The agriRDM project is a collaborative initiative between Teagasc and University College Dublin
(UCD) in Ireland, Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands, and ZALF
(Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research) in Germany. This project aims to enhance
RDM uptake in the agri-food research community by understanding the human factors behind
data management practices. By examining how researchers across different agricultural
disciplines handle and share data, agriRDM will develop targeted solutions and best practices
to foster a culture of data sharing and reuse. This MSc Walsh Scholarship position is a key part
of agriRDM, contributing research that will inform the development of interventions to build
an open, data-driven research culture in agriculture
This two-year Walsh Scholar MSc will be part of the agriRDM project and will investigate the
behavioural factors that influence agri-food researchers’ engagement with RDM. In particular,
the research will explore why some researchers readily adopt good data management and
sharing practices while others encounter resistance or obstacles. This will involve examining
motivations, attitudes, and perceived barriers across different agricultural disciplines (e.g.
animal science, crop science, environmental research, food technology, etc.), recognizing that
each field may have its own data culture and challenges.
To address these questions, the MSc will take a mixed-methods approach. The scholar will
deploy surveys to assess RDM practices and attitudes among researchers in Ireland, the
Netherlands, and Germany, followed by in-depth qualitative research (such as interviews or
focus groups) to gain deeper insight into discipline-specific needs. Established behaviour
change models will be applied to identify key drivers and barriers affecting researchers’ RDM
behaviours. By comparing findings across disciplines and countries, the project will pinpoint
what incentives, support mechanisms, or training can effectively encourage researchers to
embrace best-practice RDM. The ultimate goal is to provide practical recommendations and
develop interventions that help build an open, data-driven research culture in agriculture.
All further information and application procedures can be found in this document.