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The objective of the call is to initiate and facilitate activities that address practical challenges in the field of metadata generation and data enrichment. The call aims at funding promising collaborative projects with the potential to add new knowledge and solutions to the wider HMC framework and the Helmholtz FAIR data space, with the potential to sustainably propel the respective metadata community.

All projects are expected to support the establishment of a Helmholtz FAIR data space. This can be demonstrated amongst other things, through linking data assets via relevant technologies or by working towards innovative recommendations for policy and practice.

HMC welcomes proposals in all areas relevant to metadata.

A maximum of € 200,000 can be applied for from the Initiative and Networking Fund (INF), counter-financing of at least the same amount must be provided by the participating centres. Altogether, a total of approx. € 400,000 is possible for a maximum of 2 years.

An HMC project addresses one or more overarching goals:

• Further metadata generation with interoperable, high quality metadata standards, vocabularies, semantics and/or ontologies.

• Adopt or develop tools for data enrichment (e.g. automated metadata generation for recording dataset descriptions and workflows), metadata quality assessment and/or curation.adopt or develop tools to further metadata quality assessment and metadata curation

• Promote interdisciplinary collaboration between metadata experts and domain scientists; collaborations between Helmholtz research fields are encouraged.

1) Novel strategies for the automatic generation or exchange of metadata

Suggestions for use cases include:

• Harmonization of machine interfaces for data base and repository ingest/exchange,

• Connection to the Helmholtz FAIR Data Space:

  • application of FAIR Digital Objects (FDO) in scientific workflows

  • implementing prerequisites for metadata harvesting to the Helmholtz Knowledge Graph (KG),

• Maintaining (meta)data from orphaned data, for example in case of decommissioned infrastructure or retiring staff,

• Exposure of metadata and harvesting from pre-existing data sources, for example machine-actionable data management plans, workflow tools, or instruments.

2) The innovative integration and/or application of persistent identifiers (PIDs) in diverse contexts

This could include:

• Integration of PIDs in the research workflow, for example samples/specimens,

• Automatic generation of PID graphs,

• The application of FAIR Digital Objects (FDOs),

• Reuse of data enabled by Research Object (RO) crates.

3) Approaches to achieve metadata interoperability

Potential topics include:

• Interfaces between metadata generating tools, for example electronic lab notebooks,

• Crosswalks between metadata schemata, ontologies, or other semantic artefacts,

• Agile approaches to the development, extension, or alteration of existing schemata.

The call for applications is open to all employees of the Helmholtz Association. An application must be submitted by partners from at least two different Helmholtz Centres (or two AST programmes respectively); external partners are possible.

29.04.2024, 10:00-13:00h: More information here, registration here.

16.05.2024, 11:00-14:00h: More information here, registration here.

During our information events you have the opportunity to:

• Get more information on the call,

• Get in touch with our Metadata Hubs and FAIR Data Commons,

• Ask live questions,

• Meet potential project partners.

You further have the opportunity to pitch your project idea.

HMC Project Proposals must be submitted via the Project Proposal Portal.
The HMC Call 2024 (PDF) can be found here.
All further material (including relevant templates) will can be downloaded here.

For formal questions concerning the HMC project call, please write to
project-proposal(at)helmholtz-metadaten.de
to reach the HMC Office and the Helmholtz Association's Head Office.

For formal questions concerning running projects, please write to project-office(at)helmholtz-metadaten.de.

For topic-related questions, please contact your relevant HMC Hub.