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Disaster Risk Reduction and Open Data Newsletter: October 2019 Edition

“If you ask us for ideas, act on them” – Youth call out UN, world leaders on climate action
The Youth Climate Action Summit brought youth climate champions together from more than 140 countries and territories to a platform to share their solutions on the global stage, and deliver a clear message to world leaders: we need to act now to address climate change.

Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data – Data for Now Initiative
The Data For Now initiative seeks to increase the sustainable use of robust methods and tools that improve the timeliness, coverage, and quality of SDG data through collaboration and partnership, technical and capacity support, and information sharing.

We could be losing the race against climate change, new UN report says
Scientists behind a landmark study of the links between oceans, glaciers, ice caps and the climate delivered a stark warning to the world on Wednesday: slash emissions or watch cities vanish under rising seas, rivers run dry and marine life collapse.

UNEP FI: Leading Financial Firms Commit to Improved Transparency on the Risks of Climate Change
The Global Commission on Adaption estimates over $7 trillion of climate change-related damages over the next ten years. To respond to these challenges, five leading banks and investors are committing to disclose risks and opportunities for their portfolios from the impacts of climate change by 2021.

UK Government: UK Aid to protect one billion people form impact of extreme weather
A new £175 million package will help make people safer and better prepared for disasters such as typhoons and hurricanes, as well as dealing with the aftermath.

Artificial Intelligence May Help Predict El Niño
Professor Yoo-Geun Ham and collaborators created a model using deep learning that forecasts El Niño and La Niña events 18 months in advance, beating current models that forecast only 1 year ahead.

Next Generation Disaster Data Infrastructure
Based on the targets of the Sendai Framework, this white paper proposes the next generation of disaster data infrastructure, which includes both novel and the most essential information systems and services that a country or a region can depend on to successfully gather, process and display disaster data to reduce the impact of natural hazards.

SDSN TReNDS Counting on the World to Act –  A Roadmap for Governments to Achieve Modern Data Systems for Sustainable Development
In this report TReNDS details an action plan for governments and their development partners that will enable them to help deliver the SDGs globally by 2030.  Report recommendations specifically aim to empower government actors or others concerned with evidence in support of sustainable development to advocate for, build, and lead a new data ecosystem.

NASA’s Earth Observing Data and Information System – Near-Term Challenges
NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been a central component of the NASA Earth observation program since the 1990s. EOSDIS has evolved continually over the past three decades. However, many challenges remain. Challenges in three key areas are addressed in this paper: managing volume and variety, enabling data discovery and access, and incorporating user feedback and concerns.

Optimising Data Visualisation to Improve Humanitarian Decision-Making
The IFRC is inviting personnel and volunteers to submit visualisation designs for three core emergency operational datasets. The ten winners of the challenge will be invited to Geneva to attend a 3 day training on design principles led by Andy Kirk. Deadline for submission is 24 October.

World Bosai Forum/International Disaster Risk Conference 2019 – (09-12 Nov, Sendai, Japan)
The World Bosai Forum proposes solutions from various points of view to enable disaster risk reduction in Japan and overseas and aims to promote the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

GCF – Private Investment For Climate Conference 2019 – (Incheon, Republic of Korea, 7-9 October)
The GCF Private Investment for Climate Conference (“GPIC”) is a global marketplace and ecosystem where leading private sector actors including project sponsors, institutional investors, financial institutions, climate leaders, and the public sector come together to accelerate climate action in developing countries.

CODATA – VizAfrica Botswana (18-19 Nov, Botswana)
The VizAfrica 2019 Data Visualization Symposium will take place from 18th -19th November at the University of Botswana Gaborone, Botswana. The theme of the symposium is “Application of Data, Information and Scientific Visualization for Resource Management and Sustainability.”

CODATA – Helsinki Workshop on FAIR RDM in INstitutions (20-21 October, Helsinki, Finland) 
FAIR Research Data Management involves robust planning, policies, infrastructure, training and support. Institutes that produce and consume data are required to ensure seamless accessibility to data and ensure practices that foster its reuse.

