Improving the plasma science data environment

The ability to perform data science in a field depends strongly on its data environment.  At present, most experimental data sets are not openly available, and most laboratory plasma facilities have their own internal practices for storing, organizing, and accessing data sets.  This is in contrast to fields like heliophysics and astronomy, where data sets largely follow community-wide conventions and it is hard to think of an observational data set that is not open access.  I will present two strategies for improving the data environment of plasma science: (1) community-wide adoption of open metadata standards, and (2) the creation of an online portal to provide open access to plasma data akin to the Virtual Solar Observatory.  Finally, I will discuss how these strategies will improve findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of plasma data and move our field closer to the open science paradigm.