The document summarizes the African Open Science Platform (AOSP) which is funded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa and directed by CODATA and the Academy of Science of South Africa. The AOSP aims to promote open science and open data practices in Africa. It discusses the key stakeholders involved, challenges around open data and science in Africa such as lack of infrastructure and incentives, and the potential benefits of the platform for African research. The AOSP will focus on developing policies, assessing infrastructure needs, training and capacity building around open data sharing and management.
Presentation during the 14th Association of African Universities (AAU) Conference and African Open Science Platform (AOSP)/Research Data Alliance (RDA) Workshop in Accra, Ghana, 7-8 June 2017.
High-level Meeting & Workshop on Environmental and Scientific Open Data for Sustainable Development Goals in Developing Countries. Madagascar, 4-6 December 2017
Presentation during the 14th Association of African Universities (AAU) Conference and African Open Science Platform (AOSP)/Research Data Alliance (RDA) Workshop in Accra, Ghana, 7-8 June 2017.
High-level Meeting & Workshop on Environmental and Scientific Open Data for Sustainable Development Goals in Developing Countries. Madagascar, 4-6 December 2017
SharePoint For Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) SolutionsAmos Wachanga
This was the presentation Amos Wachanga did for SharePoint Saturday 2015 in Nairobi at TechnoBrain HeadQuarters. The presentation covers a use case for SharePoint which is for Monitoring and Evaluation. The presentation begins by highlighting what is M&E (Monitoring and Evaluation) and highlights possible applications of M&E, then zeros in to M&E for Projects and Programmes on a high level. The presentation then looked into SharePoint features that can be used to create M&E solutions including SharePoint sites, lists & libraries, workflows, Performance Point and Business Connectivity Services among others. Finally, the presentation provided a case study of a Monitoring and Evaluation Solution developed at Techno Brain called MEsure.
Contact the presenter at amos.wambugu@technobraingroup.com for any further information.
Building a Project Management Information System with SharePointASPE, Inc.
More and more successful project managers are utilizing SharePoint 2007 to drive their projects and operational initiatives. Out of the box, SharePoint Server offers many features that lends itself to effectively managing projects. Lists and libraries allow you to consolidate and manage project information in a central place, while business intelligence features allow you to report on that information in real-time. By utilizing SharePoint along with other business tools such as the Microsoft Office suite of applications, oraganization can create a customized Project Management Information System (PMIS) to assist with the daily management of enterprise projects.
With this webinar we would like to discuss the many benefits of using SharePoint Server as a Project Management Information system, including:
· Using SharePoint to manage project data
· Consolidating project data using SharePoint libraries
· Reporting on project data using SharePoint’s business intelligence
· Automating project tasks with SharePoint workflows
· Options to extending SharePoint’s project managemenet capabilities
Each month, join us as we highlight and discuss hot topics ranging from the future of higher education to wearable technology, best productivity hacks and secrets to hiring top talent. Upload your SlideShares, and share your expertise with the world!
Not sure what to share on SlideShare?
SlideShares that inform, inspire and educate attract the most views. Beyond that, ideas for what you can upload are limitless. We’ve selected a few popular examples to get your creative juices flowing.
Presented at a NeDICC (Network of Data and Information Curation Communities) meeting, 14 March 2019, CSIR, and at the University of Pretoria and the Carnegie Corporation of New York Capstone Conference, 24-29 March 2019, Kieviets Kroon.
The African Story of Open Research - Nozuko Zukie HlwatikaRight to Research
This presentation by Nozuko Zukie Hlwatika was part of OpenCon 2017's Regional Models for Open Research and Open Education panel.
In her talk, Zukie covered Open Science, particularly Open Data in Africa. This was done from the perspective of the African Open Science Platform initiative. The status of Open Data in Africa was discussed through the lenses of policy, infrastructure, capacity building and incentives as per the initiatives focus areas. A list of countries actively involved in the advancement of Open Data was highlighted as well as those that need greater intervention. Possible Marginalised models for promoting open science in Africa were shared with the audience.
Presentation during the 14th Association of African Universities (AAU) Conference and African Open Science Platform (AOSP)/Research Data Alliance (RDA) Workshop in Accra, Ghana, 7-8 June 2017.
