2007 General Meeting Report

Download Meeting Agenda

General Meeting, 13-14 March 2007

Location: NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Science)
Center Green Facility, Boulder, Colorado

Summary of meeting outcomes

Purpose of the meeting

1. Share information about progress, related initiatives/developments
2. Identify and plan activities and conference events
3. Develop marketing arrangements
4. Provide an introduction to eGY for newcomers

Meeting Products

• Work plan to December 2008, with dates and responsibilities
• Calendar of conferences and meetings with planned eGY events
• Updated plan for showcase demonstrations
• Plan for an Earth and Space Science Informatics summit
• Lists of suggested activities for participants
• List of articles for newsletters and journals, with authors

Handouts

TUESDAY 13th March

08:30 Gather

09:00 Welcome and Opening (Peter Fox)

"The eGY perspective" - Dan Baker, Exec.Director of LASP, Head of eGY
Facilities; Reception arrangements
Objectives of the meeting
Review handouts
Modifications to the agenda?
Announcements: Boulder Data Professionals meeting, VoiG conference

People introductions
"eGY basics" - Charlie Barton

10:30 Break

11:00 THE WORLD SCENE-1 (Alexei Gvishiani)

ICSU, SCID, FAGS (JoAnn Joselyn) - Verbal Report focusing on the IGY's role in setting up the World Data Centers and eGY's role in identifying new functions for the WDC's
CODATA and GICSI (Bob Chen)
CEOS-WGISS (Kathy Fontaine)
GEOSS (Kathy Fontaine)

12:15 Group photo and Lunch

Back rows intermixed: JoAnn Joselyn, Herb Kroehl, Kathy Fontaine, John Manuel, Keith Turner, Jeff Love, Ray Walker, Dave Clark, John Holt, Aaron Roberts, Alexei Gvishiani, Eric Kihn, Ralph Baird, Vladimir Papitashvili Middle row: Bob Chen, Emily CoBabe-Ammann, Paul Berkman, Bernd Ritschel, Chuck Meerten, Marissa Rusinek, Charlie Barton, and Tiffany Baird Kneeling: Mark Parsons and Bill Peterson Not shown: Daniel Baker, Alisdair Davey, Gang Lu, Peter Fox, Konrad Steffan, Ron Weaver

13:15 THE WORLD SCENE-2 (Bob Chen)

WDC-Panel (Dave Clark)
Earth and Space Science Informatics: AGU, EGU, and GSA (Peter Fox)
SEG informatics and eGY (Ralph Baird)
GEM/CEDAR informatics (John Holt)
NASA Virtual Observatories and informatics (Aaron Roberts)
US National Geoinformatics Initiative (Peter Fox)
IUGS informatics - CGI/OneGeology/GeoSciML (Charlie Barton/Peter Fox)
     PPT 1, PPT 2, Movie
An Earth and Space Science Informatics Summit? (Charlie Barton)

14:30 FRESH PERSPECTIVES (Volodya Papitashvili)

Koni Steffen and Ron Weaver (NSIDC)
Kathy Fontaine (NASA Earth Science)
Ray Walker (NASA)
Keith Turner (NAS Geotechnical Committee)
Alexei Gvishiani (Russia)
Bernd Ritschel (Europe)
     PPT 1, PPT 2
John Manuel (Canada): Discussed data related issues faced by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). He noted that the eGY principles and activities are helpful in formulating the new CSA data policy.
Volodya Papitashvili

15:30 Break

16:00 eGY REPORTS (Mark Parsons)

eGY Secretariat report and finance (Bill Peterson)
eGY International Committee (Charlie Barton)
WG: Virtual Observatories (Peter Fox)
WG: Data Rescue and Preservation (Jeff Love): Dr. Love discussed an article he is preparing that discusses issues related to data preservation.
WG: Data Integration and Knowledge Development (Paul Berkman)
     The Data-to-Knowledge Paradigm workshop, CODATA 2006
Conferences (Bill Peterson): Bill encouraged eGY Participants to e-mail him information about conferences relevant to eGY for publication in the calendar and, in special cases, a note in the newsletter.

17:45 Close

18:00 Reception and stand up dinner at Green Center, NCAR

Presentation of IGY Gold award to Stan Ruttenberg.

