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iSamples RCNSurvey Results & Kickoff Workshop

2Webinar Agenda

iSamples RCN Overview (Kerstin Lehnert) iSamples Survey results (Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld) iSamples Kick-off Workshop Summary (Kerstin

Lehnert)

the presenters

iSamplES: The Internet of Samples in the Earth Sciences

3iSamplES Objective

advance the use of innovative cyberinfrastructure to connect physical samples and sample collections across the Earth Sciences with digital data infrastructures as par of EarthCube to improve the discovery, access, sharing, analysis, and curation of physical

samples and the data generated by their study as needed by the science community

The Internet of Samples in the Earth Sciences

iSamplES: The Internet of Samples in the Earth Sciences

4iSamplES Goals

develop a shared vision for an Internet of Samples in the Earth Sciences.

converge on and eventually build consensus for best practices and standards for sample registration, identification, citation, and metadata that can be adopted across the diverse stakeholder community.

enhance broad awareness of and access to existing resources that will advance preservation, access, and management of samples

iSamplES: The Internet of Samples in the Earth Sciences

5iSamplES Stakeholders

Domain Scientists working with samples in the field, lab, or in data systems

Large-scale science programs, observatories, and sampling campaigns (IODP, ICDP, CZO, etc.)

Data Facilities handling sample-based data

Computer and CI Scientists

Curators - core repositories- museums- sample repositories &

collections- academic departments

Publishers and Professional Societies

EarthCube Projects

AgenciesSoftware Engineers

iSamplES Activities

iSamplES: The Internet of Samples in the Earth Sciences

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Stakeholder Alignment (lead: Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld)• questionnaires & surveys• workshops & outreach events• ongoing working groups

isamplES Knowledge Hub, semantic WiKi (lead: Yolanda Gil)

CINERGI Catalog of Earth Science Collections (lead: Ilya Zaslavsky)

Transformation of Sample and Data Practices by Early Career Scientists (lead: Benjamin Hallett)

7Transformation of Sample and Data Practices by Early Career Scientists

iSamples Early Career Workshop• lunch meeting at AGU FM 2014• 60 participants (students, postdocs, junior faculty)• recruit ECS for development of teaching modules• 5 participants at iSamples Kickoff workshop

8isamplES Knowledge Hub

Semantic WiKi, under development (Yolanda Gil, USC)

9iSamples Survey

Handing over to Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld …

iSamples Kick-off Workshop

UT Austin: Jan 28-30, 2015 53 participants

domain sciences (igneous, metam., & soil geochem; geochron; tectonics; paleoclimate; paleontology; geophysics)

computer science library science data facilities sample facilities (core and sample

repositories, museums/Smithsonian, NASA astromaterials)

publishing petroleum industry 1/3 early career scientists!!

iSamplES: The Internet of Samples in the Earth Sciences

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11Social Scientist

12Agenda

Change of Plans!

from Emily Hernandez Goldstein’s presentation

13The “Virtual Field Trip”

by Emily Hernandez Goldstein

14The Repository Trip

Thanks, Bob!

15The CS Perspective

16Other Perspectives

the scientists senior level: Steve Goldstein (LDEO) early career: Michael Tuite (JPL), Jon Stelling (LeHigh), Amanda

Waite (U Florida), Emily Hernandez Goldstein (UT Austin) the curators: Ann Molineux (UT Austin), Betty Adrian

(USGS)

related efforts scientific collections: Eileen Graham (SciColl, Smithsonian

Institution) bioinformatics: Ramona Walls (iPLant Collaborative) digital archiving: Chris Jordan (Digital Preservation Network, UT

Austin)

17Early Career Perspectives

Jon Stelling

Lehigh University

18Workshop Discussions

Identified commonalities “People are all facing similar problems.” “We are all in the same boat together.”

Revealed consensus Focus on minimum critical solutions “simple is actually better than a Cadillac of software” “Encouraged that the sample information that is needed can be

relatively small” “Stop the bleeding first” (problem of legacy on back burner) Need for culture change “old mentality that this is my rock” need for education so that scientists document samples better

Today’s most troubling and daunting problems have common features: some of them arise from human numbers and resource exploitation; they require long-term commitments from separate sectors of society and diverse disciplines to solve; simple, unidimensional solutions are unlikely; and failure to solve them can lead to disasters.

In some ways, the scales and complexities of our current and future problems are unprecedented, and it is likely that solutions will have to be iterative . . .

Institutions can enable the ideas and energies of individuals to have more impact and to sustain efforts in ways that individuals cannot.

From “Science to Sustain Society,” by Ralph J. Cicerone, President, National Academy of Sciences, 149th Annual Meeting of the Academy (2012)

Predictable Tensions in Governance

DecentralizationCentralization

ActionInclusion/Deliberation

Innovation/ Variation

Specification/ Standardization

MinoritiesMajorities

CompetitionCooperation

21iSamples Governance

Steering committee provides guidance to the PI and co-PI, who then serves as the leadership for operations. SC is responsible for defining the vision and statement of

principles, with an invitation for individuals and organizations to serve as signatories.

Working groups focus on identified tasks. Specify goal, scope, deliverables, and periodic two-way input to

steering committee (with chairs or co-chairs added to steering committee).

Potential to be allied with or serving as working groups in ESIP, RDA or others

Plan additional workshop for early 2016 and assess need for more structure at that time

Working group topics Metadata standards

Metadata standards for physical samples within and across disciplines / Sample-based interoperability standards: unique identifiers, controlled vocabularies, RDF schemas, etc.

