Theme of 2010 AAAS Annual Meeting: Bridging Science and Society
A. TITLE OF PROPOSED SYMPOSIUM (85 character limit)
Managing the Exaflood: Enhancing the Value of Networked Data for Science and Society
B. PRIMARY SUBJECT CATEGORY
15. Information Technology and Computing
C. SECONDARY SUBJECT CATEGORIES
20. Public Policy
D. SYNOPSIS (1500 character limit)
The total amount of data generated each year is likely to double every two years for at least the next decade as the costs of computing and networking continue to plunge, and the number of people and data generating instruments connected to the Internet soars. George Gilder has referred to this phenomenon as the "exaflood." Some research projects are routinely generating terabytes and even petabytes of data. Many others result in much smaller and heterogeneous collections with valuable attributes. To realize the full benefit and value of these diverse and voluminous data requires more effective data management techniques, institutional arrangements, and policies. How can research organizations ensure that data are properly archived and made available to all the researchers who might find them useful? How can the origin and accuracy of data be ensured and properly documented? What new approaches are needed to ensure that the preservation and access to data of great scientific and social value is a priority? Many organizations and advisory groups are now confronting these challenges. The National Research Council’s Board on Research Data and Information, which is organizing this symposium, was recently formed to address such pressing questions. The symposium will bring together leading research and policy experts who will address the value proposition of the exaflood, provide compelling examples of applications that expand the boundaries of what is possible, and discuss some of the policy and management issues that must be resolved.
E. RELEVANCE TO THEME OR SPECIAL RELEVANCE TO THE AUDIENCE (500 character limit)
The symposium is directly responsive to theme of the AAAS 2010 Conference focusing on the need to enhance the value of digital data in the networked environment for science and society. We have identified two key challenges to focus on for case studies. The session has a mix of high-level speakers from the private sector, academia, and government to address these important opportunities and challenges. It is explicitly structured to attract members of the public and the press, as well as research and technology professionals, and science policy experts.
F. SCHEDULING AND TIME JUSTIFICATION (1000 character limit)
The symposium is proposed as a 90-minute session. This is the minimum to cover this very important challenge in science.
G. DISCIPLINARY SECTIONS (optional)
This symposium is supported by Section on Information Computing and Communications. Section Officers are participating in the planning of this session and will be participating.
H. SESSION ROLES
Bonnie C. Carroll
Information International Associates, Inc.
1055 Commerce Park Drive, Suite 110
P.O. Box 4219
Oak Ridge, TN 37831-4219
Paul F. Uhlir, J.D.
Director, Board on Research Data and Information
National Research Council
The National Academies, Keck-511
500 Fifth Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Michael R. Nelson, Ph. D.
Visiting Professor, Internet Studies
3520 Prospect Street, NW, Suite 311
Washington, DC 20057
Speaker #1: Keynote Overview
Dr. Hal R. Varian
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
Title: The Value Proposition of the Exaflood
As a leading information economist in both academia and industry, Dr. Varian will discuss the research, economic, and social values of exponential increases in data online. How can we enhance the value of the exoflood? What are the network effects and the positive and negative externalities of this phenomenon?
Speaker #2: Case Study #1, Metagenomic data integration
Prof. Larry Smarr
Harry E. Gruber Professor
University of California, San Diego
Invited, pending other AAAS Obligations
Dept of Computer Science & Engineering
9500 Gillman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093-0404
Title: Advancing the Metagenomics Revolution
Marine metagenomics is emerging as a focus for innovation at the interface of marine environmental science and information technology. This presentation will provide the compelling example of the CAMERA Project, which is providing the tools and information for integrating georeferenced metagenomics data online.
Speaker #3: Case Study #2, Intelligence
Maureen A. Baginski
President, National Security Systems Sector
1911 N. Ft. Myer Dr
Arlington, VA 22209
Title: Data Collection, Integration and Analysis for National Defense and Homeland Security
One of the nation’s keyvulnerabilities that were identified after 9/11 was the lack of information sharing and data interoperability within the intelligence community. Much intelligence input is data in combination with textual information and exists in large corpuses of text and large databases as well as graphical formats. The challenges and some of the efforts to address both sharing and interoperability will be discussed.
Dr. Christopher L. Greer
Director, National Coordination Office
Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD)
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Ste II-405
Arlington, VA 22230
Dr. Greer will conclude the session as a discussant. In closing, he will react to the first three presentations from a data management and policy perspective.