The Georgia Institute of Technology Data Curation Program

1
The Georgia Institute of Technology Data
Curation Program
Tyler O. Walters, Associate Director, Technology
Resource Services Library Information Center,
Georgia Institute of Technology For NSF Site
Visit to MIT, February 8 2010
2
Why is GT involved in DataSpace Project?

• To establish a system of federated, distributed
  data repositories. (GT recognizes need for this
  research infrastructure)
• Shared background with MIT, DSpace development
  since 2003
• Collaborate on data curation research and
  services, start with neurosciences and
  biosciences
• GT is committed to advancing its data curation
  program (created research data librarian
  position)

3
Neuroscience and Neuroimaging at GT

• GT/GSU Center for Advanced Brain Imaging (CABI)
• http//www.cabiatl.com/CABI/ (Chris Rordan,
  Director)
• CABI 27 PIs / faculty 35-40 researchers,
  Center holds ca. 120 TB
• Neuroscience leading example of a domain that
  will curate its data in a diffuse fashion hence,
  university-level solutions will become
  significant
• fMRI brain studies -- Formats DICOM, NIfTI, and
  EEG numeric data
• Work with Prof. Paul Corballis
  http//psychology.gatech.edu/corballislab/
• Data Dissemination publisher rules vary --
  researchers desire linking e-publishing
  activities with final data, however, they
  struggle with how best to enact primary-secondary
  source relationship

4
GT LibraryEngagement in Data Curation

• 2007-09 Library Data Curation Work Group
• Interviewed researchers about data
  practices/needs, collected interview data
• 2009-10 Research Data Project Librarian
  Workgroup
• Continue assessments of faculty data practices
  (using DAF)
• Librarys Digital Development Team
• Assessing implementing technology
  infrastructure for data curation
• Core systems for data curation
• Sun StorageTek 2540 disk arrays / SL 500 Tape
  Library / Sun SAM server ZFS
• Work with MIT technology stack for data curation
• Extended storage and preservation services
  (external partners, e.g. MetaArchive,
  Chronopolis, consider new DuraCloud service)

5
Neuroimaging and GT Project Team

• MIT Martinos Imaging Center / GT Ctr. for
  Advanced Brain Imaging
• Synergies in data curation to advance science
  through
• data sharing, publishing, and preservation
• The GT Team
• Library data curator, storage/network manager,
  programmer, repository
• librarian, psychology librarian, AD
  for technology (Walters)
• OIT director of infrastructure and
  architecture (Chen)
• CABI Prof. Corballis, graduate student
• Advisors Prof. David Bader, Exec. Director,
  High-Performance Computing
• Dr. Bill Underwood (GTRI), digital
  archives research
• Prof. Leo Mark (Computing),
  atmospheric science data curation

6
Data Curation Strategy

• Data deposition/acquisition/ingest
• SIPs prepared by CABI graduate student / GT
  Research Data Librarian
• Data curation and metadata management
• Collaborate on metadata guidelines, policies on
  access, retention, formats , etc.
• Data protection (policies, tools, procedures)
• Chen (OIT), Baines (OIT Info. Security), Helms
  and Walters (Library), Corballis (CABI)
• Data discovery, access, use, dissemination
• Collaborate on portal design, descriptive
  metadata for expert and citizen use
• Data interoperability, standards, integration
• Identify, develop, and use in-common ontologies,
  semantic frameworks, data transfer and
  integration protocols between partners
• Data evaluation, analysis, and visualization
• Build technical framework to incorporate
  researchers tools