After an Eventful Summer, ICPSR’s RDE Team Looks Ahead to More Innovation This Fall

As we head into the fall months in Michigan, we look back on an eventful spring and summer for the Research Data Ecosystem (RDE) team at ICPSR.

June brought the 2025 ICPSR Biennial Meeting to the University of Michigan campus, where attendees received an exclusive preview of ICPSR’s modernized research data platform—supported by the largest NSF grant ever awarded to the social sciences. In the interactive workshop, “Unlocking the Future of Data: A Sneak Peek into ICPSR’s Modernized Software Platform,” RDE Managing Director Jeannette Jackson and Aalap Doshi, Director of ICPSR Computing and Network Services, demonstrated how the new platform supports next-generation data types like video and geospatial formats, while integrating AI-powered tools to streamline research workflows. A highlight of the session was TurboCurator, a new tool that uses artificial intelligence to simplify the creation of high-quality, FAIR-aligned metadata. Attendees experienced live demonstrations and were invited to provide feedback to help further refine these tools.

To keep the conversation going, ICPSR will host a follow-up webinar in the coming weeks to explore more features of the new platform. Details will be announced soon, and all are welcome.

Earlier in June, the RDE team also brought its expertise to the 2025 International Association for Social Science Information Services & Technology (IASSIST) Conference in Bristol, UK. At the session “How Are Data Archives Modernizing Their Platforms for FAIRness and Sustainability?” Margaret Levenstein, Steven McEachern, and Jeannette Jackson discussed strategies for the future of research data infrastructure. The team also showcased the poster “Enhancing Research Data Usability through TurboCurator: An AI-Driven Tool for Creating FAIR Metadata,” visually sharing how TurboCurator streamlines the metadata creation process.

This busy summer built on successes from earlier in the year, with TurboCurator previously highlighted at the Michigan IT 2024 Winter Innovation Expo. The momentum continued with presentations at Open Repositories 2025 and Dataverse 2025. Meanwhile, RDE Principal Investigator Maggie Levenstein was named a 2024 AAAS Fellow—recognition that underscores the team’s leadership in the field.

Stay tuned for more updates, event photos, and key takeaways as the RDE team continues to advance research data excellence into the fall and beyond.