Clusters and Research Infrastructures (RIs) are fundamental to OSTrails, enabling collaboration, data sharing, and resource integration across scientific disciplines. These infrastructures provide researchers with access to shared data and computational resources, fostering cross-disciplinary projects and broadening access to essential tools. Clusters ensure that research results and datasets remain compatible and interoperable, with RIs developing standards that facilitate data sharing and streamline collaboration, especially in large-scale projects.
By promoting open science principles, clusters and RIs make scientific data more accessible, transparent, and reusable, aligning closely with OSTrails' commitment to the FAIR principles. In addition, RIs support scientific innovation and sustainability through skills development programmes that enable researchers to use advanced methods and tools effectively.
Recently, several OSTrails partners from the SSHOC science cluster co-authored a poster that highlights the critical role of science clusters within OSTrails—contributing both to the project’s conceptual framework and the achievement of its overarching goals. At the recent CLARIN Annual Conference 2024, OSTrails SSHOC partners presented this poster during the Bazaar sessions, spotlighting the transformative potential of Scholarly Knowledge Graphs (SKGs) in promoting FAIR principles across the research landscape.
The poster underscored the urgent need to enhance the discoverability and interoperability of diverse research outputs and infrastructures. While existing SKG implementations and initiatives—such as the OpenAIRE Graph, OpenCitations, and DataCite/PID Graph— primarily focus on Digital Objects (DOs) like publications, the OSTrails project takes a unique approach by recognising the importance of capturing additional research context. Beyond traditional DOs, it emphasises the inclusion of critical components like processing services and equipment that significantly contribute to scientific outputs. This initiative underscores OSTrails’ commitment to a holistic, interdisciplinary knowledge framework, developed in collaboration with CLARIN, SSHOC, and other science clusters, to broaden the scope of open and connected research infrastructures.
