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

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C O D A T A

CODATA Task and Working Groups 2000

CODATA Task Groups

Data, Information and Visualization

Data Management and Virtual Laboratories

Data on Natural Gas Hydrates

Data Sources in Asian-Oceanic Countries

Fundamental Constants

Global Species Data Network

Scientific Data Sources in Africa

Standard Physico-Chemical Data Formats

The ICSU/CODATA ad hoc Group on Data and Information

CODATA Working Groups

Biological Collection Data Access

Archiving Scientific Data

Data, Information and Visualization

Terms of Reference:

Large-scale data and information collections open new avenues for research and development based on the completeness and quality of the collections. New Web-based, PC-based, and visualization technologies have revolutionized the management and use of scientific and technical data and information. The CODATA Task Group on Data, Information and Visualization brings to data and information consumers throughout the world the latest data, information, and knowledge technologies through workshops, special sessions, tutorials, and Web-based and printed publications. As data and information base management become common tools in every area, the Task Group activities introduce the state of the art developments in these technologies to diverse fields, such as those involved in putting museum collections on line. One area of special emphasis is on data and information visualization, tools that greatly expand users' ability to browse through, analyse and exploit large-scale data collections.

The Task Group is interested in working with any group concerned with expanding knowledge of the latest data and information technologies.

Chairman: Dr. Nahum D. Gershon (USA)

Secretary: Prof. Hélène Bestougeff (France)

Members:
Dr. Keith Andrews (Austria)
Prof. Shuichi Iwata (Japan)
Dr. Michael Kurtz (UK)
Prof. Paul G. Mezey (Canada)
Dr. Victor V. Pilyugin (Russia)
Dr. Jean-Jacques Royer (France)

Consultants:
Prof. François Bouillé (France)
Mr. James Crease (UK)
Prof. Anne-Francoise Cutting-Decelle (France)
Prof. Alexei Gvishiani (Russia)
Dr. Horst Kremers (Germany)
Dr. Micah I. Krichevsky (USA)
Prof. Henry de Lumley (France)
Dr. Paul F. Uhlir (USA)
Dr. Rengachari Venkataraghavan (USA)

Executive Committee Liaison: Prof. Shuichi Iwata

Data Management and Virtual Laboratories

Terms of Reference:

New measurement technologies have greatly increased the volume of global data, such as geodynamical, seismological, biological, satellite and linguistic data. This volume, as well as the interdisciplinary nature of many studies, requires new data handling and knowledge extraction techniques.

The CODATA Task Group on Data Management and Virtual Laboratories aims to develop:

• New data handling and knowledge extraction comparative mathematical methodologies, based on modeling and pattern recognition
• Web-based databases for geodynamical, geophysical, geological, satellite imagery, biological, historical and linguistic data as "sample test-sites" for application of virtual laboratories, artificial intelligence and mathematical modeling methods developed by the Task Group
• Mathematical techniques to compress and characterize large data sets while maintaining the information content and to extract specific knowledge and information
• A virtual laboratory environment with the implementation of new computer networking technologies and products in developing countries and countries with changing economies.

The Task Group has become a widely effective group in developing these new technologies and it is also exploring extension of these techniques to other disciplines.

Chairman: Prof. Alexei Gvishiani (Russia)

Vice-Chairman: Prof. Jacques O.Dubois (France)

Treasurer: Prof. Jean Bonnin (France)

Members:
Prof. Konrad Froitzheim (Germany)
Prof. Hans-Jorgen Goetze (Germany)
Prof. Karmeshu (India)
Prof. Anne S. Kiremidjian (USA)
Dr. Horst Kremers (Germany)
Dr. Herbert W. Kroehl (USA)
Prof. Vladimir N. Strakhov (Russia)
Acad. Mikhail Z. Zgurovsky (Ukraine)

Experts:
Prof. Michel Diament (France)
Dr. Hery Harjono (Indonesia)
Dr. Eric Kihn (USA)
Dr. John Rose (UNESCO)
Prof. Bernard Saugier (France)
Dr. Grigory Secrieru (Moldova)
Dr. Marat Zakhidov (Uzbekistan)
Dr. Michael Zhizhin (Russia)

