[tdwg-tnc] Species profile model group meeting at TDWG 2007 Conference

[Eamonn O Tuama]

Dear TDWG TNC Member,

We plan to hold a group discussion about the "Species Profile Model" SPM
(previously known as "Taxon Data Model") at the TDWG 2007 conference,
possibly on Sunday 16th during the group meetings slot (09.00-17.00). We are
trying to gauge interest and potential numbers and to avoid clashes with
other parallel discussions that might be taking place.

The SPM is intended to describe species facts (organised into categories) as
might appear in "species bank" type web applications like Encyclopedia of
Life or FishBase/SeaLifePortal.

We do not intend to duplicate the work of TCS and SDD for nomenclature and
taxonomy but rather draw on them, and other TDWG standards, wherever
appropriate. We want it to fit in with the TDWG technical architecture and
will work closely with all concerned to do this.  It seemed to us that the
SPM was sufficiently distinct to warrant set up a new group within TDWG with
cross linkages to other groups where appropriate.  

For a background, see the wiki here: http://wiki.tdwg.org/TaxonDataModel,
and the summary of a recent workshop held at GBIF here:
http://wiki.tdwg.org/twiki/bin/view/TaxonDataModel/SpeciesModelWorkshopRepor
t. 

You can subscribe to the taxon-data-model mailing list here to follow
developments and contribute:
http://lists.tdwg.org/mailman/listinfo/taxon-data-model (mailing list
information web page) taxon-data-model at lists.tdwg.org
<mailto:taxon-data-model at lists.tdwg.org> (mailing list web address)

Please reply to me directly to let me know if you are interested in
attending the SPM workgroup during the TDWG conference. At this stage it is
purely to get a rough indication of numbers so there is no real commitment
required on your part.

Best regards,

Éamonn


________________________________________________________________
Éamonn Ó Tuama, Ph.D. (eotuama at gbif.org), 
Senior Programme Officer for Data Access & Database Interoperability (DADI),
Global Biodiversity Information Facility Secretariat,
Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, DENMARK 
Phone:  +45 3532 1494; Fax:  +45 3532 1480