September 2019: Publications in the Data Science Journal

September 2019:  Publications in the Data Science Journal

Title: Data Sharing at Scale: A Heuristic for Affirming Data Cultures
Author: Lindsay Poirier, Brandon Costelloe-Kuehn
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-048
Title: Building Infrastructure for African Human Genomic Data Management
Author:Ziyaad Parker , Suresh Maslamoney, Ayton Meintjes, Gerrit Botha, Sumir Panji, Scott Hazelhurst, Nicola Mulder
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-047
Title: Analysis of Rainfall and Temperature Data Using Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition
Author: Willard Zvarevashe, Symala Krishnannair, Venkataraman Sivakumar
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-046
Title: Policy Needs to Go Hand in Hand with Practice: The Learning and Listening Approach to Data Management
Author: Maria Cruz, Nicolas Dintzner, Alastair Dunning, Annemiek van der Kuil, Esther Plomp, Marta Teperek, Yasemin Turkyilmaz-van der Velden, Anke Versteeg
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-045
Title: The Australian Research Data Commons 
Author: Michelle Barker, Ross Wilkinson, Andrew Treloar
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-044
Title: The Impact of Targeted Data Management Training for Field Research Projects – A Case Study
Author: Jonathan L. Petters , George C. Brooks, Jennifer A. Smith, Carola A. Haas
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-043

Conference on Smart Data, Smart Cities and Smart Governance during October 3 – 5, 2019

The International Conference on Smart Data, Smart Cities and Smart Governance being organised at CEPT University, Ahmedabad during October 3 –  5, 2019. This conference is an attempt to bring together Urban Stakeholders, information and communication technologies, and geospatial technologies experts under one umbrella for three days for exchanging ideas on ‘Smart City, ICT and Geospatial Technology based solutions for Smart Governance’. The brochure is attached herewith and more details of the conference is available on http://smartcities-cept.in/.

Download the conference flyer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disaster Risk Reduction and Open Data Newsletter: September 2019 Edition

Innovative ways to help your organisation become more effective

Are you interested in the Research Infrastructures environment? Looking to enhance your knowledge and fine-tune your management skills? Apply now for an Executive MBA in Management of Research Infrastructures (30/9 deadline).

The Executive Masters in Management of Research Infrastructures is an international management development Programme tailored to the specific needs of Research Infrastructures. This Programme is designed to give experienced science professionals the skills and knowledge they need to take on greater managerial responsibilities.

Take the opportunity to improve your managerial skills attending the Full Master programme or single Modules, attending only specific courses on particular topics. You will have the chance to share your ideas with top scientists and managers in from all over Europe, such as Iain Mattaj (HT, Director General), Ivan Baines (MPI-CPG, Chief Operating Officer) and Jacques Demotes (ECRIN-ERIC).

More details: www.emmri.unimib.it/en

What can this Executive Masters offer you?

  • A global network of Research Infrastructure colleagues in similar leadership positions
  • An international Faculty composed by dedicated professors and acclaimed experts from research infrastructures
  • A better understanding of how Research Infrastructures in different countries are responding to common challenges
  • Greater awareness of your leadership strengths and weaknesses.
  • Innovative ways to help your organisation become more effective.

The Masters Programme gives you three alternative enrolment options:
A) FULL PROGRAMME

KEY FACTS

• Target: Executive
• Format: MBA Part-time 
• Duration: 18 months
• Number of places available: 35
• Language: English

Deadline for application: 30th September 2019
Admission results: 15th October 2019

Programme start date: 4th March 2020

Who should Apply ?

