FORCE2016 Workshops

Data are being generated at unprecedented rates, while research budgets are flat or declining in many countries. The research community must find more efficient models for storing, organizing, and accessing data. For a typical data resource, maintaining data is only a fraction of the total cost of data management. The larger cost is associated with finding, accessing, interoperating, and reusing (FAIR) the data—a cost widely underappreciated. Hence, this workshop will examine the importance, impact, and innovation in the field of data curation for digital ecosystems.

Topics to be addressed include: developing consistency among standards, tools, protocols; improving accuracy of text mining; integrating curation into research, publishing, reviewing workflows and laboratory information systems; existing “gold standard” curation vs alternative methods, e.g., crowdsourcing, automation. What are concrete examples where curation has added value and lack of curation has been disastrous? Do we have metrics to evaluate success? Additionally, the training and role of professional curators will be discussed. This workshop will draw upon all key stakeholders—curation practitioners and researchers, data users and reusers, publishers, funders, resource providers. The goal is to promote innovation in curation by gaining an understanding of pain points and opportunities along the data lifecycle.