From Paper to Digital: The Human and Technical Challenges in Implementing Electronic Lab Notebooks for FAIR Data
In our pursuit of advancing research and supporting academic excellence, we are dedicated to integrating research data management (RDM) services that are not only effective but also automated and sustainable. As the demand for robust research data infrastructure grows, engaging with experts, stakeholders, and the broader community becomes crucial to understanding and addressing the evolving needs of data management.
Join us for an insightful virtual workshop where Dr. Samantha Pearman-Kanza will present “From Paper to Digital: The Human and Technical Challenges in Implementing Electronic Lab Notebooks for FAIR Data”. This session will explore the complex sociotechnical challenges of implementing Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELNs), revealing how successful adoption goes beyond technology to truly enhance data management, foster collaboration, and uphold research integrity.
This event will be held on September 1st, 2025, 2-3 pm CEST. The FDM Webinar Series is organized and hosted by the CMS-Team for Research Data Management at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. To participate please REGISTER before the event.
About this talk
The growing awareness that most published scientific research data fail to meet FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) has sparked a strong push to adopt digital tools in laboratories—most notably Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELNs). Yet, implementing an ELN is far from straightforward. It’s a complex sociotechnical challenge, fraught with diverse barriers and critical considerations that must be addressed to ensure success.
Moreover, adopting an ELN is only the beginning. Digital tools and data are no more FAIR than traditional paper lab books if they are not fully leveraged. True FAIRness requires intentional use and cultural change alongside technology.
Join me to explore the multifaceted challenges of ELN implementation and discover strategies to navigate this journey effectively—transforming digital adoption into lasting improvements in research data management.
About the speakers
Dr. Samantha Pearman-Kanza is a Senior Enterprise Fellow at the University of Southampton. She is the Principal Investigator for the Careers and Skills for Data-driven Research Network (CaSDaR), and the Pathfinder Lead on Process Recording for the Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure (PSDI) Initiative - www.psdi.ac.uk. She sits on the Advisory Boards for the Future Labs Live Conference in Basel, London Labs Live in the UK, the Machines Learning Chemistry Project at the University of Nottingham, and the Knowledger Project at the University of North Florida, in addition to being a member of the UK electronic information Group (UKeiG) STRIX Committee. She is a regular columnist for the Lab Horizons Magazine under the name CompSci Cat, discussing important issues around process recording and FAIR data. Her key research areas are ELNs, process recording, FAIR data, data stewardship and research data management, and semantic web technologies.
Registration
To join this event, please register in advance. You will then receive Zoom access information via e-mail. Registration Link.
About this Event
The online event series, organized by the CMS, aims at addressing relevant topics around the development of the research data management and infrastructure. After a 30-minute presentation on a designated topic, we invite all participants to join in for a fruitful conversation.
Research Data Management at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Research Data Management (RDM) encompasses a range of aspects, from technical solutions and documentation to the requirements of funding bodies. For more information, please refer to this link.
Contact
Fadwa Alshawaf, Team Lead Research Data Management
Email: fadwa.alshawaf@hu-berlin.de