International Data Exchange Workshop

Building a Global Data Network for Studies of Earth Processes at the World's Plate Boundaries

May 9-11 , 2007
Hotel Birke
Kiel, Germany

Convened by: S. Carbotte (LDEO, USA), K. Lehnert (LDEO, USA), W. Weinrebe (IFM-GEOMAR, Germany), and S. Tsuboi (JAMSTEC-IFREE, Japan).

This international workshop, co-sponsored by MARGINS, InterMARGINS, Ridge2000, InterRidge, and The Future Ocean Network at University of Kiel, is designed for scientists, data managers, and data policy makers to explore new opportunities for scientific research that take advantage of recent rapid growth in digital data collections and data systems technology. Current international efforts in Geoinformatics relevant for studies of continental margin and mid-ocean ridge processes will be highlighted and approaches - technical as well as political - for enhanced open exchange of key data of broad scientific interest will be explored.

The workshop will consist of presentations from scientists on data access and visualization needs; from data center managers on existing data systems available for academic research; and from information technologists on emerging technologies for interoperability and data sharing. Working group discussions will focus on defining science user needs as well as on current obstacles to and potential solutions for enhanced database interoperability and connectivity. The hoped for outcome of this meeting is the development of new partnerships among marine geoscientists and data centers within the broader international community to establish improved access and exchange of data sets for research targeted at active processes along global plate boundaries.

Applications close on February 23, 2007