ESIP Update: Note from Ken Casey

Note from ESIP President

Hello Everyone!

Summer is in full swing here in the Northern Hemisphere, and that means … no, not vacations at the beach, cookouts on the deck, or afternoons at the baseball stadium — it’s the July ESIP Meeting!  

The meeting kicks off in just eight days, and I am thrilled to be meeting in person again for the first time since January 2020. There is so much to be excited about: thought-provoking plenaries, deep-dive breakout sessions, the mind-expanding Research Showcase, and, of course, the truly unique-to-ESIP FUNding Friday, which will include a Local Innovators Meet-n-Greet at the poster making session. And if you are joining us virtually I look forward to engaging in our Q&As and discussions.

But what has me most excited is the chance to connect. The chance to see old friends and meet new, soon-to-be old friends. The chance to learn, share, discuss, debate, argue, collaborate, critique, review, revise, iterate, and advance our shared goals of making environmental data usable by everyone, everywhere, at any time… Doing that together with each of you in the ESIP community and beyond is what has me most excited and has me eagerly counting down the days.

Ken Casey
ESIP President
president@esipfed.org

ESIP News and Events

New Blog – Are Your Data Ready?

The Data Readiness Cluster shares their new AI-ready checklist in the latest post on ESIP's blog Merge. The checklist continues to evolve alongside the technologies it supports and its current draft covers key questions needed to ensure data preparation, quality, documentation, and access. 
 

Expert Panels on Biological Data Standards

The ESIP Biological Data Standards Cluster created a Biological Observation Data Standards Primer and is hosting panels of experts to provide more context for each of the standards highlighted in the primer. The latest recording covers the habitat classification standards section of the primer.
 

Open call for proposals for AGU sessions (Due Aug 3)

Many ESIP participants plan and bring together 2022 AGU Fall Meeting sessions. To avoid an overload of individual messages, especially during the meeting, ESIP offers a summary of recommended sessions. The abstract submission deadline is August 3, 2021.

Please add the the list and share your session on Twitter; tag @ESIPfed and we will make sure to reshare.
 

#EarthScienceData Photo Shoot

We are excited to have a professional photographer, Chris Marsicano from Fire and Mischief, joining us at the ESIP Meeting. A Zoom screencap only does so much to convey a sense of community, so Chris will gather images of ESIP in action on Wednesday and Thursday. 

As a part of that, we will also do a creative photo shoot on Friday, July 22 at 6 p.m. in Point State Park. With the golden hour, some ESIP-stickered laptops, circuit boards and other props, we will be looking to create a visual connection between natural elements, technology, and community. The event is after the meeting but if anyone is around and wants to volunteer (or has ideas for cool props to include), then email ESIP's Communications Manager Allison: allisonmills@esipfed.org. 

What's Happening in Earth Science Data

To read…

• Nearly a quarter of Earth's seafloor now mapped (BBC)
• Adventure Time (Eos) In our July issue, we tell the tales of Earth and space scientists as they venture into the field and lab to gather critical data.
• A Community’s Quest to Document Every Species on Their Island Home (Hakai Magazine)
• Community Science (new journal of the Community Science Exchange Hub)

Tune in…

TOPS Community Forum (July 18)

NASA TOPS next community forum will be on Monday, July 18, 2022 at 10 a.m. EDT: OpenCore Curriculum Module Leads and Content Subject Matter Experts to discuss their recent work developing the lesson material and next steps towards advancing this work with the community. Most of this forum has been left open for community questions and discussion. 
 

Check Out…

International Workshop on Geospatial Knowledge Graphs 

Geospatial Knowledge Graphs (GeoKG 2022) is a small workshop at 2022 ACM SIGSPATIAL in Seattle on November 1, 2022. The call for papers is open. 
 

Lacuna Fund Invites Proposals to Develop Inclusive Climate Datasets (Due July 17)

The two funding tracks focus on machine learning datasets for equitable climate outcomes in climate and energy as well as climate and health. Proposals are due July 17 and the Lacuna Fund website has the full requirements and submission portal.
 

Let’s Talk About Heat Challenge (Due July 22)

EPA has launched the Let’s Talk About Heat Challenge to protect public health by raising awareness of health risks from extreme heat. The challenge seeks innovative solutions that show how communities of different sizes and in different parts of the country create effective communication strategies to inform and warn people of the risks of extreme heat and offer ways to keep safe during the hottest days. The challenge is open now through July 22 and there is an informational webinar on June 22 at 2 p.m. EDT. 
 

Midwest Big Data Hub: Open call for proposals (Due Aug 1)

Midwest Big Data Hub has issued a call for proposals for “Building Data-Enabled Resilient Communities.” The org invites proposals for collaborative activities that will further develop collaborative cross-sector partnerships through the Hub’s Smart & Resilient Communities Priority Area.
 

Gateways 2022 Poster and open Forum Submissions (Due Aug 8)

Gateways 2022 will take place October 18-20 in San Diego at Venue 808. Tutorials will be online two weeks before the conference.

Gateways 2022 is planned as an opportunity to highlight the opportunities for science gateways to teach, empower and engage research and technologies to various communities. It will offer diverse options for sharing work and networking in the community. The format includes tutorial sessions, presentations, panels, posters and demos, and an open forum. Submissions for posters and open forum are due on August 8.