Physical infrastructure Physical infrastructure for sample curation (preservation & access) and standards (attributes) for

repositories and collections Workflow support

Workflow support (software) for investigators (field, lab, publication, grant proposals) / Architecture of shared cyberinfrastructure for collection management and shared interoperability tools

“Use Cases” “Use cases” on the reuse of physical samples and policies for sample sharing / End user perspectives

/ Sample collection scenarios / Work flow documentation / Research process modeling / Scientific requirements

Digital collections Digitization and cataloguing of collections, including image handling / Data and sample rescue

Dynamic citation Dynamic citation of samples: Guidance to publishers and authors to link samples, data, and

publications Communication/education

Communication, education, training, mentorship, ambassadors, engagement

Consolidate

23Working Groups

WG1: Identifiers & Metadata WG2: User stories & scientific requirements

incl. policies for sample sharing WG3: Communication, Education, Training WG4: Architecture & Workflows WG5: Physical Infrastructure

incl. digitization of collections, sample rescue

24WG1: Identifiers & Metadata

Problem: Lack of standards for sample discovery & identification across domains

Goal: Define minimum metadata profiles required to facilitate functional/meaningful discovery and interoperability across domains Try not to make metadata burdensome, but promote use and still make it rich Examine scope & integration of unique identifier types (IGSN, LSID, BCID, RRID, etc.) Build consensus for leading practices to make recommendations to community

Co-chairs: David Arctur (UT Austin), Reyna Jenkyns (Ocean Networks Canada)

25WG1: Next Steps

compile use cases for metadata needs (work with WG2, WG4)

gather & evaluate existing resources (metadata, vocabularies, UIDs) – don’t reinvent the wheel session at ESIP Summer Meeting

identify key contacts EarthCube TAC CODATA Task Group, ESIP, RDA IG,

etc.

26WG2: User Stories & Science Requirements

Problem: We do not have a full picture of how

people interact with samples. We don’t have good life cycle based

policies, don’t know when/where different actors are needed (curators, investigators, etc.)

Goals: Collect user stories Articulate different life cycle practices for

different users Identify curatorial points of intervention,

develop policies/recommendations

Co-chairs: Andrea Thomer (UIUC), Sarah Ramdeen (UNC Chapel Hill)

27WG2: Next Steps

generate flowcharts for research processes

establish protocol for further interviews with people from different roles and domains

encourage RCN participants to post institutional policies

use EarthCube End-user workshops

28WG3: Communication, Training, Education

Problem: Insufficient appreciation of benefits of digital sample management

Goal: Develop communication plan to promulgate best practices specific for a variety of audiences

(students/ECS, late career scientists) identify ambassadors prepare training modules

Co-chairs: Ben Hallett (U Wisconsin Oshkosh), Ashlee Dere (U Nebraska Omaha)

29WG3: Next Steps

work toward communication plan: create 3 slides about iSamples as talking points

build skeleton of list of registries, listservs, etc.

reach out to EarthCube Engagement Team

work closely with other WGs to contribute materials

30WG4: Architecture & Workflows (incl. citation of samples)

Problem: Barriers to adoption of leading practices such as IGSN assignment, standard sample documentation, sample citation in the literature

Goals: Identify barriers and develop solutions with maximum efficiency, e.g. for integrating IGSNs into workflows from collection to publishing gather data from people in the field and who work

with collections design of app to support metadata capture in the

field (with EC3?) recommend protocols for citation of samples to NSF

Co-Chairs: Unmil Karadkar (iSchool, UT Austin), Emily Hernandez Goldstein (Jackson School, UT Austin)

31WG4: Next Steps

Evaluate IGSN registration process and tools and identify steps to improve usability integrate SESAR user feedback talk with the use case group about what feedback they get

Propose solutions Software applications

(design & test applications for digital data entry in the field) (iSchool class project)

Incentives Requirement of agencies

DMPs to have IGSNs - reach out to make reviewers require it

Work with EarthCube RCNs EC3, C4P

32WG5: Physical Infrastructure, Digitizing, Cataloguing, & Sample Rescue

Problem: Loss of physical samples and the information (data/metadata) about them

Goals: Produce a vision for national archive

system for physical samples Produce proposal for funding streams

for a national archive system and systematic digitization of samples (like iDigBio?)

Co-chairs: Leslie Hale (Smithsonian Institution), Ramona Walls (iPlant)

33WG5: Next Steps

use the DESC & iSamples survey to develop a set of criteria by which samples should be

preserved; to develop a set of criteria for which collections should

be digitized first; to develop leading practices for digital archiving of

sample data/metadata. represent WG at Marine Curators meeting in April

at College Station, TX

34iSamples: Next Steps

Set up workspaces, forums, and listservs for WGs Complete development of iSamples semantic wiki as

prototype for community feedback iSamples session at EarthCube All-Hands Meeting isamples session at ESIP Summer Meeting

Ensure that WGs move forward Development of educational modules

Partic

ipate

!!

35Participate!

Join the iSamples group go to http://earthcube.org/group/isamples

Join a Working Group send email to mcarter@ldeo.columbia.edu

To get alerts about upcoming webinar Join the iSamples group or check the EarthCube calendar

For any questions contact mcarter@ldeo.columbia.edu or

lehnert@ldeo.columbia.edu