GETTING COZY WITH THE CODATA ELEPHANT

Some Ideas on Forging Closer Ties Between IASSIST and CO-DATA

OBJECTIVE OF THIS PRESENTATION_____________________________

To float some ideas on how IASSISTcan work more closely with other data organizations such as CODATA.

To highlight the Canadian experience between CODATA and IASSIST

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WHO/WHAT IS CODATA? __________________________________

The Committee on Data for Science and Technology. See http://www.codata.org/

An interdisciplinary Scientific Committee of the International Council for Science (ICSU) established 40 years ago five years before IASSIST was formed.

CODATA works to improve the quality, reliability, management and accessibility of data of importance to all fields of science and technology.

A resource that provides scientists and engineers with access to international data activities for increased awareness, direct cooperation and new knowledge.

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WHO IS THE ICSU? __________________________________

The International Council for Science (ICSU) is a non-governmental organization representing 116 members and 30 international scientific unions

This extensive international network provides a forum for discussion of issues relevant to policy for international science and the importance of international science for policy issues and undertakes a number of activities in this regard.

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WHO/WHAT IS CODATA? CONT’D

CODATA was established by ICSU to promote and encourage, on a world-wide basis, the compilation, evaluation and dissemination of reliable numerical data of importance to science and technology.

To sum up, one could say that CODATA is to scientific data what IASSIST is to the social science world (only bigger)

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WHO WANTS TO GET COZY WITH

CODATA? __________________________________

IASSIST does! (Not entirely sure about CODATA) One of the thrusts of the IASSIST 2004-2009 Strategic

PlanCollaborations and Strategic Alliances with Related

Organizations“IASSIST would best leverage its resources by

working in partnership with other organizations committed to the collection, dissemination, and preservation of data.”

See IASSIST Strategic Plan

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SO WHY THE ELEPHANT?___________________________________

CODATA is a large organization so it can be likened to an elephant

And by comparison, IASSIST is small

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SO IS THIS A STORY ABOUT AN ELEPHANT AND A MOUSE?

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Luckily (for IASSIST) this does not depict the relationship between the two organizations!

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AWildebeests and Impalas tend to graze together in Africa. They compliment each other for mutual safety.

HOW COZY HAVE WE BEEN SO FAR? Paula Lackie and Bill Block presented at the 2006

CODATA International Conference that was held in Beijing

See link for a wonderful presentation

IASSIST goes to CODATA

Paula and Bill reported on their CODATA experience the Montreal IASSIST Conference (2007)

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HOW COZY HAVE WE BEEN SO FAR? CONT’D

Montreal 2007 conference Michel Sabourin (Université de Montréal, Chair, Canadian

National Committee for CODATA) Described a broad strategy aimed at establishing

dedicated national infrastructure, tentatively called Data Canada, to assume overall leadership in the development and execution of a strategic plan.

Over the years there have been other presenters E.g., Bob Chen from CIESEN This year, Raed Shariff, University of Syracuse

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THE 2008 CANADIAN EXPERIENCE Discovery of the Canadian National Committee for

CODATA (CNC/CODATA), the Canadian voice of CODATA

CNC/CODATA is sponsored by CISTI (the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information), part of the National Research Council of Canada

CNC/CODATA is made up of members and observers The 2008 Annual Meeting of the Canadian CODATA

committee was held on September 26, 2008 (Chair was Michel Sabourin)

Wendy Watkins and Ernie Boyko invited themselves to the CNC/CODATA annual meeting.

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CNC/CODATA 2008 MEETING 5/29/2009

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CNC/CODATA

Discovery of CNC/CODATA was serendipitousMargaret Haines (Carleton University Librarian)

and Wendy Watkins sit on a Research Data Strategy Working Group. (Haines Task Group 3: Research Data Capacity--Skills, Training, Rewards System)

A member of that committee mentioned the CNC/CODATA meeting….and off we went

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CNC/CODATA MEETING Agenda

Report on data strategiesICSTI 2009 Conference Ottawa: Managing Data for

ScienceReports from various scientific groups.

Participants (about 30)Several physical scientistsThree social scientists

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CNC/CODATA MEETING, OTTAWA During a round table session, IASSIST and

Canadian data initiatives were highlightedData Liberation<ODESI>DDI

This was well received, it was noted that IASSIST was quite advanced in the area of managing research data.

We prepared and submitted a report Are now formal participants (observers)

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CNC/CODATA MEETING, OTTAWA Why are we participating in CNC/CODATA?

CNC/CODATA -- focus on science complements IASSIST’s focus on Social Science Hope to bring a wider social science perspective to

the work of CODATA Represents an opportunity to learn from each other

tools and approaches Provides a platform for participation in national and

international research data initiatives

We plan to continue. First project should be a joint article for the IQ (IASSIST Quarterly)

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WHAT ELSE CAN IASSIST DO WITH CODATA?

Participate in CODATA conferences where funding and support is available

Ensure that CODATA members are aware of the IASSIST conference and feel free to participate

Look for national CODATA committees in other countries Participation in national committees could be possible

where such committees exist.

Don’t be shy!

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A FEW NATIONAL CODATA COMMITTEES

US http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/brdi/PGA_046807

Australia http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/rnorris/NCDS/index.html

Germany http://www.codata-germany.org/ South Africa

http://www.nrf.ac.za/services/icsu/codatasa.stm Korea http://codata.kisti.re.kr/

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Participate in their international conferences where funding and support is available

Look for national CODATA committees in other countries Participation in national committees could be possible

where such committees exist. Examine the CODATA organizational model of

providing an umbrella for a range initiatives, e.g., Web site Communication with members

Report to IASSIST and encourage CODATA participate in IASSIST events

WHAT ELSE CAN IASSIST DO WITH CODATA?

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IN CONCLUSION Our Canadian experience confirms that identifying

CODATA as an organization that IASSIST should associate with is an appropriate strategic direction. They are a data organization and so is IASSIST There are things that we can learn from them There are things that we can share with them It gives us a window to broader research data activities

within our respective countries and internationally There is at least some scope for replicating the

Canadian experience in other countries And a final word about elephants

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How can you tell whether this is an African or an Asian Elephant?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

Ernie Boyko

boykern@yahoo.com

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