• Director Generals, Chief Operating Officers or their equivalent
• Recently appointed or upcoming senior managers
• Heads of National Nodes
• Heads of Finance and Administration, HR and Communication
• Middle management
• Representatives of funding bodies and ministries responsible for RI funding

B) OPEN PROGRAMME

KEY FACTS

• Target: Executive & Middle Management
• Format: Tailored Training 
• Language: English

Deadline for applications: More details on http://www.emmri.unimib.it/en/home-open-programme/

 This format gives you the opportunity to take individual modules to develop specific expertise if the full Executive Master is not required. We are expanding the portfolio of open-enrolment modules for 2019-2020. We can help you finding the course that meets your needs: CONTACT US

C) TEAM APPLICATION

KEY FACTS

• Target: Executive & Middle Management
• Format: Tailored Training 
• Language: English

Deadline for application: 30th September 2019
Admission results: 15th October 2019

Programme start date: 4th March 2020

 We offer Research Infrastructures the option to enter the Programme as an organisation and split the 12 modules among staff members according to their organisational needs. This option is not covered by a Master certificate.

The Research Infrastructure will be awarded with a Certificate of Excellence in Research Infrastructure Leadership, flagging it as an organisation that values staff development, thereby enhancing its attractiveness as an employer.

 

August 2019: Publications in the Data Science Journal

August 2019:  Publications in the Data Science Journal

Title: Development of a Climate Forcing Observation System for Africa: Data-Related Considerations
Author: Johannes Beck, Ana López-Ballesteros, Wim Hugo, Robert Scholes, Matthew Saunders, Jörg Helmschrot
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-042
Title: Practical Application of a Data Stewardship Maturity Matrix for the NOAA OneStop Project
Author: Ge Peng, Anna Milan, Nancy A. Ritchey, Robert P. Partee II, Sonny Zinn, Evan McQuinn, Kenneth S. Casey, Paul Lemieux III, Raisa Ionin, Philip Jones, Arianna Jakositz, Donald Collins
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-041
Title: NASA’s Earth Observing Data and Information System – Near-Term Challenges
Author: Jeanne Behnke, Andrew Mitchell, Hampapuram Ramapriyan
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-040
Title: Research Data Publication: Moving Beyond the Metaphor
Author: Sarah Callaghan
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-039
Title: Teaching Research Data Management for Students 
Author: Cord Wiljes, Philipp Cimiano
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-038
Title: Application of Natural Language Processing Algorithms to the Task of Automatic Classification of Russian Scientific Texts
Author: Aleksandr Romanov, Konstantin Lomotin , Ekaterina Kozlova
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-037

Disaster Risk Reduction and Open Data Newsletter: August 2019 Edition

July 2019: Publications in the Data Science Journal

July 2019:  Publications in the Data Science Journal

Title: Real Estate Evaluation Model Based on Genetic Algorithm Optimized Neural Network
Author: Yan Sun
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-036
Title: Abnormal Pattern Prediction: Detecting Fraudulent Insurance Property Claims with Semi-Supervised Machine-Learning
Author: Sebastián M. Palacio
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-035
Title: A Regional Project in Support of the SADC Cyber-Infrastructure Framework Implementation: Weather and Climate
Author: Mary-Jane Morongwa Bopape , Happy Marumo Sithole, Tshiamo Motshegwa, Edward Rakate, Francois Engelbrecht, Emma Archer, Anneline Morgan, Lwando Ndimeni, Joel Botai
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-034
Title: Designing Transnational Hydroclimatological Observation Networks and Data Sharing Policies in West Africa
Author: Seyni Salack , Aymar Bossa, Jan Bliefernicht, Sina Berger, Yacouba Yira, Kamil A. Sanoussi, Samuel Guug, Dominicus Heinzeller, Adolphe S. Avocanh, Barro Hamadou, Symphorien Meda, Belko A. Diallo, Igor B. Bado, Inoussa A. Saley, Elidaa K. Daku, Namo Z. Lawson, Aida Ganaba, Safiétou Sanfo, Koufanou Hien, Arone Aduna, Gero Steup, Bernd Diekkrüger, Moussa Waongo, Antonio Rogmann, Ralf Kunkel, John P. A. Lamers, Mouhamadou B. Sylla, Harald Kunstmann, Boubacar Barry, Laurent G. Sedogo, Christian Jaminon, Paul Vlek, Jimmy Adegoke, Moumini Savadogo
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-033
Title: An Automated Machine Learning Based Decision Support System to Predict Hotel Booking Cancellations
Author: Nuno Antonio, Ana de Almeida, Luis Nunes
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-032
Title: Indigenous Data Governance: Strategies from United States Native Nations 
Author: Stephanie Russo Carroll, Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear, Andrew Martinez
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-031
Title: Building Open Access to Research (OAR) Data Infrastructure at NIST
Author: Gretchen Greene , Raymond Plante, Robert Hanisch
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-030
Title: The Landscape of Rights and Licensing Initiatives for Data Sharing
Author: Sam Grabus, Jane Greenberg
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-029
Title: Data Sharing Practices among Researchers at South African Universities
Author: Siviwe Bangani, Mathew Moyo
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-028