High-level Meeting & Workshop on Environmental and Scientific Open Data for Sustainable Development Goals in Developing Countries. Madagascar, 4-6 December 2017
High-level Meeting & Workshop on Environmental and Scientific Open Data for Sustainable Development Goals in Developing Countries. Madagascar, 4-6 December 2017
High-level Meeting & Workshop on Environmental and Scientific Open Data for Sustainable Development Goals in Developing Countries. Madagascar, 4-6 December 2017
More from Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) (20)
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
TESDA TM1 REVIEWER FOR NATIONAL ASSESSMENT WRITTEN AND ORAL QUESTIONS WITH A...
Breaking new ground: the African Open Science Platform
1. Breaking new ground: the
African Open Science Platform
Presented by Susan Veldsman & Ina Smith
2. Agenda
• About the African Open Science Platform (AOSP)
incl. ICSU, CODATA, ASSAf
• Key stakeholders
• Accord on Open Data in a Big Data World
• Open Science in the context of AOSP
• Rationale for & value of an African Open Science
Platform
• Focus areas of AOSP
• Challenges faced in terms of open science, open
data
3. About the African Open Science
Platform (AOSP)
• Funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF)
(SA Dept. of Science and Technology)
• Directed by CODATA (ICSU)
• Managed by Academy of Science of South Africa
(ASSAf)
4. About ICSU & CODATA
• ICSU: International Council for Science – consists of
17 interdisciplinary bodies e.g. CODATA
http://www.icsu.org/
• CODATA: Committee on Data for Science and
Technology
http://www.codata.org/
• Mission: Strengthen international science for the
benefit of society by promoting improved scientific
and technical data management and use.
5. About ASSAf (1)
• Recognise scholarly achievement & excellence
• Mobilise members in the service of society
• Conduct systematic & evidence-based studies on
issues of national importance
• Promote the development of an indigenous system
of South African research
• Publish science-focused journal
http://www.assaf.org.za
6. About ASSAf (2)
• Develop productive partnerships with national,
regional and international organisations to building
capacity within the National System of Innovation
(NSI)
• Create diversified sources of funding for sustainable
functioning and growth of a national academy
• Communicate with relevant stakeholders
http://www.assaf.org.za
7. AOSP Governance
• Advisory Council
• Terms of Reference
• Technical Advisory Board
• Terms of Reference
• Platform Office (ASSAf) & ICSU/CODATA Office
• CODATA Executive Director
• 2x Senior Project Officers
• 1x Junior Project Officer
8. Key Stakeholders
• Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA)
(ICSU)
• The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
• Regional Office for Africa (ROA)(ICSU)
• World Data System (WDS)(ICSU)
• Research Data Alliance (RDA)
• SCiGAIA (Science Gateways and e-Infrastructures in Africa)
• Association of African Universities (AAU)
• African Research Councils
• African Universities
• African Governments
• NRENs (Internet Service Providers for Education)
• Other
9. Accord: Open Data in a Big Data
World
• Values of open data in
emerging scientific culture of
big data
• Need for an international
framework
• Proposes comprehensive set of
principles
• Provides framework & plan for
African data science capacity
mobilization initiative
• Proposes African Platform
10. Open Science Defined (1)
“Open Science is the practice of science in such a way
that others can collaborate and contribute, where
research data, lab notes and other research
processes are freely available, under terms that
enable reuse, redistribution and reproduction of the
research and its underlying data and methods.” -
FOSTER Project, funded by the European Commission.
11. Open Science Defined (2)
“Open Science moves beyond open access research
articles, towards encompassing other research
objects such as data, software codes, protocols and
workflows. The intention is for people to use, re-use
and distribute content without legal, technological
or social restrictions. In some cases, Open Science
also entails the opening up of the entire research
process from agenda-setting to the dissemination of
findings.” - Open and Collaborative Science in
Development Network project, funded by IDRC.
