According to the CODATA/Research Data Alliance draft International Principles on the Legal Interoperability of Research Data (https://rd-alliance.org/group/rdacodata-legal- interoperability-ig/wiki/legal-principles-data.html), the distribution and dissemination of re- search data (including software) is, to a signicant extent, governed by law and institutional policy that specify ownership of these research outputs and the rights such ownership conveys. In the United States, copyright does not ax to purely factual information, but may govern sharing and reuse of protectable elements in a dataset (selection, arrangement, database design, and documentation) and software (original code, comments, and documentation). Moreover, institutional policy may establish that ownership of research data and software belongs to the University, not the creator. Researchers may be obligated to cede control of their outputs to the University's technology transfer or legal counsel's oce. Additionally, research funding agencies may require, as a condition of awarding a grant, that outputs cre- ated with their support be disseminated in a particular manner. This con uence of circumstances leaves graduate students in a complex and confusing com- pliance framework requiring clear understanding and careful navigation of cascading re- quirements. As enrolled students, does their work fall under the institute's copyright policy statements? Are the textual components of their theses handled dierently than the asso- ciated research data and software? Is the research data and software they produce to fulll graduation requirements owned by anyone? If so, who? And what rights and choices do students have to control, share, and invite reuse of their research?