The University of Iowa has updated its Research Data Policy to address current federal and university requirements related to research security, information technology, and research data sharing and management.
Key provisions include:
- University ownership: Research data generated through research conducted under university oversight generally belong to the university, not the individual researcher.
- Secure storage on university systems: Researchers must store research data securely on university-owned or university-managed devices or systems, or in approved university locations, rather than on personal devices or unauthorized storage services.
- Artificial intelligence (AI) use approvals: Researchers must obtain approval from Information Technology Services (ITS) before entering research data into externally sourced AI tools.
- Data sharing and transfer agreements with external parties: To share research data outside the university—including with collaborators, investigators, students who have just graduated, and with postdocs who have left the university—researchers must secure institutional approval in an appropriate written agreement, such as a data use agreement (DUA) or an existing research agreement.
- Individual and departmental responsibility for data retention: The principal investigator (PI) or research team must retain research data for the required period. If the PI or research team members leave the university, the department must ensure that research data remain accessible and are properly retained.
All university faculty, staff, postdocs, and students working on research projects are responsible for understanding and adhering to this policy.
For question about the policy, contact Jennifer Lassner, senior associate vice president for research: [email protected].