Executive Committee Liaison: Prof. Steve Rossouw

Data on Natural Gas Hydrates

Terms of Reference:

The CODATA Task Group on Data on Natural Gas Hydrates was newly approved in October 2000. The Task Group has as its objective the development of the concept of a comprehensive information system of all aspects of natural gas hydrates. It will formulate requirements on the type of data needed in the system and their quality sufficient for considering both basic problems of origin and transformation of gas hydrates in natural conditions and ways of exploitation of resources of natural gas hydrates.

The considered data system must include data from different scientific disciplines and areas of technology. Goals include:

• Development of a realistic concept of distributed large-scale information system for gas hydrates
• Agreement on priorities of data collection in different areas of gas hydrate problem
• Agreement on data formats to make separate data files compatible
• Selecting applications to demonstrate the proper use of data
• Finding ways to use modern information technologies for data and knowledge sharing to achieve understanding of the role of natural gas hydrates in natural processes, in rational ways of gas hydrates resources exploitation, and in preventing hazards resulting from uncontrolled eruptions of gases from gas hydrates deposits

Chairman: Acad. Fedor A. Kuznetsov (Russia)

Members:
Dr. Vladimir R. Belosludov (Russia)
Dr. Georgy A. Cherkashev (Russia)
Dr. Jean Klerkx (Belgium)
Dr. Yuri Makogon (Russia)
Dr. John A. Ripmeester (Canada)
Dr. Jean-Jacques Royer (France)
Dr. E. Dendy Sloan, Jr. (USA)
Dr. Tsutomu Uchida (Japan)

Executive Committee Liaison: Dr. Heinrich Behrens

Data Sources in Asian-Oceanic Countries

Terms of Reference:

The CODATA Task Group on Data Sources in Asian-Oceanic Countries (DSAO) has provided data experts in Asian-Oceanic countries with an organisation that encourages and facilitates regional knowledge sharing and co-operation in many areas of scientific and technical data. One area of particular emphasis is the promotion and enhancement of development of reliable databases in Asian and Oceanic Countries by precept and example. The Task Group organizes meetings on management, standardisation and quality control of Data in Asia and Oceanic countries. Recently the CODATA DSAO Task Group had just carried out a successful series of meetings addressing data topics of special interest to Asian-Oceanic countries. Abstracts and presentations for this meeting, entitled "Joint Forum: Taxonomy Initiatives for Biodiversity Conservation in an IT Era" are available at: http:// www-sp200ao.nies.go.jp/whatsnew/2001/January/jointforum/ index.html

Chairman: Prof. Akira Tsugita (Japan)

Vice-Chairman:
Prof. Mu-Shik Jhon (Korea)
Prof. Sun Honglie (Beijing, China)
Prof. Richard J. Simpson (Australia)

Members:
Dr. Rukasih Dardjat (Indonesia)
Prof. Suthat Fucharoen (Thailand)
Dr. Krishan Lal (India)
Dr. G.L. Sipin (Philippines)
Prof. Jen-Leih Wu (Taipei, Tawain, China)
Dr. Z. H. Zaidi (Pakistan)

Consulting Members:
Dr. S.C. Chang (Taipei, Tawain, China)
Dr. Moon-Hi Han (Korea)
Prof. Shuichi Iwata (Japan)
Dr. Jin Hyung Kim (Korea)
Dr. Takashi Kunisawa (Japan)
Dr. Hyung-Seon (Howard) Park (Korea)
Dr. Kawang-Tsao Shao (Taipei, Tawain, China)
Dr. Junko Shimura (Japan)
Prof. Hideaki Sugawara (Japan)
Prof. Masahisa Sugiura (Japan)
Prof. Morakot Tanticharoen (Thailand)
Dr. Kazutoshi Tanabe (Japan)
Prof. Shang-Shyng Yang (Taipei, Tawain, China)

Executive Committee Liaison: Prof. Sun Honglie

Fundamental Constants

Terms of Reference:

The CODATA Task Group on Fundamental Constants periodically provides the scientific and technological communities with a self-consistent set of internationally recommended values of the basic constants and conversion factors of physics and chemistry based on all of the relevant data available at a given point in time.

