Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI): Getting to Know UK Data Service

Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) Webinar Series - Overview

Starting in February 2026, we launched a series of webinars to showcase the digital research infrastructure projects and communities in the UK and beyond in collaboration with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Join us to learn about state-of-the-art initiatives that aim to advance research tools and techniques, foster collaboration and data sharing, and accelerate discoveries across a range of academic disciplines and sectors. And if you work on a research infrastructure project and are interested in being a guest speaker, please email us at info@dcc.ac.uk.

Digital Research Infrastructure Webinar Series: Getting to Know UK Data Service

Wednesday, 11 November 2026 | 14:00 - 15:00 (UTC +0)

Join us to learn more about UK Data Service from our guest speakers, Sam Campbell, Hina Zahid, and Maureen Haaker, who will give an overview of the UK Data Service, including the data, impact, and support for the social sciences research community.  

The UK Data Service is a key national data infrastructure funded by UKRI through the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). This webinar provides an overview of who we are and what we do, exploring how we support the social science research community and beyond.

The session will introduce our extensive range of research-ready surveys, longitudinal, census, qualitative and international data collections available for free for secondary analysis.

It will also showcase the range of guidance offered throughout the research lifecycle, including a brief overview of our free data deposit service, explaining how researchers can easily share their social sciences data collections responsibly. We will also highlight our newly launched Data Producer Support pages, designed to support data producers, enhance data-sharing practices, and maximise the long-term impact of research outputs.

Participants will leave the session not only with a clear understanding of the UK Data Service, but also equipped with key resources, practical links, and guidance to help navigate our data and services effectively. 

Speaker Bios

This session will be led by members of the UK Data Service Data User Services and Insights team and the Collection Development and Data Producer Support team.

Sam Campbell (Data Access and Use Assistant) supports frontline operations at the UKDS Helpdesk, assisting users with account registrations, data catalogue searches, and navigation through data access.

Maureen Haaker (Data Producer Support Lead, Qualitative Data) works directly with those creating data collections, conducting data appraisals and reviews, and ensuring data collections are safely prepared for deposit. Alongside this work, she lead the delivery of specialist training, resources, and guidance to support data producers and lead impactful projects in areas such as synthetic data, qualitative digitisation, and data management tools development. 

Agenda

• 14:00 - 14:05 Introduction and housekeeping
• 14:05 - 14:45 Introduction to the RDS and its services
• 14:45 - 14:55 Q&A
• 14:55 - 15:00 Close

This free webinar is open to all. Register for the event to receive joining information.

The session will be recorded.