Stan Ruttenberg participated in the IGY, worked in the IGY office, and was instrumental in producing the well known series of general interest films based on IGY research, which are now available here. Stan also played a key role in ICSU's World Data Center Panel, another of IGY's legacies.

Stan Ruttenberg after receiving the IGY Gold award and pin honoring his participation in the International Geophysical Year.

Stan Ruttenberg responding to a toast of those present honoring his service to the IGY.

WEDNESDAY 14th March

08:30 Gather

08:40 Start (Charlie Barton): Summary and introduction to the day's program

WG Report: Best Practices (Eric Kihn)
WG: EPO (Emily CoBabe-Amman)
WG: e-Africa (Charlie) Charlie Barton noted that ICSU has opened a regional office for Africa in Pretoria

09:00 INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE YEARS (Kathy Fontaine)

IHY (Barbara Thompson) Barbara was sick and could not attend
IPY-DIS (Mark Parsons or Volodya Papitashvili)
     Presentation, Report
Planet Earth (Keith Turner)
     Presentation, Report, Themes, Flyer

09:40 IUGG PERUGIA, July 2007 (Emily)

IGY+50 events and eGY launch

10:15 eGY SHOWCASE PROJECT (Peter Fox and Bill Peterson)

Presentation
Progress; review list
New demos
Future plans and presentations

10:40 Break

11:00 MARKETING (Emily)

Newsletter publications and publications: Emily CoBabe-Ammann announced her availability to edit and adapt articles about eGY for eGY participants. If you have an idea for an article contact Emily and/or Bill Peterson to keep them informed about what you are doing.
Informatics Journals (Peter)
Website development; new links (Marissa): We have a new web site design.
Activities for participants
Press releases, press conferences
Presentation templates; 10 Hildner slides: eGY Participants are encouraged to adapt the presentations on the web for their individual needs.

12:00 CONFERENCE AND EVENT PREPARATION (Bernd Ritschel)

Informatics Meetings
EGU, Vienna preparations - Town Hall meeting (Peter)
AGU Joint Assy Accapulco, 22-25 May 2006 (Bill, Peter)
Geoinformatics 2007 (Peter)
Virtual Observatories in the Geosciences (Peter)
AGU Dec'07; Geoinformatics Summit (Charlie)
IGC Oslo, Aug'08; Geoinformatics Summit (Charlie): Charlie discussed an invitation only meeting in the style of the "Celimontana Summit" that brought the I*Y's together to learn about each other and initiate cooperation. eGY would invite lead individuals from all know Earth and Space Science informatics initiatives to 1.) present their programs; 2.) state what they offer the other initiatives; and 3.) list what they most want from the other initiatives. A discussion on where and when to hold such a meeting ensued. Dr. Barton will follow up by contacting leaders from other initiatives to gauge their interest.
COSPAR 2008, Montreal (Bill)
CODATA 2008, Kiev (Bob Chen)
Other conferences - see calendar
Formation of an events committee?

13:00 Lunch in Cafeteria (just join the natives)

14:00 A future for eGY? (JoAnn Joselyn)

CODATA WG, Union Commission?
Future of the showcase demos - CODATA? GeoUnions?
The discussion identified two attractive, and complimentary, ways to ensure that the principles of eGY are carried forward after the 31 December 2008 end of eGY. Dr. Joselyn suggested the establishment of an IUGG Commission on Earth and Space Science Informatics. Dr. Barton noted that there is a proposal in the works for the establishment of a CODATA Task Group on "Virtual Laboratories in Earth Physics and Environmental Sciences." It was agreed that both approaches be perused.

14:30 OPEN DISCUSSION (Peter Fox)

Discussion
Strategic summary and messages/recommendations
Funding strategies
We agreed a 2008 eGY general meeting. It will be held again at the HAO Center Green Facility on February 27 and 28.
Free agenda

15:15 WINDUP (Charlie Barton)

Summarise action items, timeline and responsibilities
Summarise newsletters and articles
Summarise calendar of events
Next meeting? To be held Feb 27-28, 2008, in Boulder

16:00 Close

5:00 pm: The Boulder Data Professionals 2nd meeting will take place here at NCAR's Center Green Facility. This successful event is the second in a series. Contact Peter Fox, Mark Parsons, or Eric Kihn for details.