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Office of the Chief Science Data Officer

A light blue circular graphic identifier, which contains stars, a satellite, and a DNA strand. A jagged graph line cutting through the middle of the circle represents NASA science data. Everything lies on a dark blue background.

The Office of the Chief Science Data Officer (OCSDO) within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) plays a pivotal role in advancing transformative science. Established in 2021, the OCSDO focuses on identifying and fostering collaborations in data, computing, and analytics across NASA’s astrophysics, biological and physical sciences, Earth science, heliophysics, and planetary science divisions.

Led by Kevin Murphy, Chief Science Data Officer, the OCSDO collaborates with the five science divisions within the SMD to drive innovation in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data science. The OCSDO is committed to fostering cutting-edge data practices, open science, and the continuous evolution of scientific data and computing systems. By ensuring NASA’s scientific data are available and usable by researchers world wide, the OCSDO contributes significantly to scientific progress.

Mission Statement

The Office of the Chief Science Data Officer (OCSDO) enables groundbreaking discoveries by expanding the availability and utility of NASA scientific data.

The OCSDO provides leadership across NASA’s Science Mission Directorate to make scientific processes more efficient through data and computing systems, innovative data science techniques, and transparent open science practices.

Portrait of Kevin Murphy, male, in front of a blue background wearing a black suit jacket and dark blue tie.
Kevin Murphy, Chief Science Data Officer
NASA

OCSDO Objectives

  • 01

    Data Availability

    Develop and oversee programs and projects to ensure that NASA’s science data are available to all, producing practical benefits for society.

  • 02

    Guidance

    Enable the adoption, monitor effectiveness of, and periodically update open science guidance for the Science Mission Directorate.

  • 03

    Technological Evolution

    Oversee the continuous evolution of SMD’s scientific data and computing capabilities, enabling efficiencies and meeting strategic needs across science divisions and research communities.

  • 04

    Advanced Data Science

    Develop strategies and activities to support the use of advanced data science techniques, including AI and machine learning, to meet SMD's science objectives.

  • 05

    Strategic Planning

    Maintain and update the SMD Strategic Plan for Data Management and Computing every five years.

  • 06

    Partnerships

    Develop and maintain strategic partnerships to increase the adoption of open science and the use of advanced data science tools and techniques to drive scientific discovery.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

The OCSDO advances scientific discovery through innovative applications and partnerships in data science, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Learn More about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Green, orange, blue and purple blobs of glowing light mingle with the shining galaxies in a massive cluster. Blue and green is concentrated in the middle and orange and purple is in splotches on the outskirts.
This composite image shows dark matter, galaxies, and hot gas in the merging galaxy cluster Abell 520. Artificial intelligence at NASA has been used to conduct research in many areas, including astrophysics.
NASA, ESA, CFHT, CXO, M.J. Jee (University of California, Davis), and A. Mahdavi (San Francisco State University)

Core Data and Computing

The OCSDO continuously evolves data and computing systems for efficiency, sustainability, security, and scientific integrity.

Learn More about Core Data and Computing
The night lights of North America as viewed from Earth's orbit.
NASA's state-of-the-art Earth science satellites generate unprecedented quantities of data on our planet’s vital signs. Cloud computing can help researchers make the most of those troves of information.
NASA Earth Observatory

Open Science

The OCSDO supports transparent, trustworthy, and reproducible science through open science tools, practices, and guidance.

Learn More about Open Science
Studying Biological Impacts of Space Radiation
Making space biology data, such as this simulation of radiation effects on the human brain, openly available helps scientists get important answers more quickly and encourages innovation.
Estrella Passerat de la Chapelle, Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, and Egle Cekanaviciute, NASA’s Ames Research Center

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NASA Science Data

The Science Data Portal provides a comprehensive list of NASA Science Mission Directorate data repositories.

Explore NASA Science Data
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OCSDO Year in Review 2024

Learn about the OCSDO's accomplishments promoting science data discovery and innovation in the year 2024.

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The information produced as part of NASA’s scientific research activities represents a significant public investment. Learn more about how and when it should be shared.

Two spiral galaxies take up almost the entire view and appear to be overlapping. The galaxy at left, IC 2163, is smaller and more compact than the galaxy at right, NGC 2207. The black background of space is dotted with foreground stars and extremely distant galaxies.

The NASA Strategy for Open Science

The Strategy for Data Management and Computing for Groundbreaking Science 2019-2024 was developed through community input and has guided NASA’s approach to open science.

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