Dear TAGers

Donald has been asked if TDWG could produce “a one-page outline for ontology components to support biodiversity informatics” for inclusion in the e-Biosphere 2009 report.

As the TAG contains the brains of TDWG on this (and many other) subjects, your help on this task would be greatly appreciated.

I have created a Wiki page where this outline can be developed-

http://wiki.tdwg.org/twiki/bin/view/TAG/OntologyRoadmap

Lee

Lee Belbin

TDWG Secretariat

From: Donald Hobern [mailto:dhobern@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, 7 August 2009 11:22 AM
To: Greg Whitbread; 'Roger Hyam'; leebel@netspace.net.au; Stan Blum; a.rissone@nhm.ac.uk
Subject: FW: Biodiversity Informatics Outlook

A one-page outline of requirements for ontology components to support biodiversity informatics is required for inclusion in the final e-Biosphere report and TDWG has been given the responsibility for developing it. I am checking on the exact nature of this, but can I call on you to contribute?

Thanks,

Donald

From: Edwards, James [mailto:EDWARDSJL@si.edu]
Sent: Friday, 7 August 2009 8:37 AM
To: eBioSC@eol.org
Cc: Mason, Dawn
Subject: Biodiversity Informatics Outlook

Dear Steering Committee members –

I recall your attention to David Schindel’s message below about developing the prospectus for the first Biodiversity Informatics Outlook. In point 4 David provides a workable outline for developing the document, which is scheduled to be discussed at the GBIF Governing Board meeting at the beginning of October and at the TDWG meeting in November.

GBIF has informed us that in order to give Governing Board members time to read and evaluate the Outlook document, it would need to be in GBIF’s hands by the end of August. Therefore, I seek your help in preparing the document.

We already have much of the language needed for much of the document. Where we still need input is in the following areas. I have taken the liberty of assigning individuals or organizations to prepare these sections of the document.

BI landscape and survey results (5 pages)—Bonnie Carroll and Meredith Lane

Ontologies (1 page)—TDWG

Registries (1 page)—GBIF

Taxonomic foundation and global names architecture (1-2 pages)—GNAAP, CoL

Outreach to specified sister communities (1 page)--??

Citation/impact measurement system for BI data and services (1 page)—Vishwas Chavan??

Communications mechanisms (1 page)—David Schindel

Other initiatives coming from the community in response to the call for expressions of interest—unfortunately, we do not yet have any such initiatives. As of today, no one has provided any expressions of interest in bringing new topics to the discussion. What else should we do to induce other groups to get involved? Or should we give up on the other groups and just go ahead on our own?

All other sections (5 pages)—I will pledge to assemble these.

Please provide feedback on this proposed approach to developing the outlook prospectus and let me know if you or your organization will be able to produce the requested material by 27 August.

Thanks,

-- Jim

Dr. James L. Edwards

Executive Director

Encyclopedia of Life

National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian Institution

P.O. Box 37012, MRC 106

Washington, DC 20013-7012

Phone: 1 202 633 8730

Mobile: 1 571 230 4098

Fax: 1 202 633 8742

Email: edwardsjl@si.edu

From: Schindel, David [mailto:schindeld@si.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 9:01 PM
To: eBioSC@eol.org
Cc: Mason, Dawn; Fritzsche, Meg; Jett, Kristin; Trizna, Michael; Balla, Agnes
Subject: Prospectus for Biodiversity Informatics Outlook

Dear Colleagues,

Based on our conference call today, I propose that the Steering Committee do the following next steps in developing the e-Biosphere roadmap:

1. Finalize the workshop Resolution

2. Jim sends out a general announcement of:

a. The post-Conference website

b. The workshop Resolution

c. An interim communications plan (use the OCC for now, to be replaced asap?)

d. A call for expressions of interest by initiatives and/or institutions willing to lead components of the roadmap

3. Re-constitute the membership of the e-Biosphere Steering Committee to include initiatives and institutions willing to lead components of the roadmap. Each component leader would be asked to complete the brief description of the proposed activity using a template like the one Tom Orrell proposed during the workshop. Examples of components of the roadmap are:

a. Ontologies (TDWG)

b. Registries (GBIF)

c. Taxonomic foundation and global names infrastructure (EOL, CoL, GBIF, ALA, GNAAP, PESI, SMEBD)

d. Outreach to specified sister communities

e. Biodiversity Informatics Outlook

f. Citation/impact measurement system for BI data and services

g. Communications mechanisms

h. Other initiatives coming from the community in response to the call for expressions of interest

4. Develop a draft first volume of the Biodiversity Informatics Outlook, to be released at the GBIF Governing Board (October 2009) and TDWG (November 2009) meetings. This volume would be the first iteration of the BI roadmap and would provide a rough baseline against which progress could be measured. Contents of the Outlook would be:

a. Introduction to BI and e-Biosphere (1 page)

b. Background on and results of e-Biosphere 09 Conference (1 page)

c. BI landscape and survey results by Bonnie and Meredith (5 pages)

d. Background and Resolution of the e-Biosphere Workshop (3 pages)

e. One-page descriptions of the components of the BI roadmap, either under construction or planned (~10 pages, see list under item 3, above)

I will provide you with a report of the results of my discussions with CBOL’s new website developer and their suggestions for a community-building system.

Best regards,

David