Getting Cozy with the CODATA Elephant

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Getting Cozy with the CODATA Elephant

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

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Objective of this presentation___________________
__________

• To float some ideas on how IASSIST
• can 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? Contd

• 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 Plan
• Collaborations 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?

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

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

• 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
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CNC/CODATA

• Discovery of CNC/CODATA was serendipitous
• Margaret 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 strategies
• ICSTI 2009 Conference Ottawa Managing Data for
  Science
• Reports from various scientific groups.
• Participants (about 30)
• Several physical scientists
• Three social scientists

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CNC/CODATA Meeting, Ottawa

• During a round table session, IASSIST and
  Canadian data initiatives were highlighted
• Data Liberation
• ltODESIgt
• 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
  IASSISTs 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.
• Dont 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/co
  datasa.stm
• Korea http//codata.kisti.re.kr/

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What else can IASSIST do with CODATA?

• 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

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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?
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Thank You Very Much

• Ernie Boyko
• boykern_at_yahoo.com