IG Physical Samples and Collections in the Research Data Ecosystem - RDA 13 Plenary

Meeting title
First steps on the pathway towards Implementing a Transdisciplinary Data Infrastructure for Physical Samples (Remote Access Instructions)
 

Meeting location: Congress B

Collaborative session notes:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R_SpuKQ-rcMI81K66WqtculmQQrplgkay-UfD8uPZ-g/edit

Short introduction describing the scope of the group and if any previous activities
Physical samples are a basic element for reference, study, and experimentation in research. Tests and analyses are conducted directly on samples, such as biological specimens, rock or mineral specimens, soil or sediment cores, plants and seeds, water quality samples, archaeological artefacts, or DNA and human tissue samples, because they represent a wider population or a larger context. There is an urgent need for better integrating these physical objects into the digital research data ecosystem, both in a global and in an interdisciplinary context to support search, retrieval, analysis, reuse, preservation and scientific reproducibility.

This group aims to facilitate cross-domain exchange and convergence on key issues related to the digital representation of physical samples and collections, including but not limited to:

• the use of globally unique and persistent identifiers for samples to support unambiguous citation and linking of information in distributed data systems and with publications;
• metadata standards for documenting a diverse range of samples and collections and for landing pages; access policies; and best practices for sample and collection cataloguing, including a broad range of issues from interoperability to persistence.

Additional links to informative material related to the group

• Group page: https://www.rd-alliance.org/groups/physical-samples-and-collections-rese...
• Case statement: https://www.rd-alliance.org/group/physical-samples-and-collections-resea...
• Papers from the Linking Environmental Data and Samples Symposium, Canberra, May 2017 https://csiro-enviro-informatics.github.io/environmental-data-symposium-... https://eos.org/meeting-reports/connecting-scientific-data-and-real-worl...
• A. P. Sloan grant announcement: https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2018/07/20/sloan-foundation-grant-open-sci...

Meeting objectives
A fundamental need for a scalable, cross-disciplinary data infrastructure for physical samples is the development and broad adoption of a common core metadata scheme for physical samples that will enable federated catalogues and cross-linking of digital sample representations with literature and data. The objectives of the P13 IG session are to:

1. Review the outcomes of P12.
2. Inform the community of work being done to through the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation “IGSN 2040” project to conduct an international strategic planning effort to mature architecture and organizational structure and business model of the IGSN system toward a scalable and sustainable transdisciplinary infrastructure for sample PIDs.
3. Review the results of a survey conducted through the “IGSN 2040” project. The survey provides additional information on topics discussed at previous RDA PhySC IG sessions.
4. Seek input from the audience on any other key initiatives and projects for identifiers systems including potential business models to emulate, current programs which might become partners or adopters of PhySC IG outcomes, etc (e.g medical sciences, material science).

Meeting agenda  

1. 0-10 minutes (10 minutes): Introduction and tour de table (K. Lehnert), including a survey of which sample types and communities are present in the audience.
2. 10-30 minutes (20 minutes): Review of the current status of the PhySC IG. Summary of the PhySC IG session at p12.
3. 45-55 minutes (10 minutes): Mapping the landscape -- Review the IGSN 2040 project Survey and their implications for identifiers for physical objects.
4. 30-45 minutes (15 minutes): Other initiatives & projects related to physical samples and collections (open session – audience contributions)
5. 55-75 (20 Minutes): Other topics that have not been addressed
6. 75-85 minutes (10 minutes): Diversifying IG participation & leadership.
7. 85-90 minutes (5 minutes): Wrap-up and next steps.

Target audience
Researchers of any ilk that collect physical samples as part of their research programs - Research data repository developers and providers who manage sample-based data; - Curators and developers from sample repositories, museums, and other institutions who maintain physical sample collections and related digital sample and collection catalogs; - Publishers and editors of journals that publish sample-based data; and - Other stakeholders interested in topics such as persistent identifiers, metadata standards, and interoperability protocols for samples and sample-based data.

Group chair serving as contact person:
Kerstin Lehnert

Type of meeting:
Working meeting