UK Polar Data Centre team

The UK Polar Data Centre (UK PDC) is the focal point for Arctic and Antarctic environmental data management in the UK. Part of the Natural Environmental Research Council’s (NERC) Environmental Data Service and based at the British Antarctic Survey, we coordinate the preservation and management of polar data from UK-funded research and support researchers in complying with national and international data legislation and policy.

Our skills and experience reflect the broad and multi-disciplinary nature of polar research that produces data from all the Earth’s spheres. We provide guidance on best practice throughout the data management life cycle from data planning to developing tools for data discovery and access. We also provide operational data services, supporting data capture and transfer systems on UK polar stations, ships and aircraft. BAS ships and aircraft undertake some scientific research outside of polar and other ice-covered regions, therefore we also hold data from other areas within the British Antarctic Survey’s operational footprint.

Our main goal is to ensure that environmental data collected in the polar and cryospheric regions are made available and accessible to all in order to fully realise their reuse potential. This aim is in accordance with the NERC data policy and, for the Antarctic, upholds Article III 1(c) of the Antarctic Treaty. Whilst making data open, we also work to ensure that the original data collectors are properly acknowledged when data are reused through the creation of dataset citations.

As a data centre based primarily on geographical extent rather than scientific discipline we work closely with data scientists at the other NERC data centres and cooperate in many of our data management activities. The UK PDC represents the UK internationally on polar data issues through the SCAR Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management and the IASC sponsored Arctic Data Committee.