What is the RDMLA?

The Research Data Management Academy (RDMLA) is a global, free online professional development program for librarians, information professionals, or other professionals who work in a research-intensive environment. The curriculum focuses on the knowledge and skills needed to collaborate with researchers and other stakeholders on data management. RDMLA features a unique partnership between a library and information science academic program, academic health sciences and research libraries, and industry publisher. All of the content is hosted on Canvas Network, freely available, and open for reuse under a CC-BY-NC-SA license.


What is the RDMLA Symposium?

The RDMLA Symposium is a way to further engage the RDMLA community and to discuss trending and timely topics in RDM, with the inaugural theme “Data and Communities: Intersections of Truth, Silence, Access, and Identity.” This one-day virtual event is open to anyone who is interested in learning more about the unexplored gaps and margins in our understanding and use of data, how data is used to define the borders/boundaries of communities, the ways the use of data legitimizes and delegitimizes certain viewpoints, and the consequences of the ways we define, process, code, and analyze data.

The Symposium will be held virtually on Friday, April 22, 2022. The meeting is generously hosted by RDMLA and Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.


Symposium Leadership and Committee Members

RDMLA Leadership:

  • Elaine Martin, D.A., Director and Chief Administrative Officer, Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
  • Rong Tang, Ph.D., Professor, Simmons University, School of Library and Information Science
  • Gwen Evans, Vice President, Global Library Relations, Elsevier

RDMLA Symposium Planning Committee:

  • Andrew Creamer, Brown University Library
  • A’Llyn Ettien, Alumni Medical Library, Boston University
  • Ashley Thomas, Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
  • Danielle Pollock, School of Library and Information Science, Simmons University
  • Danielle Westmark, McGoogan Health Sciences Library, University of Nebraska Medical Center
  • Iris Jahng, Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
  • Rebecca Morin, Hirsh Health Sciences Library, Tufts University
  • Scott Lapinski, Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School


Symposium FAQs

When is the RDMLA Symposium?

The RDMLA Symposium will be held on Friday, April 22, 2022, beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET/UTC-4. This will be a virtual event.

How much does the Symposium cost?

The RDMLA Symposium aims to keep the event accessible to anyone who would like to participate. Registration is free but is required. Register today for the Symposium here.

Can I submit a proposal?

Submissions are now closed.

I would like to sponor the Symposium.

Thank you so much for your generosity! Please email Ashley Thomas, RDMLA Coordinator, at rdmla.help@gmail.com for more information.