In calendar year 1999, the Task Group completed the production of a new set of constants based on information compiled over the previous few years. This set of constants is designated as the 1998 CODATA recommended set, as they are based on the information available up to the end of that year.

The results of this adjustment are being widely disseminated through publications and various other forms, such as wallet cards and wall charts. The Task Group is remaining active and anticipates carrying out a new evaluation of the constants based on data available through the end of calendar year 2002.

Chairman: Dr. Peter Mohr (USA)

Members:
Dr. Franco Cabiati (Italy)
Dr. E. Richard Cohen (USA)
Dr. Kenichi Fujii (Japan)
Dr. Savely G. Karshenboim (Russia)
Prof. Ingvar Lindgren (Sweden)
Prof. Werner Martienssen (Germany)
Dr. Francois Nez (France)
Dr. Brian W. Petley (UK)
Dr. Terry J. Quinn (BIPM)
Dr. Barry N. Taylor (USA)
Dr. Wolfgang Wöger (Germany)
Dr. Barry M. Wood (Canada)
Prof. Zhang Zhonghua (Beijing, China)

Corresponding Member: Prof. Boris A. Mamyrin (Russia)

Executive Committee Liaison: Dr. Krishan Lal

Global Species Data Network

Terms of Reference:

The names of organisms are the key to biodiversity communications and as such, provide access to the accumulated knowledge of all life on Earth. However, despite the obvious value of a catalogue, no comprehensive indexing system yet exists for the 1.75 million animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms named by science. This lack of a widely accessible index, with inbuilt mechanisms for maintenance and updating, is a significant constraint on all nations wishing to fulfill their obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Goal of the CODATA Task Group on Global Species Data Networks is to provide a uniform and validated quality index of names of all known species for use as a practical tool. The index will be used to provide:

• An electronic baseline species list for use in inventorying projects worldwide;
• The index for an Internet gateway to species databases worldwide;
• A reference system for comparison between inventories;
• A comprehensive worldwide catalogue for checking the status, classification and naming of species

One of the components of this species list is the Global Plant Checklist Project, which is preparing an index to all plant species.

Chairman: Prof. Frank A. Bisby (UK)

Vice-Chairs:
Dr. Vanderlei P. Canhos (Brazil)
Mrs. Karen Wilson (Australia)

Members:
Ms. Lois Blaine (USA)
Dr. Rainer Froese (Philippines)
Dr. Judith M. Howcroft (UK)
Dr. Michael A. Ruggiero (USA)
Prof. Peter H. Schalk (Netherlands)
Dr. Hideyuki Shimizu (Japan)
Dr. Junko Shimura (Japan)
Dr. Richard J. White (UK)
Dr. Walter Berendsohn
Dr. Patricia Dávila Aranda
Dr. Domingo Madulid
Dr. Nancy Morin
Dr. Richard Pankhurst
Dr. J. Scott Peterson
Dr. Doug Stevens

Executive Committee Liaison: Ms. Lois Blaine

Scientific Data Sources in Africa

Terms of Reference:

The CODATA Task Group on Scientific Data Sources in Africa has been newly approved. It is the first multi-national project within Africa to address scientific data problems. To the extent possible, the Task Group will make use of modern information technology to help development of scientific data resources for the less developed nations, especially in Africa. The Project will create an inventory on information resources pertaining to the Senegal River Basin (Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Guinea). It will include a multidisciplinary approach covering fields as diverse as biodiversity, agronomy, environment and health, geography (GIS), biology, information and communications, sociology and social sciences, chemistry, toxicology, computer science and evaluation.

