Research IT

Electronic Research Notebooks Group Launched

We’re excited to announce the launch of a new CaDiR group, serving as a hub for all things related to Electronic Research Notebooks (ERNs). Whether you’re curious about ERNs, directly involved in the Research Lifecycle Programme’s ERN project, or just want to stay informed, this group is the place to be!

What Are Electronic Research Notebooks (ERNs)?

Electronic Research Notebooks (ERNs) are digital platforms designed to create, store, retrieve, and share research records while complying with legal, regulatory, technical, and scientific standards. These systems capture experimental data and metadata in a structured, searchable format, offering several advantages:

  • Promoting Open, Reproducible, and Responsible Research – fostering transparency and integrity in scientific studies.
  • Enhanced Security – ensuring research data and metadata remain protected.
  • Cost Efficiency – lowering per-user notebook license costs while expanding accessibility.
  • Improved Searchability – enabling users to quickly locate data through advanced tagging and search functions.

What is the ERN project?

As part of the Research Lifecycle Programme, the ERN project aims to implement at least one ERN system tailored to the University's research community. By integrating user requirements with state-of-the-art functionality, the project seeks to provide an effective digital research solution. Currently, the team is finalising functional requirement gathering and shortlisting commercially available ERN platforms. Using an evidence-based approach, insights from engagement exercises are being mapped to existing ERN software, helping determine which solutions will proceed to the testing phase.

The ERN CaDiR group

The group is guided by:

Dr James Bird – Project Manager (Research Lifecycle Programme)
After using ERNs during his PhD here at the University, James now leads the implementation of a university-wide ERN system, championed by researchers across disciplines.

Qingyi Mao (Moy) – Intern (Research Lifecycle Programme)
Moy is an IT Intern in the RLP team, with a keen interest in data science and visualisation. Moy has been instrumental in coding functional requirements based on researcher feedback, helping the team make data-driven decisions.

Join today

The group has it's own channel within the CaDiR Teams Space, join here.