University Libraries hosts lecture on preserving and using large data sets

The University of New Mexico NEWS RELEASE

Media contact: Karen Wentworth (505) 277-5627 kwent2@unm.edu September 8, 2009 University Libraries hosts lecture on preserving and using large data sets University Libraries will host a talk “Exploiting and providing research data: finding strategies to help researchers” on Friday, September 18, 2009 at 1 PM in Centennial Science & Engineering Library. The presentation will be made by Professor Malcolm Atkinson Director of the e-Science Institute and National e-Science Centre and Professor of e-Science, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh and Professor David De Roure, Professor of Computer Science in the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton, UK. They will be in the United States visiting a number of universities and corporations during the month of September and have arranged to visit UNM. This topic is critical for young scientists and any researcher using large data sets and/or researching Internet data. Data-intensive science is emerging as a leading new research method and a focus of NSF, DOE, DOD, NIH, NEH, and other national funding agencies. The speakers are both players in the global research environment. The effective use of data is key to advances in almost all disciplines. There are opportunities for significant advances as a result of the pervasive growth in digital data, communication and devices, however, there are many challenges in enabling researchers to become adept in this new fast-changing context. Professor Malcolm Atkinson plays a leading role in UK science and data policy making, and is on numerous European Union advisory boards such as the Baltic Grid and GEON. He leads training and education of EU-funded projects such as the International Collaboration to Extend and Advance Grid Education. He is a member of the Global Grid Forum Steering Group and Data Area Director for GGF. Professor David De Roure has developed myExperiment which is designed to preserve and share scientific workflows. A founding member of the School's Intelligence, Agents, Multimedia Group, he leads the e-Research activities and is a Director of the Pervasive Systems Centre, and is involved in the UK e-Science and e-Social Science programs. His work focuses on creating new research methods in and between multiple disciplines, and his projects draw on Web 2.0, Semantic Web and workflow technologies. “We are very lucky to have these two leading figures in the field of e-science lecturing at UNM. This is a great opportunity to hear about cutting edge work”, says Johann van Reenen, University Libraries Associate Dean for Research, Science and International Initiatives. For information about the lecture, contact Johann van Reenen, 277-4241, jreenen@unm.edu ###

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