Simons N1, Winton L1, McCafferty S1, Liffers M1, Harris L2, Nulley-Valdes C2, LeMay K3
1Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), , , 2Australian Research Council (ARC), , , 3National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), ,
Biography:
Natasha Simons is Director, National Coordination, for the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) and plays a leading role in the persistent identifiers landscape internationally. Natasha is part of The National PID Strategic Advisory Group, the peak governance body for the National PID Strategy. In 2024 and 2025 she was co-chair of eResearch Australasia, and co-chair of the PIDFest international conference in 2024.
Lyle Winton is ARDC's Program Manager for the National PID Strategy. He has over 20 years of experience in research infrastructure having worked on universities, state, national, and international initiatives. Lyle is passionate about the use of co-design principles and techniques in program engagement, design and delivery.
Lee Harris is the Director of Research Insights and Evaluation at the Australian Research Council, where he is responsible for shaping ARC approaches to research assessment, open access, and data-driven insights, including work on research evaluation frameworks, metadata, and the use of persistent identifiers to improve transparency and understanding of research outcomes. He has over a decade of experience in government research policy including contributing to the establishment of the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. He is currently driving the development of the ARC’s Research Insights Capability.
Clare Nulley-Valdes is an Assistant Director in the Research Evaluation and Policy Branch at the Australian Research Council, where she leads and contributes to policy work on persistent identifiers, research metadata, and open access. She led the development of the 2026 ARC Open Access Policy and played a key role in the development of the ARC’s Persistent Identifiers (PID) Action Plan. Her work focuses on strengthening research evaluation through the effective use of identifiers and metadata.
Kate LeMay is a Pharmacist with experience spanning both community and hospital practice. She has worked extensively in health services research at the University of Sydney and the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, and in health and medical data sharing education and policy at the Australian Research Data Commons. Kate is currently an Assistant Director in the Research Policy and Evaluation Section at the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). In this role, she serves as NHMRC’s Open Science subject matter expert and leads the development and coordination of cross‑cutting research policies, including responsible research assessment.
Abstract:
The Australian National Persistent Identifier (PID) Strategy and its accompanying Roadmap provide a stakeholder-driven framework for accelerating Australian research quality, efficiency and impact through universal use of connected persistent identifiers. The 2026 National PID Action Plan builds on strong momentum from 2025, including the development of ARC and NHMRC action plans, active engagement from 28 universities in the Institutional Stakeholder Action Group, and 12 facilities participating in the NCRIS group. The 2026 plan is structured around three pillars: strategic alignment, national capacity and capability uplift, and underpinning service delivery.
The 2026 Action Plan reflects a maturing national effort, with stakeholder action groups and working groups at the heart of implementation. Institutions are advancing focused use cases and contributing to cross-sector vendor and publisher engagements to drive adoption of PID-ready platforms. Funders are progressing action plans that align with the National Strategy, with the goal of embedding PIDs more deeply into funding systems and policies. NCRIS facilities are developing individual and collective action plans, supported by the Identifiers for Instruments in Australasia (i4iOz) Community of Practice and a Cross-NCRIS Microscopy Focus Group, to improve instrument findability and track investment impact. Cross-stakeholder working groups are journey mapping the requirements and benefits of PIDs in end-to-end systemic action plans, covering journeys from pre-award funding, including instrument procurement and facility use, through to impact and demonstrable research outcomes.
This presentation will provide an overview of the 2026 Action Plan activities and share stories and progress from across these stakeholder groups and working groups.