Chairman: Dr. Abdoulaye Gaye (Senegal)

Members:
Prof. El Hadj Malick Diop (Senegal)
Dr. Clement Entsuah-Mensah (Ghana)
Mr. Mamadou Kanoute (Senegal)
Mr. Themba Mohoto (South Africa)
Prof. Joseph Noah Ngamveng (Cameroon)
Dr. Kingsley Oise Momodu (Nigeria)
Prof. G. Olalere Ajayi (Nigeria)
Dr. Heston Phillips (South Africa)
Prof. Steve Rossouw (South Africa)

Consultants:
Dr. Dialo Diop (Senegal)
Prof. M.G.K. Menon (India)
Mr. Folarin Osotimehin(UNESCO)

Executive Committee Liaison: Prof. Paul G. Mezey

Standard Physico-Chemical Data Formats

Terms of Reference:

With over 25,000,000 chemical compounds reported in millions of scientific papers, chemical data is one of the most important classes of scientific data. In this age of web-based data, the need to have standards for sharing and exchanging chemistry data is more important than ever. CODATA has joined forces with the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the International Committee on Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI) to develop formats for numerical chemical data.

Two years of its establishment, the IUPAC-CODATA Task Group on Standard Physico-Chemical Data Formats, has made significant progress in developing and reviewing the presentation of numerical property presented in a standardized electronic format (SELFs). The components of SELF allow unambiguous identification of numerical data values, publisher and publication information, reference citation, physico-chemical property and chemical substances.

In addition, the Task Group is using funding from the International Council for Science (ICSU) to develop a model data portal, called Data Explorer, that implements the SELFS for a variety of sources of physico-chemical property numerical data.

The work of the Task Group is coordinated with the international project IUCODIX to establish effective working relationships among different types of organizations in the scientific information chain. Modern information technology has served to blur the distinctions between primary journal publishers, abstract services, database distributors, handbook publishers, and other institutions.

The success of the current project is dependent on achieving cooperation among these different parties. Thus the participation of IUPAC, as a source of chemical expertise, CODATA, with its broad interest in data handling and data access, and ICSTI, with its representation from the publishing community, makes a powerful coalition to develop and demonstrate the needed standards.

Chairman: Dr. Henry V. Kehiaian (France)

Members:
Prof. Ulrich K. Deiters (Germany)
Dr. Vladimir Dohnal (Czech Rep)
Prof. Vladimir A. Durov (Russia)
Dr. Michel Frenkel (USA)
Dr. Kai Fischer (Germany)
Dr. Daniel G. Friend (USA)
Prof. Jean-Pierre E. Grolier (France)
Prof. Jacques Jose (France)
Dr. Garry W. Mallard (USA)
Dr. K. I. Popov (Russia)
Prof. H. Kipton J. Powell (New Zealand)
Prof. Dominique Richon (France)
Prof. Staffan Sjoberg (Sweden)
Prof. Svein Stolen (Norway)
Prof. Wang Wenchuan (Beijing, China)
Dr. Ivan Wichterle (Czech Republic)
Prof. Emmerich Wilhelm (Austria)

DIS and Software Developers:
Dr. Andreas Barth (Germany)
Eng. Jean-Claude Fontaine (France)
Dr. Vladimir S. Iorish (Russia)
Dr. Peter J. Linstrom (USA)
Dr. Leslie D. Pettit (UK)
Dr. Zdenek Wagner (Czech Rep)
Dr. Ulrich Westhaus (Germany)

Consulting Members:
Dr. Heinrich Behrens (Germany)
Dr. Ivan Cibulka (Czech Rep)
Prof. Kenneth R. Hall (USA)
Dr. Richard F. Kayser (USA)
Dr. Richard Sass (Germany)
Dr. Vladimir S. Yungman (Russia)

Executive Committee Liaison: Dr. Vladimir S. Yungman

The ICSU/CODATA ad hoc Group on Data and Information

Terms of Reference:

The Group will continue to examine problems, policies, and possible solutions to issues of international access and exchange of data for scientific research. It will develop positions on behalf of CODATA and ICSU and present those positions as necessary to outside organizations and individuals concerned with scientific data access. National and international groups, often non-scientific in nature, may develop policies and procedures that can impact on data access for scientific research. The Group will emphasize the science viewpoint on the need for data access to those groups.

