researchers or colleagues who support research. Each talk will be about 10 minutes long. There will be a joint Q&A after the talks.

If you attend in person, don't miss the free lunch at the beginning of the event! Those who are willing to stay longer than an hour are welcome to continue discussion and networking after the presentations. 

Who should attend?

Data Conversations brings together researchers, research support staff and data management and data science experts from all subject areas. Early career researchers, as well as experienced academics, are welcome to attend.

For those who can join us in person, there will be lunch which includes vegetarian and vegan sandwiches and wraps.

About Data Conversations

Data Conversations started at the University of Lancaster in the UK. The Lancaster Data Conversations aim to bring data practitioners together to talk about how researchers create, collect, use and share data. The Data Conversations at the VU Amsterdam share the same aim and are intended to provide a forum for researchers from different subjects and disciplines to exchange practices and ideas around open data, FAIR data, research data management and related open science topics.

Call for Talks

You can attend and benefit from your colleagues' experiences or come and present your own experiences. We welcome short talks on topics related to Open Science and Reproducible Research from early career researchers as well as from more experienced academics and research support staff. This is an informal and inclusive event, so whether you are a seasoned presenter or a first-timer, your contribution will be welcome.

If you would like to propose a talk, please complete this form.