CODATA Key Session A3

Data, IT, and Applications

Chair: Alex Szalay, JHU
Co-Chair: Yan Baoping, CNIC, CAS

Science is an international activity. Data are the basic building blocks for knowledge, and sharing data is a basic form of collaboration. To sort through the volumes of data coming from experiments, observations, and simulation, new end-to-end information technologies are needed to capture data, refine it, store it, analyze it, discover patterns, and to publish it.

In this key session we will hear from several application areas, the challenges they face with aspects of the end-to-end data systems, from the perspective of the international community of users and suppliers of the data. Applications will span use and access of data from experiments, observations, and extant data bases. Both technology challenges and examples of community sharing policies will be discussed.

Key applications to be considered include material sciences, astronomy, and the ecological modeling. These various subjects will cover data produced by observations, data aggregated from historical records, and data generated by simulations.

In addition to the exchange of information, it is hoped that via the panel discussion and some parallel discussions that natural collaborations might emerge or be strengthened from this meeting.

Note that the area s of astronomy and materials science will have parallel sessions for more in depth discussion of data issues confronting that community. Thus, in part this overview session will introduce listeners to issues that will arise in subsequent sessions. In addition, the session will explore data issues and experiences across a range of application areas.