The National Research Data Infrastructure for Materials Science and Engineering (NFDI-MatWerk) aims to transform the management and utilization of research data in the field of materials science and engineering. Our main objectives are:

• Integration and Inclusion of Stakeholders:

  We place the individual materials scientist at the center of our efforts. By involving all relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process, we ensure that their perspectives and needs are addressed. This includes stimulating an active exchange of opinions, ideas, and experiences within the community. We do this by developing collaborative platforms, hosting interactive workshops, and organizing an annual conference. These initiatives are designed to increase engagement, facilitate knowledge sharing, and build a cohesive and inclusive research community. 

  This will be achieved by Task Area Community Interaction (TA-CI).

• Reliable Digital Platform:

  Our goal is to create a reliable digital platform known as the Digital Materials Environment (DME). This platform will serve as a comprehensive repository for materials data and metadata specific to Materials Science and Engineering. It will provide services for easily storing, sharing, searching, and analyzing data and metadata while ensuring data integrity, provenance, and authorship. The DME will serve as the backbone for materials data management, supporting seamless data interaction and fostering collaboration among researchers across institutions.

  This will be achieved by Task Area Materials Data Infrastructure (TA-MDI).

• Comprehensive Software Framework:

  We are developing a robust software framework within the DME that will allow users to easily share workflows and implement automated protocols for experimental and modeling studies. This framework will integrate workflows with the underlying materials data, thereby increasing productivity and improving the quality of data processing and simulation. By providing a unified approach to the management and use of research workflows, the software framework will support efficient research practices and streamline data-driven processes.

  This will be achieved by Task Area Workflows and Software Development (TA-WSD).

• Unified Materials Ontology:

  Our objective is to develop and integrate a unified materials ontology. This ontology will include private ontologies for individual tools, contributing to the construction of a comprehensive Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) knowledge graph. It will ensure that data is discoverable, accessible, and reusable through its metadata, improving data interoperability and reusability. By organizing and standardizing material data, the unified ontology will enable more efficient data collection, integration and use within the community.

  This will be achieved by Task Area Ontologies for Materials Sciences (TA-OMS). 

• Strategic Community-Driven Development:

  Our objective is to enable community-driven strategic development towards digital transformation in Materials Science and Engineering. This involves continuously analyzing the current state of the field, formulating strategies, implementing actions, and evaluating their effectiveness. We engage with the community through participant projects and infrastructure use cases to guide the development of our digital infrastructure. This approach ensures that the evolving needs and challenges of the MSE community are addressed through a dynamic and responsive development process.

  This will be achieved by Task Area Strategy Development (TA-SD).

• Interdisciplinary Networking and Community Engagement:

  We aim to strengthen our links with related disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology and engineering, as well as with other NFDI consortia and international initiatives. By fostering these interdisciplinary networks, we promote the broader integration and synergy that are essential for addressing complex scientific challenges. In addition, we use specific participant projects to reflect real-world scientific needs and guide the development and implementation of our digital infrastructure. These projects ensure that our infrastructure is aligned with the evolving needs of the Materials Science and Engineering community.

  This will be achieved by Task Area Community Interaction (TA-CI).

• Support for Advanced Technologies:

  A key goal is to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to materials science. We support this by providing high-quality data repositories that enable researchers to effectively apply these advanced technologies. Our infrastructure is designed to be flexible and adaptable to the dynamic and multiscale nature of materials data. This flexibility allows for the seamless integration of new technologies and methodologies, enhancing the ability to handle diverse data types and research scenarios.

  This will be achieved by Task Area Materials Data Infrastructure (TA-MDI).

• Quality and Accessibility:

  Ensuring high data quality and accessibility is a cornerstone of our infrastructure. We implement robust data quality assurance measures, including the development of curated reference datasets that provide a reliable data base for the community. We are also committed to adhering to the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles. This ensures that all data managed by our infrastructure is maximally accessible and reusable, facilitating efficient data sharing and collaboration.

  This will be achieved by Task Area Ontologies for Materials Sciences (TA-OMS).

Our objectives aim to support users in their implementation of the DFG guidelines:

• Data description
• Documentation and data quality
• Storage and technical security during the project
• Legal obligations and frameworks
• Data exchange and long-term accessibility of data
• Responsibilities and resources