12. Open Data, Open Science and the
Research Lifecycle (Foster)
https://www.rri-tools.eu/-/research-lifecycle-enhanced-by-an-open-science-by-default-workflow
16. Rationale for an African Platform
• AOSP will be basis for shared investment in infrastructure
• Harvest and circulate good ideas
• Spread and support good practice
• Develop capacities of individuals and institutions
• Promote key applications of relevance to African economies
and societies
• Act as conduit for links with international open data and
open science programmes and standards, vital for it to
flourish
• Coordinate and develop activities to enhance capacity of
individuals, institutions, national systems
• AOSP to become basis for Open Science in Africa
17. Value of an African Platform (1)
• Properly manage African research data, overview
• Showcase African research data
• Contribute to global knowledgebase
• Increase the return on investment
• Track usage and impact
• Identify lack of data/opportunities/gaps
18. Value of an African Platform (2)
• Cross-use data across disciplines/studies
• Protect Intellectual Property (IP)
• Protect privacy of research participants
• Make data more discoverable/visible
• Participate in collective problem-solving
• Avoid duplication of effort
19. 5 Focus Areas
• Promote development & adoption of data policies,
principles, practice
• Determine infrastructure available
• Address issues of incentives, best practice, benefits
• Foster training & capacity building activities
• Create an awareness, stimulate dialogue (frontiers)
31. OA to Scientific Information in
Emerging Countries
http://www.dlib.org/dlib/march17/schopfel/03schopfel.html
32. Survey: Status of Openness in Africa
• Preliminary findings from survey
• Launched 1 November 2016; due date 31 January
2017
• 35 responses received
33. Focus of data initiatives
69% = training; 60% = stewardship; 54% = policy
34. Funding of data initiatives
51% = host institution; 34% = international grant;
20% = national grant
35. AOSP Actions & Deliverables 2017
• SFSA Side Event & Panel Discussion
• Visit http://africanopenscience.org.za/
• Planning Phase
• Advisory Council & Technical Advisory Board
Next:
• Identify & train representative on national level (each
country actively producing data, with research interest)
• Coordinate national workshops to introduce AOSP, Open
Data, Open Science
• Desktop research to Identify initiatives on national level &
populate database
• Engage on meetings as opportunities arise, engage with
stakeholders
37. Conclusion
• Africa to manage & share data – contribute to the
international knowledgebase
• Survey & country representatives to contribute
information; desktop research
• Africa has lots to offer, if all work together
38. Acknowledgments
• SA Dept. of Science & Technology
• National Research Foundation (NRF)
• CODATA
• All African partners
Editor's Notes
The 2015 edition of Science International has developed an international accord on the values of open data in the emerging scientific culture of big data. The Accord recognises the need for an international framework of principles on “Open Data in a Big Data World” and proposes a comprehensive set of principles.
These principles provide a guiding framework for an African data science capacity mobilization initiative spearheaded by ICSU and supported by other Science International partners. The initiative puts forward a comprehensive capacity mobilization plan, to be co-designed and delivered with key partners in Africa. It proposes the establishment of an African Open Data Platform, which will coordinate a series of actions at different levels of national science systems in the region.
Research Lifecycle enhanced by an "Open Science by Default" Workflow
Homo naledi has made headlines around the world as one of the most significant fossil discoveries ever made.
The unprecedented sample of fossils represents a rich record of an ancient population of human relatives, preserving nearly every part of the skeleton and spanning the lifespan.
Many people around the world have been following the compelling story of discovery from the first days of the excavation.
Using social media to tell the story
As our cavers and scientists worked underground in challenging conditions, we kept the world up to date on Twitter, Facebook and with our Rising Star Expedition blog.
Since those first days, the team has worked to build open access into every stage of the project. People can now share not only in the discovery but also in the process of understanding these ancient hominins.
After nearly two years of work, on September 10 we published our first scientific papers on this discovery in the journal eLIFE. These original scientific descriptions of these fossils and their geological context are free for anyone in the world to download and share.
In the week since we published these papers, the lead paper describing Homo naledi has been viewed more than 170,000 times – an extraordinary figure for any scientific paper.
Our team has also moved quickly to make our data available to anyone in the world. Many of our fossils are now represented by research-quality 3D scans on MorphoSource.
This online archive of data from skeletal and fossil discoveries, maintained by Duke University, provides a way to share large data sets both for scientific work and teaching.
3D technology used in classrooms
Our team has generated virtual reams of scans that enable anyone to visualise these fossils, and even to use 3D printing technology to create their own physical copies.
Right now, teachers and researchers all around the world are printing 3D models of the fossils of Homo naledi. Kristina Killgrove, a leader in applying 3D printing technology in her anthropology classroom, wrote:
I downloaded the model as an .STL file…and then printed it using my trusty old MakerBot. It took 20 minutes, tops. Then I gave the model to a grad student who was heading in to teach the undergraduate lab in biological anthropology. Bam! Species-announcement-to-teaching-cast in under 12 hours.
In the first week after the announcement, more than 1700 copies of these data sets have been downloaded, with makers proudly showing off their printed models on Facebook and Twitter.
