New Report Showcases Practical Applications of Dimensions

Developed in partnership with over 100 leading research organizations around the world, Dimensions aims to break down barriers to discovery and innovation by enabling users to find and access the most relevant information faster, analyze the academic and broader outcomes of research more effectively, and gather better insights to inform future activities.

Crucially, Dimensions brings together and links datasets relating to different aspects of research, including grants awarded, articles and books published, clinical trials, and patents filed. Through the use of standard categorical systems and reference databases such as GRID, it is possible to aggregate diverse data across countries, research organizations and disciplines.

A report released today by the Consultancy team at Digital Science takes a closer look at some of the research insights that can be gathered using the new Dimensions platform, with a focus on the benefits of its collaborative approach to development. Use cases featured in the report, the majority of which were initially proposed by Dimensions Development Partner Program participants, include:

• Analysis of funder investment and publication outcomes for specific disease types
• The geographical spread of funding in the arts and humanities
• The effects of the Quantum Technology Research Strategy in the UK
• Co-analysis of grants, outputs and patents highlighting national strategies and innovative technologies
• The creation of a composite indicator measuring grants awarded versus articles published

Commenting on the release of the report Professor Jonathan Adams, Chief Scientist at Digital Science, said,

“The release of Dimensions heralds an exciting new era for research discovery and information management as unprecedented amounts of diverse data are aggregated around research activities.”

Data Scientist Dr. Martin Szomszor said,

“The power of linking data using standardised categorisation and geographic referencing systems will support the development of new metrics and, consequently, new ways of understanding the research ecosystem.”

The report is available now and can be found here on Figshare.