August 2004 - tdwg - lists.tdwg.org

Announcement: Darwin Core 2 -- Request for Comment
by Blum, Stan 27 Aug '04

27 Aug '04

Announcing an open review of the Darwin Core 2. The Darwin Core 2 is a simple set of data element definitions designed to support the sharing and integration of primary biodiversity data. An un-reviewed or informal version of the Darwin Core 2 is already being used in conjunction with DiGIR in several biodiversity information networks, including GBIF, MaNIS, OBIS, SpeciesLink, HerpNet, and OrNIS. The Darwin Core 2 is now being proposed for consideration as a DRAFT standard under the Taxonomic Databases Working Group (http://www.tdwg.org). Two collaboration tools have been setup to facilitate this review. The first is a web site (http://DarwinCore.CalAcademy.org) that supports distributed authorship. (The web site is based on "Plone", which is like at wiki, but more structured.) The second is an email-list and newsgroup (archive) located at http://circa.gbif.net/Public/irc/tdwg/dwcrev/newsgroups?n=dwcrev (Register and/or login at: http://circa.gbif.net/tdwg ) The web site is the best place to start because it presents an HTML (readable) version of the Darwin Core 2, the "normative" version (an XML schema), as well as background and summaries of pending issues. These summaries will grow and evolve over the course of the review. The primary discussion, however, will take place on the mailing list. Please subscribe if you want to participate in this discussion and please use the mailing list to ensure that your comments are seen by everyone interested. A face-to-face discussion of the Darwin Core 2 will take place at this year's TDWG annual meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand, Oct. 11-18. If you cannot attend, but would like your perspective and concerns to be addressed, please participate in the electronic review. It's the most practical way to get a global community together. Finally, please let me know (via email) if you have any trouble with either the web site or the email list. Sincerely, Stan Blum Chair, TDWG Executive Committee 2004 Research Information Manager, California Academy of Sciences

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TDWG Student Travel Grants
by Robert Guralnick 26 Aug '04

26 Aug '04

Underrepresented student support for October 2004 Meeting of the Taxonomic Data Working Group (TDWG), Christ Church, NZ and associated workshops. With the assistance of the U.S. National Science Foundation, we expect to fund up to $3,000 per student for underrepresented (based on gender, ethnicity, disability, and geography) undergraduate, graduate and post- doctoral students working in or proposing biodiversity informatics projects, to attend the TDWG meetings from October 11 to 18, 2004. See http://www.tdwg.org/2004meet/TDWG_2004.htm for the meeting program. The focus of the meeting includes: Biological Collections Data, the proposed XML Schema for the Structure of Descriptive Data, Taxonomic Names, among other topics (eg. Spatial Data). Underrepresented resident students at U.S. institutions are invited to submit an application describing their studies or research projects in biology or computer science and a brief paragraph about how they expect attendance could further their work. We will especially consider applicants not traditionally included in the taxonomic community. Application requirements: - Total narrative should not exceed one page (when formated in 12-point Times Roman, single spaced text on an 8.5x11" page with 1" margins) - If relevant, include at most one additional page of references to web links describing projects in which they participate, and papers on which they are joint authors. - Applications may be accompanied by up to two letters of recommendation from faculty members or other professionals aware of the projects described in the narrative and commenting on the student's role and expected benefit. Please send documents in PDF format to Dr. Robert Guralnick (Robert.Guralnick(a)colorado.edu) by Sept. 15. Applications will be evaluated by a committee composed of Dr. Guralnick, Dr. Robert A. Morris from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and Annie Simpson at the National Biological Information Infrastructure. We expect funding to be available prior to the meeting. Further details will be provided to the successful applicants. Best regards, Rob Guralnick Bob Morris Annie Simpson _____________________________ Dr. Rob Guralnick Asst. Professor and Curator Dept. of EEB and CU Museum University of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO 80309-0265 tel: 303-735-0178

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New Old Books: your opinion wanted
by Mary Donovan 17 Aug '04

17 Aug '04

The Blackburn Press is a relatively new publishing company, dedicated to keeping in print and available for purchase book titles which larger publishers have lost interest in and have declared "out of print." We are especially interested in scientific and technical titles. In several recent conversations, the following books has been mentioned to us as worth looking at for reprinting. We'd very much appreciate your reaction to this title: Gray's Manual of Botany by ML Fernald (1987) Morphology of Plants and Fungi by Bold Alexopolus, Delevoras (1987) Potential Natural Vegetation of US by AW Kuchler (1975) Aquatic Plants of the US (1944) by Walter Muenscher Of course, we'd also be delighted to hear about any other titles you think would merit bringing back into print and made available again. Please respond directly to me. Thank you. Mary

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Submission of proposal for Taxonomic Concept Schema standard to the TDWG Executive Committee
by unknown＠example.com 11 Aug '04

11 Aug '04

We have submitted a draft schema and documentation for consideration as a TDWG standard for the transfer of taxonomic concepts/names. It can be found as DraftStandard on the following wiki page: http://tdwg.napier.ac.uk/ Supporting documentation can also be found through this link. Open review of this proposal can be facilitated through the same wiki site where we have provided the following discussion page: http://www.soc.napier.ac.uk/tdwg/index.php? pagename=DraftStandardDiscussion. We encourage reviewers to create separate sub-pages for different issues. Whilst it is possible to read and write comments anonymously it would be helpful if people would log in with their name (no registration necessary). Trevor Paterson & Robert Kukla (p.p. Jessie Kennedy) -- Prof. Jessie B Kennedy School of Computing Napier University Merchiston Campus 10 Colinton Road tel: +44 (0)131-455-2772 Edinburgh fax: +44 (0)131-455-2727 EH10 5DT Scotland email: j.kennedy(a)napier.ac.uk

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