The small size of the Group will allow it to act promptly in the face of fast-breaking issues. Because normal practice varies amongst scientific disciplines, the Group will call upon experts not part of the Group to deal with specialized issues.

The Group will:

• Develop ICSU/CODATA policies and positions on data access with special attention to scientific research needs.
• Follow developments and review existing constraints on data access for purposes of scientific research including governmental, commercial, and legal constraints.
• Act as a quick-response group to react to "data crises".
• Serve as a consultant group to ICSU on issues related to data access.
• Present issues related to the impact of intellectual property rights on science and education to the international science community through participation in scientific meetings, articles, and a Web site.

Chairman: Prof. Ferris Webster

Members:
Prof. David Abir (CODATA)
Sir Roger Elliott (ICSU)
Dr. David R. Lide, Jr. (CODATA)
Prof. Jerome Reichman (ICSU)
Dr. Peter Schindler (ICSU)
Dr. G. Thyagarajan (ICSU)
Mrs. Karen Wilson (CODATA)

Executive Committee Liaison: Dr. John Rumble, Jr.

CODATA Working Groups

Biological Collection Data Access

Terms of Reference:

The objective of the Working Group is to foster accessibility of existing and emerging biological collection data banks at the international level by developing proposals for data and metadata standards. The Working Group will closely liaise with the Subgroup on Accession Data of the IUBS Commission on Taxonomic Databases (TDWG). The group's long-term objectives:

• Foment standardization of the terminology used to model biological collection information.
• Collect and make public documents providing standards used in - or of potential use for -biological collections.
• Contribute to a general format for data exchange and retrieval for biological collections.

A three-day workshop was held in Santa Barbara 11-13 June 2001. It prepared the base for an XML Schema and Document Type Definition for biological collection data, as well as outlining a way to merge different concepts for data access pathways. .. The group includes members from several projects that pursue parallel aims using different techniques for data access. The discussion took advantage of this broad cover to achieve consensus or at least mutual recognition of parallel concepts and their relationship.

Chairman: Dr. Walter G. Berendsohn (Germany)

Members:
Ms. Lois Blaine (USA)
Dr. Stanley Blum (USA)
Dr. Barry J. Conn (Australia)
Dr. James Croft (Australia)
Prof. George Garrity (USA)
Mr. Anton Güntsch (Germany)
Dr. Charles Hussey (UK)
Dr. Rudolf May (Germany)
Dr. Sabine Roscher (Germany)
Dr. Raul Jimenez Rosenberg (Mexico)
Prof. Hideaki Sugawara (Japan)
Dr. Neil Thomson (UK)
Dr. David Vieglais (USA)
Dr. Greg Whitbread (Australia)

Executive Committee Liaison: Ms. Lois Blaine

Archiving Scientific Data

Data are primary building blocks of science. To have meaningful access to reliable scientific data requires as much attention to preservation and archiving as to their acquisition. In October 2000, a planning meeting was held to review issues related to the archiving and preserving of scientific data. The planning meeting was organized during the 17th International CODATA Conference. For this purpose, scientific data refers to numerical quantities or other factual attributes generated by scientists and derived during the research process (through observations, experiments, calculations and analysis). To this end a CODATA Working Group has been established to focus on the special issues of archiving scientific data.

Terms of Reference:

The main purpose of the proposed Working Group is to

• Produce a position paper on preserving and archiving scientific data.
• Develop a comprehensive annotated bibliography on the subject;
• Document the diversity of best practices and identify the 'best' ones in the area of data archiving and preservation across science domain;
• Describe the role and function of CODATA in preserving and archiving scientific data;
• Describe the major issues to be considered in archiving scientific and technology data;
• Identify other efforts in data archiving and preservation (e.g. efforts by ICSTI, ISO, NARA, NRC, etc.)

More information can be found on http://www.nrf.ac.za/codata

Co-Chairmen:
Dr. William L. Anderson (USA)
Prof. Steve Rossouw (South Africa)

Members: To be appointed

Executive Committee Liaison: Dr. John Rumble, Jr.