DataPLANT - a NFDI initiative focused on fundamental plant research - participated in the NFDI Conference 2020 held on 8th and 9th July 2020 online. DataPLANT was presented beside all the other consortia proposed for funding or in the planning stage. The presentations gave the respective intentions and scientific communities supported in parallel tracks. The abstracts (DataPLANT abstract) contain an overview on the consortium and the scientific communities addressed as well as information on the focus, user needs and objectives of the (planned) consortium. In addition to contributions from the GWK, the DFG and the NFDI board of directors, the abstracts presented the current state of discussion, planning and development.

The conference aimed at three objectives: Information provided by the DFG on the concept and the overarching goals of the NFDI, as well as on the key points of the proposal submission for the second and third rounds; networking among the consortia proposed and planned for funding; and presentation of the head of the newly founded NFDI Directorate, Professor Dr. York Sure-Vetter. In the future, the Directorate will support the self-organisation and networking of the consortia on cross-consortium services, on subject-related or data-like offerings and on other challenges.