2025-26 Lunchtime Seminars

The 2026 Lunchtime Seminar Series will be held in a hybrid format and will introduce you to a broad array of services, tools and resources available at the University of Edinburgh. The seminars are an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of digital research tools and strategies and gaining exposure to tools and practices that enhance research productivity and visibility.

Open to postgraduates, academic staff and professional staff from across the University. In-person attendees are invited to join a networking lunch after the seminar.

2026 Seminars at a glance 

• Session 1: Planning Successful Research Projects on 23rd March 
• Session 2: Efficient Use of Data Storage and Computing on 30th April 
• Session 3: Managing Research Data for Better Outcomes on 14th May

Planning Successful Research Projects 

Monday 23rd March 2026 at Bayes Centre or Online via Teams 

• Gain awareness of the range of digital research services available at the university and opportunities to expand your digital and data skills
• Learn about research planning resources, including the development of Data Management Plans
• Discover how you can use AI when you develop a funding application
• Tips and tricks on identifying useful digital and data tools, services and resources

Contributors: Edinburgh Research Office, Research Data Support, Digital Skills, Research Facilitation

Efficient Use of Data Storage and Computing 

Thursday 30th April 2026 at Bayes Centre or Online via Teams 

• Explore DataStore, the institutional active research data storage facility
• Discover how you can use AI to perform automated systematic reviews
• Find out about supercomputing, cloud computing services and version control tools available to you
• Learn about sustainability in innovation and research practice

Contributors: Research Services, EDINA, Social Responsibility and Sustainability, Research Facilitation

Managing Research Data for Better Outcomes 

Thursday 14th May 2026 at Bayes Centre or Online via Teams 

• Understand the Research Data Management core concepts to ensure that your project adheres to FAIR principles and complies with institutional and funders’ requirements, including data sharing and long-term preservation of data.
• Acquire knowledge about enhancing your research profile presence through platforms like Pure and Edinburgh Research Explorer.

Contributors: Research Data Support, Research Information Systems, Research Facilitation

The 2025 Digital Research Lunchtime Seminars focus on the theme of "Conducting Digital Research Safely". These seminars present resources, services, and tools throughout the research lifecycle, helping the University community to maximize technology use without compromising safety and security. It is also an opportunity to connect with services and support teams to enhance your research.

Is there a safe way to engage with AI? - EDINA - 18th February 2025

EDINA colleagues will present ELM, the University of Edinburgh's AI innovation platform, along with Noteable and Digimap. The seminar will highlight EDINA’s services and technical expertise in geospatial analysis.

Highlights:

• Access AI technology and computational notebooks for research

• Discover GIS data

• Enhance your research with EDINA’s technical expertise across technologies

• Learn the latest updates from the Automated Literature Reviews project

Safe & secure research data storage - Research Services - 18th March 2025

Join research services colleagues for a seminar on data storage solutions (DataStore), data exchange with external collaborators (DataSync), version control (GitLab), supercomputing (Eddie), and cloud computing (Eleanor).

Highlights:

• Store and organize your research data securely

• Access research computing services

• Implement version control efficiently

Research Planning

Lunchtime Session 1: How to plan and design your research project better

This session will provide overview presentations of available services and support for planning your research project, including the following:

• Research Data Management Planning to comply with funders’ requirements
• DMPOnline, the online platform for the development of DMPs
• Developing data skills to assist you conducting your project
• Resource Finder to build your personalised toolkit
• Research Computing Funding checklist to budget your project properly
• Research Funding Support provided by Edinburgh Research Office
  

Contributors: Edinburgh Research Office, Research Data Support, Digital Skills, Research Facilitation

Lunchtime Session 2: How to store and organise your data 

27th February 2024

This session will provide overview presentations of available services and support for data storage and organization of your research data, including the following:

• Services to store your data properly and safely
• Services to enable collaborations with data within UoE and beyond
• Version control services

Contributors: Research Services, Open Science Framework, Research Facilitation

Lunchtime Session 3: How to interpret and analyse your data efficiently 

13th March 2024

This session will provide overview presentations of available services and support for interpretation and analysis, including the following:

• Free at the point of use high-performance and cloud computing services at The University of Edinburgh
• Regional and National supercomputing services
• Automated Systematic Reviews

Contributors: Research Services, EPCC, EIDF, EDINA, Research Facilitation

Lunchtime Session 4: How to manage, publish, share and preserve your work effectively 

2nd April 2024

This session will provide overview presentations of available services and support for sharing and preservation of research data and publications of research outputs, including the following:

• Repositories to share your data openly and long-term preservation
• Management of your research profile
• Publication Support

Contributors: Research Data Services, Library Research Support, Research Facilitation