Dryad

Logo for Dryad, which includes the name of the organization next to a small tree.

Open access to research data

The University of Nevada, Reno is now a member of Dryad, an open-access data repository where researchers can publish   finalized research data ready to be shared with the public. The repository is used worldwide to meet data publication mandates. Researchers at the University can use the platform for free as part of our ongoing commitment to open access and data sharing.

What can Dryad do for you?

Data preservation

Dryad securely stores and preserves your research data long-term, ensuring that valuable research information remains accessible for future use, scrutiny, or further analysis.

Data sharing

Dryad facilitates global, open access to your data, increasing the visibility and impact of your research, fostering collaboration, and encouraging the reuse of data.

Data citation

By assigning a unique DOI (Digital Object Identifier) to each data package, Dryad enables researchers to properly attribute and cite the source of the data, enhancing academic credit and traceability.

Meeting grant requirements

Dryad enables compliance with funding agencies including NIH and NSF, and also publishers' data sharing policies.

Get started with Dryad

Thinking of using Dryad for a project? Follow these steps to get started.

Step 1

Review the platform's submission and publication process

Step 2

Contact the Research Data Services team with any questions

Step 3

Setup your Dryad account

Setting up your account

We know that it can be a challenge to setup an account on a new service. So our Research Data Services team has put together instructions to help you through the process.

How to setup Dryad
Student working at a computer and laptop in the Knowledge Center.

What types of data can you upload to Dryad?

  • Dryad is able to ingest data for all disciplines across the University of Nevada, Reno. Some disciplines, however, have their preferred data repositories. If those other repositories meet your funding requirements you can keep using them.
  • Dryad does not accept any files with licensing terms that are incompatible with the Creative Commons Zero waiver. For more information, please see Good data practices: Removing barriers to data reuse with CC0 licensing.
  • Dryad accepts most file formats for data deposition (text, spreadsheets, video, photographs, code). However, it encourages users to use non-proprietary, open formats (like CSV for tabular data instead of Excel files) for better long-term preservation and accessibility.
  • Dryad allows for a total of 300GB per dataset submission. Individual files must not exceed 10GB each. Please check the latest guidelines on Dryad’s FAQs for additional details.

Prepping your data for Dryad

To prepare your data for Dryad, follow these steps.

  1. Organize: Create clear and concise folder structures with descriptive filenames.
  2. Format and clean: Standardize data formats, remove duplicates, and handle missing values.
  3. Provide documentation: Include a README file describing the dataset, variables, and any processing steps.
  4. Ensure legal and ethical compliance: Obtain necessary permissions and licenses for sharing sensitive data.
  5. Create a data package: Compress files into a single ZIP or TAR file for submission.
  6. Check metadata: Ensure metadata completeness and accuracy to enhance data discoverability and understanding.
  7. Test your package: Verify that the data can be easily accessed and understood by others before submitting it to Dryad.