What We’re Working On

RAMS is the operational platform used by UC Nature to manage research projects, visits, facilities, and station access. It has recently been released as open-source software, creating new opportunities for collaboration and future adoption.

Current work includes improving the platform while making it easier to extend with FAIR Station capabilities.

We are using RAMS to test the minimum viable product (MVP) for FAIR Station: a focused first set of capabilities designed to test whether the approach creates value in a real operational environment.

We are testing how research information captured during field station workflows can remain connected to the research that follows.

Current focus areas include:

• ORCID connections for researchers
• ROR identifiers and normalization for institutions
• improving accessibility, security, and maintainability of RAMS
• exploring ways to identify datasets, publications, and other outputs resulting from FSML-supported research
• improving reporting and visibility for station managers

RAMS gives us a production environment where we can build and test new capabilities, measure how they work, and learn how researchers and station managers respond to them.

At the same time, we are studying how other field stations and marine laboratories manage research intake, reservations, and research information.

Current work includes:

• interviews with station managers
• analysis of existing systems and workflows
• review of forms and the information stations already collect
• engagement with the Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS) and related community efforts
• identifying shared use cases, challenges, and potential adoption pathways

These findings will help us understand where needs are shared, where they differ, and what FAIR Station should test and build next.