Privacy Policy
Effective Date: November 7, 2026
Welcome to the NSCES Repository. This platform is dedicated to the discovery, preservation, and sharing of academic excellence and spatial data. Our goal is to provide researchers, students, and the public with seamless access to a comprehensive collection of research dissertations, interactive study area maps, and geospatial datasets.
By centralizing these valuable resources, we aim to foster innovation, support evidence-based decision-making, and facilitate a deeper understanding of our environment. Because we understand that transparency and trust are vital to the research community, this Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information as you explore, download, and interact with the resources on our platform.
Privacy Policy Notice
Individuals share personal information with the NSCES Repository in two major ways:
- Passively: Through automated analytics when you visit our website (e.g., IP address, browser type, and page views).
- Actively: Through submitting information to register for an account, download datasets, or contact repository administrators.
This Policy applies to all web pages, services, and content operated by the NSCES Repository.
Information We Collect
Information collected automatically
When you visit the Repository, we may automatically collect technical data to enhance your experience. This includes your IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, and the pages you visit. We use this information purely for website analytics, tracking download counts, and monitoring system performance.
Information you voluntarily provide to us
You may choose to provide personal information when you:
- Create a user account (e.g., name, email address, institutional affiliation).
- Download restricted GIS datasets or dissertations (where registration is required).
- Contact us via email or the Feedback form.
- Submit a dissertation to the repository.
How We Use Your Information
Most of our systems collect user IP information for tracking purposes, as well as email addresses for communication. This information is only used for legitimate purposes, including:
- Monitoring the use of our products and generating reports for academic management.
- Facilitating dataset downloads and ensuring compliance with data licenses.
- Sending administrative updates or responding to user inquiries.
Our Commitment: We do not sell, trade, or share your personal information with external marketing companies or third parties. Information is only shared within MUST or with authorized platform administrators.
Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your hard drive by your web browser. The NSCES Repository uses cookies only for technical purposes, such as:
- Authentication: Keeping you logged into your account.
- Security: Protecting against Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks.
- Preferences: Remembering your choice of dark or light mode.
Traffic statistics are collected anonymously and aggregated. No information is traceable to any specific individual. You can choose to disable cookies in your browser settings, though doing so may affect the functionality of the site.
Accounts and Dataset Downloads
The NSCES Repository may collect personal information when a user applies for a dataset download account. This information is necessary to ensure a legitimate person is requesting the data, to track usage statistics, and for communicating with you regarding data updates.
By creating an account, you agree to use the downloaded data responsibly and in accordance with any specific license terms attached to individual datasets.
Have Questions?
If you have questions regarding this Privacy Policy, your personal data, or how our systems operate, please send us a message.