Publishing an article in CODATA Data Science Journal

This article was first published by Ms. Neema Mduma https://neylicious.github.io/ml/2019/05/11/paper.html – Neema is an alumni of the CODATA-RDA School of Research Data Science.

In early 2017, I was privileged to work as a researcher in the Dropwall project (by Rose Funja) which was among the winning project of the Data for Local Impact Innovation Challenge (DLIIC). The main focus of the project was to develop a tool that will help fighting dropout among secondary school girls. The findings from this project show a high rate of dropout among secondary school students particularly girls, and coincide with reports from other studies which show that school dropout is a big challenge in developing countries. On addressing this problem, machine learning techniques has gained much attention in recent years. However, most of the work has been carried out in developed countries, there are only a handful of studies conducted in developing countries on school dropout using machine learning techniques with the consideration of local context and data imbalance problem. This motivated me to continue working (in my PhD) on school dropout using machine learning.

In August 2018, I attended a CODATA-RDA Research Data Science Summer School which was held at the Abdus Salam International Centre of Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy. The aim was on building competence in data analysis and security for participants from all disciplines and backgrounds from Sciences to Humanities. The level of engagements and interactions between participants and instructors was outstanding. We were introduced to various opportunities (by The Executive Director of CODATA, Dr. Simon Hodson) such as CODATA Data Science Journal where I later managed to publish the breathtaking findings from the Dropwall project titled A Survey of Machine Learning Approaches and Techniques for Student Dropout Prediction.

June 2019: Publications in the Data Science Journal

June 2019:  Publications in the Data Science Journal

Title: Developing a Model Guidelines Addressing Legal Impediments to Open Access to Publicly Funded Research Data in Malaysia
Author: Haswira Nor Mohamad Hashim
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-027
Title: Proposed Guideline for Minimum Information Stroke Research and Clinical Data Reporting
Author:Judit Kumuthini, Lyndon Zass, Melek Chaouch, Michael Thompson, Paul Olowoyo, Mamana Mbiyavanga, Faniyan Moyinoluwalogo, Gordon Wells, Victornia Nembeware, Nicola J. Mulder, Mayowa Owolabi,
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-026
Title: A Column Styled Composable Schema Matcher for Semantic Data-Types
Author:  Xiaofeng Liao, Jordy Bottelier, Zhiming Zhao
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-025
Title: Importance and Incorporation of User Feedback in Earth Science Data Stewardship
Author: Hampapuram Ramapriyan, Jeanne Behnke
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-024
Title: Establishing, Developing, and Sustaining a Community of Data Champions
Author: James L. Savage, Lauren Cadwallader
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-023
Title: The Definition of Reuse
Author: Stephanie van de Sandt, Sünje Dallmeier-Tiessen, Artemis Lavasa, Vivien Petras
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-022
Title: Geoscientists’ Perspectives on Cyberinfrastructure Needs: A Collection of User Scenarios
Author: Karen I. Stocks, Sam Schramski, Arika Virapongse, Lisa Kempler
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-021
Title: Data Distribution Centre Support for the IPCC Sixth Assessment
Author: Martina Stockhause, Martin Juckes, Robert Chen, Wilfran Moufouma Okia, Anna Pirani, Tim Waterfield, Xiaoshi Xing, Rorie Edmunds
URL: http://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2019-020