Find broke boundaries
Paleoanthropology has often been caricatured as the lone pursuit of fossils by Indiana-Jones-like characters. But in the 21st century, making new discoveries in paleoanthropology – as in all other areas of science – requires collaboration across many disciplines.
This project has involved a team of more than 60 scientists, each bringing their own distinctive expertise and data sets together to help solve the problems posed by these fossils.
The project is led from South Africa and stretches across international boundaries to impact the world.
At the event announcing Homo naledi at Maropeng, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand, Adam Habib, remarked on the importance of open access for building a 21st century science:
We often talk about science as having no boundaries, but in our world scientific knowledge has become commodified, and too often, what should be the bequest of the world, the bequest of a common humanity, is locked up under paywalls that postgraduate students and researchers cannot get access to. So what we did when we made this discovery, was we put cameras in the cave, and we streamed it live from day one.
We partnered with eLIFE, an open access journal, to make sure that the discovery was available to all of humanity. And what we did in that practice, is create the first elements of a common global academy….We are not simply going to be beneficiaries of open access, but we are going to be contributors to open access, to the knowledge of a common humanity.
eLIFE editor Randy Schekman wrote about the benefits of open access publishing in 2013 when he won the Nobel Prize. His article, entitled How to break free from the stifling grip of luxury journals, emphasised that by limiting access to publishing, traditional journals create artificial scarcity to distort the process of scientific communication. Open access makes for better science.
Public engagement
The open access philosophy has driven our work on Homo naledi from the beginning. Instead of keeping these discoveries veiled behind locked doors, we have tried to bring them to the public in ways that will drive greater curiosity and engagement with science.
We are proud to be able to share the original fossils with the public at Maropeng, where they will be on display until October 11.
Not only the public benefits from scientific open access; science itself benefits. Showing the process of science in action, we create better tools for educators to equip students with the scientific method.
As we train a new generation of scientists, we must give them the tools to build collaborations and work with massive data. By sharing data openly, we build a worldwide community of practice as we attempt to understand this and other future discoveries.
William Edwards Deming (October 14, 1900 – December 20, 1993) was an American engineer, statistician, professor, author, lecturer, and management consultant. Educated initially as an electrical engineer and later specializing in mathematical physics, he helped develop the sampling techniques still used by the U.S. Department of the Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In his book The New Economics for Industry, Government, and Education,[1] Deming championed the work of Walter Shewhart, including statistical process control, operational definitions, and what Deming called the "Shewhart Cycle"[2] which had evolved into PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act). This was in response to the growing popularity of PDSA, which Deming viewed as tampering with the meaning of Shewhart's original work.[3] Deming is best known for his work in Japan after WWII, particularly his work with the leaders of Japanese industry. That work began in August 1950 at the Hakone Convention Center in Tokyo when Deming delivered a speech on what he called "Statistical Product Quality Administration". Many in Japan credit Deming as one of the inspirations for what has become known as the Japanese post-war economic miracle of 1950 to 1960, when Japan rose from the ashes of war on the road to becoming the second largest economy in the world through processes partially influenced by the ideas Deming taught:[4]
Better design of products to improve service
Higher level of uniform product quality
Improvement of product testing in the workplace and in research centers
Greater sales through side [global] markets
Deming is best known in the United States for his 14 Points (Out of the Crisis, by W. Edwards Deming, preface) and his system of thought he called the "System of Profound Knowledge". The system includes four components or "lenses" through which to view the world simultaneously:
Appreciating a system
Understanding variation
Psychology
Epistemology, the theory of knowledge[5]
Deming made a significant contribution to Japan's reputation for innovative, high-quality products, and for its economic power. He is regarded as having had more impact on Japanese manufacturing and business than any other individual not of Japanese heritage. Despite being honored in Japan in 1951 with the establishment of the Deming Prize, he was only just beginning to win widespread recognition in the U.S. at the time of his death in 1993.[6] President Ronald Reagan awarded him the National Medal of Technology in 1987. The following year, the National Academy of Sciences gave Deming the Distinguished Career in Science award.
Last April, five months into the largest Ebola outbreak in history, an international group of researchers sequenced three viral genomes, sampled from patients in Guinea1. The data were made public that same month. Two months later, our group at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, sequenced 99 more Ebola genomes, from patients at the Kenema Government Hospital in Sierra Leone.
Uncertainties over whether the information belongs to local governments or data collectors present further barriers to sharing. So, too, does the absence of patient consent, common for data collected in emergencies — especially given the vulnerability of patients and their families to stigmatization and exploitation during outbreaks. Ebola survivors, for instance, risk being shunned because of fears that they will infect others.
