Data management planning
IT@DU provides data management planning consultation to researchers. This planning can include identifying where PII (personally identifiable information) data can be stored as securely as possible while following HIPAA, FERPA, NIST, GDPR, other data protection regulations and rules established by the campus Institutional Review Board. Current locations where data can be securely stored and supported are: dedicated research share, inside of a REDCap project, or utilizing OneDrive as part of Office365.
Additionally, research or business continuity planning can also be explored to help a research lab resume data collection in the event of hardware failure or other negative event that would damage, corrupt, or destroy data.
Research lab consultation
IT@DU can assist new or existing researchers with discovering, evaluating, procuring, and implementing technologies needed to conduct their research. Technologies previously evaluated include specialized audio/visual systems (e.g., Noldus Observer, Tobii eye trackers), computers to use for data collection, quick/not-intensive statistical analysis, computational workstations, and specialized software for use with scientific instruments or to conduct a specific task (e.g., E-Prime, ArcGIS).
IT@DU can provide assistance throughout the Technology Review process for new software, server/cloud-based services, and other technologies. We can also provide test-infrastructure/servers for conducting proof-of-concept evaluations, as needed. Past proofs-of-concept brought into production include Project REDCap and a VDI desktop pool for the Pardee Center for International Futures for use in developing and updating the International Futures (IFs) model, the most sophisticated and comprehensive forecasting modeling system available to the public.
Project REDCap
Project REDCap is a service which allows for managing and collecting research data in a secure central server location. Support for REDCap is provided by a partnership between IT@DU and University Libraries. IT@DU provides access control, enabling of research project data collection (IRB protocol approval required) and system maintenance and management. University Libraries provides use tutorials, feature support, and troubleshooting.
Research technology tutorials
IT@DU provides research-specific tutorials about topics such as data security practices, including encryption and steps to take to prevent unintentional leakage of PII, HIPAA, or FERPA data and using encryption software or other encryption solutions.