UVM Dataverse

The University of Vermont (UVM) Dataverse is an open-access data repository designed to share, preserve, and cite research data produced by UVM students, faculty, staff, and affiliated partners. Hosted on the Harvard Dataverse platform, it supports responsible data sharing aligned with ethical, legal, and institutional standards.

Who Can Deposit Data

Data publication is open to:

  • UVM students, faculty, and staff (NetID required)
  • UVM-affiliated research partners and community organizations (with sponsorship from a UVM affiliate or Dataverse Administrator)

While only authorized users may deposit data, anyone can browse, view, and download published datasets.

What Can Be Deposited

Researchers may deposit data, code, or documentation that meet the following criteria:

  • Not Restricted: No contractual, legal, or funder-imposed restrictions on publication
  • De-identified: No personally identifiable information (PII) or protected health data (HIPAA)
  • IRB-Compliant: Human-subjects research must include IRB approval or exemption
  • Finalized: Cleaned and prepared for publication
  • Well-Documented: Includes metadata such as title, authors, methods, and variable definitions

A wide variety of file formats are supported. When possible, we recommend open, non-proprietary formats such as .csv, .txt, .pdf, .jpg, .shp, .py, and .r.

Submission and Review Process

Publishing in the UVM Dataverse involves several steps:

  1. Intake Form: Submit metadata, documentation, and (if applicable) IRB approval for review. At this point, please reach out to the email below to start this process as the form is not yet online.
  2. Initial Review: A Dataverse Administrator will assess whether the dataset is suitable for publication.
  3. Data Curation: Upload the dataset for review, ensuring quality, format compliance, and adequate documentation.
  4. De-identification Check: Datasets involving human subjects will be reviewed to ensure privacy protections.
  5. Advisory Board Review (if needed): Higher-risk datasets may undergo additional scrutiny.
  6. Final Authorization & Publication: Once approved, the dataset is published with a DOI and access settings chosen by the depositor.

All submissions are archived along with metadata, IRB materials, and the depositor’s publication authorization.

Data Licensing & Usage

All datasets published in the UVM Dataverse must include a license or Data Use Agreement (DUA). Users must accept these terms before downloading.

Common License Options
Data Licenses:

  • CC0: Public domain dedication with no restrictions
  • CC-BY: Requires credit to the original creator
  • CC-BY-SA: Requires credit and that derivatives remain open
  • CC-BY-NC: Non-commercial use only
  • CC-BY-NC-SA: Non-commercial and share-alike

Code Licenses:

  • MIT: Permissive and widely used
  • GPL-3: Requires open licensing of derivative works
  • Apache: Includes patent protections

Custom DUAs may be developed for specific datasets in collaboration with Dataverse Administrators or the advisory board.

Community Norms and Ethical Use

All users must agree to Dataverse Community Norms, which promote responsible data reuse, appropriate attribution, and respect for the work of others. The platform is grounded in UVM’s values of transparency, ethics, and public service.

Questions or Interested in Depositing?

Contact our Dataverse team at kendall.fortney@uvm.edu.