International Council for Science : Committee on Data for Science and Technology

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C O D A T A

Preservation of and Access to Scientific and Technical Data in Developing Countries

The CODATA Task Group on Preservation of and Access to Scientific and Technical Data in Developing Countries was newly approved in October 2002. It grew out of the work done by the CODATA Working Group on Archiving Scientific Data that was established in October 2000.

Objectives

• Promote a deeper understanding of the needs of developing countries with regard to long-term preservation, archiving, and access to scientific and technical (S&T) data.
• Advance the development and adoption of improved S&T data archiving procedures, technologies, standards, and policies, with special attention to these efforts in developing countries.
• Provide an interdisciplinary forum and mechanisms for exchanging information about S&T data preservation and access requirements and activities, with particular focus on the concerns and needs of developing countries. Publish and disseminate broadly the results of these efforts.

Recent Activities

a)                  Task Group meeting held in Berlin at CODATA Conference. Set up planning committees for regional workshop in South Africa for 2005. In addition, the Task Group organized a very successful day of presentations on archiving at the 19^th CODATA Conference in Berlin.

b)                  CODATA Task Group Workshop on Strategies for Permanent Access to Scientific Information in Southern Africa: Focus on Health and Environmental Information for Sustainable Development. The workshop was held 5-7 September 2005 in Pretoria, South Africa, and organized by the Task Group, the South African National Committee for CODATA, and the US National Committee for CODATA. The meeting brought together scientists, scientific data managers, archivists, international experts and graduate students, including participants from 10 of the 14 Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. The workshop included working sessions that yielded a number of suggestions for practical action. The South African NRF workshop report publication is scheduled for 1^st Quarter of 2006. In addition, the workshop generated interest in, and visibility for, CODATA and CODATA archiving activities, and for the newly formed ICSU Regional Office for Africa.

c)                  Planning for preservation and access related sessions at the 20^th International CODATA Conference, scheduled for 23-25 October 2006, in Beijing, China.

d)                  Planning for South American regional workshop on Strategies for Permanent Access to Scientific Information in South America: Focus on Health and Environmental Information for Sustainable Development. This workshop builds on the successful series of workshops convened by the CODATA Preservation Task Group in 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006. The workshop is being organized jointly by the US and Brazilian National Committees for CODATA and the Task Group. It is planned for Brazil in September 2006. The Reference Centre on Environmental Information (CRIA) in Campinas, Brazil will provide local logistical support and assist in meeting planning. The USNC CODATA and the Task Group will provide additional expertise.

e)                  Work continued on an ICSTI-CODATA Portal on Permanent Access to Scientific Data and Information Resources, in collaboration with ICSTI. The ICSTI (January 2004) and CODATA (November 2004) executive committees have approved moving forward with the portal. Requirements and resource estimates have been developed for initial deployment. Establishment of editorial and oversight committees and initial deployment are planned for 2006. Negotiations with the South African NRF as a potential host for the portal are ongoing.

f)                    The US National Committee and the Task Group have started discussions about a possible regional meeting in Russia in 2007.

g)                  Various Task Group members have provided visibility and outreach of CODATA and the Task Group at meetings, conferences, and through publications and online forums. A summary of key archiving issues was published in the Data Science Journal.

Future Planned Activities

a)      Publication of the South African NRF report from the September 2005 Southern African workshop.

b)      Publication of the US NAS Report of the 2004 Beijing Workshop on Data Sharing.

c)      Convene a South American regional workshop on Strategies for Permanent Access to Scientific Information in South America: Focus on Health and Environmental Information for Sustainable Development.

d)      Task Group meeting will be held in conjunction with the 20^th International CODATA Conference in Beijing to solicit Task Group member input regarding preservation, access, and CODATA activities in their respective countries and to facilitate interaction among the members.

e)      ICSTI-CODATA Portal on Permanent Access to Scientific Data and Information Resources funded, oversight and editorial operations established.

a)   Convene a regional workshop in Russia and the Baltic States on health and environmental information resources in collaboration with CODATA national committees, other appropriate International Council for Science (ICSU) bodies, and relevant regional and international organizations that will:

·        Establish outreach and organizational networks to identify requirements and support development of standardized S&T data preservation and access practices at the local level;

·        Promote advances in S&T data preservation and access procedures, technologies, standards, training, and policies; and

·        Produce and disseminate reports of the results from the workshops.

b)   Deploy and operate an ICSTI-CODATA Portal on Permanent Access to Scientific Data and Information Resources (see above). This portal builds upon and integrates the work of this Task Group with the work being done in STI permanent access area by all other relevant groups and organizations. In particular, it is expected to greatly raise the visibility of CODATA among data managers internationally. It will provide information about and links to existing:

·        STI permanent access procedures, technologies, standards, and policies;

·        Discipline-specific and cross-disciplinary archiving projects and activities; and

·        Expert points of contact in all countries, with particular attention to those in developing countries.

