Chemical information specialists play a pivotal role in a broad range of research areas; their work is critical in helping researchers understand and learn from collections of data and information. A data curator helps scientists gain knowledge from a collection of data by producing an accurate and consistent representation of the information. This presentation will focus on what becoming a data curator means in relation to the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). The CSD is the world’s only comprehensive database of small molecule crystal structures and contains over 850,000 entries. This wealth of structural data can be a powerful tool in both research and education. This is demonstrated by the database being used by over 1,200 academic institutions worldwide and knowledge derived from the collection of all known crystal structures has been applied to many scientific areas including drug discovery and the design of new materials. We will explore the key attributes, skills and expertise that are needed to become a data curator, before evaluating what life as a curator of the CSD involves. As with many chemical information careers, the role of a curator can be broad and varied and encompass many different disciplines and skills. These skills range from expert knowledge of chemical nomenclature and representation, expertise in abstracting and validating scientific information through to software development and the interpersonal skills required when interacting with contributors and users of the data. The presentation will conclude by looking at the impact the work to curate this database has had on society before discussing how this role is likely to evolve in the future.

Interpreting chemistry: A day in the life of a data curator

253rd National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.