Related stories
Tensions linger over discovery of coronavirus
Dreams of flu data
Nature special: Ebola outbreak
More related stories
We immediately uploaded the data to the public database GenBank (see go.nature.com/aotpbk). Our priority was to help curb the outbreak. Colleagues who had worked with us for a decade were at the front lines and in immediate danger; some later died. We were amazed by the surge of collaboration that followed. Numerous experts from diverse disciplines, including drug and vaccine developers, contacted us. We also formed unexpected alliances — for instance, with a leading evolutionary virologist, who helped us to investigate when the strain of virus causing the current outbreak arose.
The genomic data confirmed that the virus had spread from Guinea to Sierra Leone, and indicated that the outbreak was being sustained by human-to-human transmission, not contact with bats or some other carrier. They also suggested new probable routes of infection and, importantly, revealed where and how fast mutations were occurring2. This information is crucial to designing effective diagnostics, vaccines and antibody-based therapies.
What followed was three months of stasis, during which no new virus sequence information was made public (see 'Gaps in the data'). Some genomes are known to have been generated during this time from patients treated in the United States3. The number is likely to have been much larger: thousands of samples were transferred to researchers' freezers across the world.
Sources: Sequences, NCBI/virological.org; Ebola cases, WHO
Expand
In an increasingly connected world, rapid sequencing, combined with new ways to collect clinical and epidemiological data, could transform our response to outbreaks. But the power of these potentially massive data sets to combat epidemics will be realized only if the data are shared as widely and as quickly as possible. Currently, no good guidelines exist to ensure that this happens.
Speed is everything
Researchers working on outbreaks — from Ebola to West Nile virus — must agree on standards and practices that promote and reward cooperation. If these protocols are endorsed internationally, the global research community will be able to share crucial information immediately wherever and whenever an outbreak occurs.
The rapid dissemination of results during outbreaks is sporadic at best. In the case of influenza, an international consortium of researchers called GISAID established a framework for good practice in 2006. Largely thanks to this, during the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak, the US National Center for Biotechnology Information created a public repository that became a go-to place for the community to deposit and locate H1N1 sequence information4. By contrast, the publishing of sequence information in the early stages of the 2012 Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak in Saudi Arabia highlighted uncertainties about intellectual-property rights, and the resulting disputes hampered subsequent access to samples.
Hasan Jamali/AP
Pilgrims in Saudi Arabia try to protect themselves from Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) virus.
Sharing data is especially important and especially difficult during an outbreak. Researchers are racing against the clock. Every outbreak can mobilize a different mixture of people — depending on the microbe and location involved — bringing together communities with different norms, in wildly different places. Uncertainties over whether the information belongs to local governments or data collectors present further barriers to sharing. So, too, does the absence of patient consent, common for data collected in emergencies — especially given the vulnerability of patients and their families to stigmatization and exploitation during outbreaks. Ebola survivors, for instance, risk being shunned because of fears that they will infect others.
Nature special: Ebola outbreak
Fortunately, useful models for responsible data sharing have been developed by the broader genomics community. In 1996, at a summit held in Bermuda, the heads of the major labs involved in the Human Genome Project agreed to submit DNA sequence assemblies of 1,000 bases or more to GenBank within 24 hours of producing them5, 6. In exchange, the sequencing centres retained the right to be the first to publish findings based on their own complete data sets, by laying out their plans for analyses in 'marker' papers.
This rapid release of genomic data served the field well. New information on 30 disease genes, for instance, was published before the release of the complete human genome sequence. Since 1996, the Bermuda principles have been extended to other types of sequence data and to other fields that generate large data sets, such as metabolite research.
Guidelines for sharing
More-recent policies on data release similarly seek to align the interests of different parties, including funding agencies, data producers, data users and analysts, and scientific publishers. Since January, for example, the US National Institutes of Health has required grantees to make large-scale genomics data public by the time of publication at the latest, with earlier deadlines for some kinds of data7.
We urge those at the forefront of outbreak research to forge similar agreements, taking into account the unique circumstances of an outbreak.
First, incentives and safeguards should be created to encourage people to release their data quickly into the public domain. One possibility is to request that data users (and publishers) honour the publication intentions of data producers — the questions and analyses that they want to pursue themselves — for, say, six months. These intentions could be broadcast through several channels, including citable marker papers, disclaimer notices on data repositories such as GenBank, and online forums, such as virological.org and the EpiFlu database. Alternatively, data producers could publish an announcement about their data and their intentions on online forums as a resource that can be used by others as long as they cite the original source.
