International Network-of-Networks (iN2N): Data Experts Workshop

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

Data are the necessary foundation of all scientific research, and the ability of technology to leverage and increase the impact of data has been exponentially increasing. However, to fully realize the potential of technology to help address grand challenge research questions and support global decision making, there must be an alignment and connection among data practices, systems, and community cultures. Thus, international, interdisciplinary network-of-networks are critical for advancing global understanding of societal challenges. While global data communities are primed for considerable progress in accelerating discovery and advancing research, international collaborations are difficult, take time, and require ongoing organizational support for facilitation and coordination of activities. To address this gap and advance the data field, the International Network-of-Networks (​iN2N)Data Expert Workshop will convene over a nine-month period to address the socio- and technical challenges in making data shareable and interoperable internationally. This workshop will result in an expert-written, publically available, scientific white paper concisely articulating the complexities of conducting research across international borders with a focus on data use and interoperability. This white paper will advance progress in multiple domains by describing the intricacies of international scientific collaborations across cultures, languages, legal systems, available resources, priorities, and organizational structures. The knowledge elucidated from this workshop and articulated in this white paper will provide a crucial resource in the development of future education and training for multiple, diverse stakeholders driving international networks of data exchange and re-use, as well as the way in which national and international research data is managed, archived, and disseminated for reuse. The combined dissemination of knowledge and translation into education materials will impact multiple audiences, from individual researchers, data managers, and technical and infrastructure admins, to research principal investigators, research funders, research data librarians, and scientific publishers. Moreover, this workshop will provide a model for future inclusive, international workshops across trans-disciplinary research and policy domains wherein data serves a key resource for discovery. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.