This Internet portal is a separate, but related, initiative to the principal objectives and deliverables of the Task Group described above. The performance of this additional project is contingent on securing the requisite funds for developing the portal and sustaining its operation.

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Website for the Task Group on Preservation of and Access to Scientific and Technical Data in Developing Countries

US National Committee's Archiving Activity site

5-7 September 2005
CODATA Task Group Workshop
Strategies for Permanent Access to Scientific Information in Southern Africa: Focus on Health and Environmental Information for Sustainable Development, Pretoria, South Africa

The final Report, Executive Summary, and presentations from the September 2005 CODATA Workshop on Strategies for Permanent Access to Scientific Information in Southern Africa: Focus on Health and Environmental Information for Sustainable Development are now freely available online at:
http://stardata.nrf.ac.za/html/workshopCodataPublications.html

CODATA Workshop on Archiving Scientific & Technical (S&T) Data Report, 20-21 May 2002, Pretoria, South Africa

__________________________________________

Current Membership

Dr. William L. Anderson (co-chair)
PRAXIS101, LLC
3406 Manchaca Road, #7
Austin, TX 78704
U.S.A.
+1 512 3363077
band@praxis101.com

Prof. Liu Chuang (co-chair)
Global Change Information and Research Center
Institute of Geography and Natural Resources
Chinese Academy of Sciences
11A Datun Road Chaoyang District
Beijing 100101
CHINA
+86 10 64889805
lchuang@igsnrr.ac.cn

Members

Dr. Dora Ann Lange Canhos
Centro de Referência em Informação Ambiental
Av. Romeu Tórtima, 388 Barão Geraldo
13084-520 Campinas, São Paulo
BRAZIL
+55 19 3288-0466
dora@cria.org.br

Dr. Vishwas Chavan
Information Division
National Chemical Laboratory
Dr. Homi Bhabha Road
Pune 411008, INDIA
+91 20 2590 2484
vs.chavan@ncl.res.in and chavan.vishwas@gmail.com

Dr. Fu Xiaofeng
Information Division
The Administrative Center for China's Agenda 21
Ministry of Science and Technology of China
State Development Planning Commission of China
No. 109 WAnquanhe Road
Haidian District Beijing 100089
CHINA
+86 10 82636193
fuxf@acca21.org.cn

Ms. Gretchen Gano
Librarian for Public Administration & Government Information
New York University Libraries
Bobst, 70 Washington Square South, 617
New York, New York 10012
USA
+1 212 9982662
gretchen.gano@nyu.edu

Dr David L Giaretta
CCLRC
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Chilton, Didcot
Oxon OX11 0QX
UK
+44 1235 446235
d.l.giaretta@rl.ac.uk

Dr. Lulama Makhubela
Director: Transformation
University of the Witswaterswand
Private Bag 3
Wits 2050
SOUTH AFRICA
+27 11 7171461
Lulama.Makhubela@wits.ac.za

Prof. Steve Rossouw
Chairperson: S A National Committee for CODATA
National Research Foundation
P O Box 2600
Pretoria 0001
SOUTH AFRICA
+27 21 976 021
steveros@iafrica.com

Mr. Raed M. Sharif
Ph.D. Program in Information Science & Technology
337 Hinds Hall, School of Information Studies
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY 13244-13210
U.S.A.
+1 315 7516815
rmalshar@syr.edu

Mr. Basanta Shrestha
ICIMOD, International Center for Integrated Mountain Development
G.P.O. Box 3226, Jawalakhel
Kathmandu
NEPAL
+977 1 525313
bshrestha@icimod.org.np

Dr. Khululmur Sodov
Information and Computer Center
Khudaldaany gudamj 5
Ulaanbaatar 46,
MONGOLIA
+976 11 326649
mtt@magicnet.mn

Dr. Alexander M. Sterin
All-Russian Research Institute of Hydrometeorological Information
6 Korolev Str
Obninsk
Kaluga Reg., 249035
RUSSIA
+7 95 2552467, or +7 84 3974658
sterin@meteo.ru

Prof. Morakot Tanticharoen
National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
15th floor, Gypsum Metropolitan Tower
539/2 Sri-Ayudhya Road, Ratchadevi
Bangkok 10400
THAILAND
+66 2 6425322
morakt@biotec.or.th

Prof. D.R.F. Taylor
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies
Carleton University
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa K1S 5B6
CANADA
+1 613 5202 600 ext 8232
Fraser_Taylor@carleton.ca

Prof. Yoshifumi Yasuoka
University of Tokyo, Institute of Industrial Science
4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8505
JAPAN
+81 3 54526409 (or 6411)
yyasuoka@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Paul F. Uhlir, J.D.
The National Academies
500 Fifth Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
U.S.A.
+1 202 3341531
puhlir@nas.edu

Consultant:

Mrs. Henda van der Berg
National Research Foundation
Meiring Naude Road
Brummeria
Pretoria
SOUTH AFRICA
+27 12 481 4016
henda@nrf.ac.za

Executive Committee Liaison:

Prof. Takashi Kunisawa