Governments, scientists, and society are increasingly recognizing the importance of data and proper data management.
The polar science community has been a leader in international, interdisciplinary data management with a history beginning with the International Polar Year (IPY) programs starting in 1881-1884. Advances in open, networked, and ubiquitous digital technologies come at the same time as unprecedented changes in the polar regions. Together, these shifts present an urgent opportunity for the polar science community, Arctic residents, and other stakeholders to establish a clear global vision, strategy, and action plan to ensure effective stewardship of and access to valuable Arctic and Antarctic data resources.
The Second Polar Data Forum (PDF II) will be held October 27 - 29, 2015 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada to build on successes of the first Polar Data Forum (PDF I) in Tokyo, Japan, October 2013. PDF I and a series of other international and national meetings have identified priority themes and key challenges in the domain of polar data management (See here) for a brief listing and description of outcomes). PDF II will further refine these themes and priorities and will accelerate progress by establishing clear actions to address the target issues, including meeting the needs of society and science through promotion of open data and effective data stewardship, establishing sharing and interoperability of data at a variety of levels, developing trusted data management systems, and ensuring long-term data preservation. The Forum will be held in conjunction with the scheduled annual meetings of the Arctic Data Committee (ADC) of the International Arctic Science Committee and Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (IASC/SAON) and the Standing Committee on Antarctic Data Management (SC-ADM) of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). This unprecedented co-location presents unique opportunities for coordination and is envisioned as the first international Polar Data Week.
PDF II will provide a critically important venue for showcasing polar data initiatives, to learn from global partners and work collaboratively to continue developing an international vision and action plan. By the end of PDF II, we will have updated status and made progress on polar data management activities and outstanding issues, including international coordination of ongoing and future planned efforts across the Arctic and Antarctic data and scientific research communities.
PDF II IMPORTANT DATES
Registration & Abstract Systems Open: 15 May 2015
Abstracts Due: 1 July 2015
Notification of abstract acceptance: 31 July 2015
Early bird registration deadline: 31 August 2015
Travel support application deadline: 31 August 2015
Hotel block reservation deadline: 10 September 2015
Online registration deadline: 30 September 2015
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