SAPRI: advancing marine and polar research through collaborative data management

The southern polar region is a system of interconnected physical and ecological components comprising the Antarctic continent, sub-Antarctic islands, the Southern Ocean and deep ocean basins surrounding South Africa. The Antarctic region is hence climatically, ecologically and socio-economically linked to South Africa, and the vast range of disciplines require a holistic approach. The vision of the recently established South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI) is to facilitate balanced and transformed research across polar disciplines, and to maintain and further expand the world-class, long-term research infrastructure and datasets already established in South African polar and marine research. SAPRI aims to advance this research by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and efficient data management. By integrating diverse research domains, which includes Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS), SAPRI facilitates a holistic understanding of marine and polar environments and their societal impacts. SAPRI addresses the critical need for shared, high-quality data resources to support research in these remote and rapidly changing ecosystems. Data is handled by the SAPRI Data Centre (DC) hosted at the South African Environmental Observation Network uLwazi Node. The SAPRI DC maintains current best practices in relation to its repository management functions and related systems, and applicable community standards for data management are adopted. Through robust data platforms, SAPRI aims to ensure that researchers across disciplines can access, analyse and contribute to data collections that inform pressing issues. SAPRI also supports the human dimensions of polar and marine studies, enabling exploration of cultural, historical and geopolitical perspectives tied to these regions. By bridging scientific and societal concerns, SAPRI aims to promote cutting-edge research and empower informed decision-making for South Africa's marine and polar stewardship. This collaborative approach underscores the importance of integrating HASS into the traditionally natural science-focused realm of polar and marine research, fostering a comprehensive understanding of these critical global systems.