OBJECTIVE: To document the challenges that a Ph.D. candidate faces as being a key producer of research in the field of cancer biology research including intellectual property rights and day-to-day practices in implementing a PI's research objective.

METHODS: The librarian conducted a semi-structured data interview of a Ph.D. candidate from the biology department at a research institution. At the time of writing, the reference interview has not been conducted. The archivist will transcribe the interview using a RDM planning instrument to categorize the RDM challenges. The archivist will author a case narrative to highlight the challenges a Ph.D. candidate as a key producer of research data in an organized study.

RESULTS: At the time of the proposal, the results of the data interview are not yet available.

CONCLUSIONS: Although the interview explores the data management practices of Ph.D. candidate as a key producer of laboratory data, the study does not recommend librarians conducting reference interviews with research staff to create data management plans.