Securing the Legacy of the International Polar Year
Mark Parsons, National Snow and Ice Data Center
Tuesday, May 6, 2008, 1:30 pm.
Unidata Conference Room, FL4, 1318
Abstract
We are in the midst of one of the most exciting international and interdisciplinary science projects that many of us will encounter in our professional careers - the International Polar Year. Scientists in the natural, social, and health sciences are collaborating on some 228 endorsed projects in both the Arctic and Antarctic during a two-year period (March 2007-March 2009) of intense field observations. These science projects address crucial issues at a critical time in the evolution of the Earth system. A common thread in all projects is how we manage the data for collaboration now, during this IPY, and in the future as new science topics and issues emerge.
The International Polar Year Data and Information Service (IPYDIS) is a global partnership of data centers, archives, and networks working to ensure proper stewardship of IPY and related data. The National Snow and Ice Data Center acts as a coordination office for the IPYDIS to ensure the long-term preservation of broad, interdisciplinary, and non-expert access to IPY data. The IPYDIS tracks the data flow for IPY and helps researchers and data users identify data access mechanisms, archives, and services. The IPYDIS also provides information and assistance to data managers on compliance with standards, development of a union catalog of IPY metadata, and other data management requirements for IPY. It provides a general communication forum for all matters related to accessing, managing, and preserving IPY and related data. The IPYDIS is guided by the IPY Data Policy and Management Subcommittee, which develops the overall IPY data strategy and policies. The IPYDIS also supports and participates in the Electronic Geophysical Year (eGY), which promotes a modern e-Science approach to issues of data stewardship: open access to data, data preservation, data discovery, data rescue, capacity building, and outreach.
This presentation reviews current activities and future challenges for the IPYDIS in creating a sustained polar data system. Ultimately, we seek to create a data preservation and access “utility” a core infrastructure of science that is simple, predictable, reliable, extensible, accessible, and durable. But just like with existing utilities, such as water, electricity, and communications, the basic simplicity on the surface belies deep complexity, structure, planning, and professionalism. Creating that level of infrastructure requires great collaboration around standards, maintenance, and professional development and certification. We must bridge cultural barriers between scientific disciplines, between data managers and researchers, between libraries and data centers.
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