“We urge researchers working on outbreaks to embrace a culture of openness.”
Second, ethical, rigorous and standardized protocols for the collection of samples and data from patients should be established to facilitate the generation and sharing of that information. A global consortium involving the leading health and research agencies and the ministries of health of engaged nations should work together towards establishing these. Ethicists should be involved to safeguard subjects' privacy and dignity. Biosecurity experts will also be needed to address potential dual-use research and other safety concerns. A helpful analogue is the approach used by the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Initiative, which aims to apply genomics to improving the health of African populations. Since August 2013, H3Africa has used standard consent-form guidelines8 for collecting DNA samples from subjects for genomic studies, regardless of their country of origin.
Toshifumi Kitamura/AFP/Getty
Quarantine officers rush to test passengers at Tokyo's Narita airport amid the 2009 swine-flu outbreak.
Lastly, any preparation for future outbreaks should include provisions for rapidly building new bridges and establishing community norms. Successful collaborations in genomics and historical data-sharing agreements have tended to involve a fairly stable group of individuals and organizations, making norms of behaviour relatively easy to establish and sustain. By contrast, outbreaks can involve a new cast of characters each time, and cases in which the pathogen is new to science call for whole new fields of research.
The Kenema way
As a first step, we call on health agencies such as the World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Médecins Sans Frontières, as well as genome-sequencing centres and other research institutions, to convene a meeting this year — similar to that held in Bermuda in 1996. Attendees must include scientists, funders, ethicists, biosecurity experts, social scientists and journal editors.
We urge researchers working on outbreaks to embrace a culture of openness. For our part, we have released all our sequence data as soon as it has been generated, including that from several hundred more Ebola samples we recently received from Kenema. We have listed the research questions that we are pursuing at virological.org and through GenBank, and we plan to present our results at virological.org as we generate them, for others to weigh in on. We invite people either to join our publication, or to prepare their own while openly laying out their intentions online. We have also made clinical data for 100 patients publicly available and have incorporated these into a user-friendly data-visualization tool, Mirador, to allow others to explore the data and uncover new insights.
Kenema means 'translucent, clear like a river stream' or 'open to the public gaze'9. To honour the memory of our colleagues who died at the forefront of the Ebola outbreak, and to ensure that no future epidemic is as devastating, let's work openly in outbreaks.
Nature 518, 477–479 (26 February 2015) doi:10.1038/518477a
Whilst most researchers appreciate the benefits of sharing research data, on an individual basis they may be reluctant to share their own data.
The "Showing the Seed" study, commissioned by Knowledge Exchange, has gathered evidence, examples and opinions on current and future incentives for research data sharing from the researcher’s point of view, in order to provide recommendations for policy and practice development on how best to incentivise data access and reuse.
This study is based on qualitative interviews with 22 selected researchers of five research teams that have established data sharing cultures, in the partner countries of Knowledge Exchange: Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.The five case studies span various academic disciplines: arts and humanities, social sciences, biomedicine, chemistry and biology.
D-Lib Magazine
March/April 2017Volume 23, Number 3/4Table of Contents
Open Access to Scientific Information in Emerging Countries
Joachim SchöpfelUniversity of Lille, GERiiCO LaboratoryORCID:0000-0002-4000-807Xjoachim.schopfel [at] univ-lille3.fr
https://doi.org/10.1045/march2017-schopfel
Access to information plays a critical role in supporting development. Open access to scientific information is one solution. Up to now, the open access movement has been most successful in the Western hemisphere. The demand for open access is great in the developing world as it can contribute to solving problems related to access gaps. Five emerging countries, called BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — play a specific and leading role with a significant influence on regional and global affairs because of their large and fast-growing national economies, their demography and geographic situation. In order to better understand open access in each of the five countries, in this paper we take a look at specific conditions in each country, relying on data from information professionals and scientists from BRICS, with an empirical approach focused on country-specific characteristics and challenges. The paper is an updated and enriched synthesis of a recent work on open access in the BRICS countries published by Litwin, Sacramento CA.
The Sci-GaIA project has developed and deployed a standard-based Open Science Platform that supports federated authentication.Users can access a federated Open Science Platform to reproduce, re-use and publish their research products and link them to their ORCID profile to increase the visibility of both Science and scientists.
Read More