E-RPID PEARC 2019

Collaborative Open Science is essential to addressing complex challenges whose solutions prioritize integrity and require cross-domain integrations. Today, building workflows, processes, and data flows across domains and sectors remains technically difficult and practically resource intensive, creating barriers to whole-systems change. While organizations increasingly aim to demonstrate accountability, they often lack the tools to take action effectively. By making it simple to connect data and platforms together in transparent, reusable and reproducible workflows, the OGC Open Science Persistent Demonstrator (OSPD) aims to enable responsible innovation through collaborative open science. The OSPD focuses specifically on using geospatial and earth observation (EO) data to enable and demonstrate solutions that create capacity for novel research and accelerate the practical implementation of this research.Collaborative Open Science and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data are widely recognized as critical tools for taking advantage of the opportunities created through addressing complex social and environmental challenges. To date, many millions have been invested in hundreds of initiatives to enable access to analytical tools, provide data management, data integration and exchange, translate research results, and support reproduction and testing of workflows for new applications. These investments have resulted in a plethora of new data, protocols, tools and workflows, but these resources frequently remain siloed, difficult to use, and poorly understood, and as a result they are falling short of their full potential for wider impact and their long term value is limited.This presentation will illustrate how the OGC OSPD Initiative, through its design, development and testing activities, provides answers to leading questions such as:How can we design Open Science workflows that enable integration across platforms designed for diverse applications used in different domains to increase their value? How can we lower barriers for end users (decision makers, managers in industry, scientists, community groups) who need to create Open Science workflows, processes, and data flows across domains and sectors remains technically difficult and practically resource intensive, creating? How can Open Science workflows and platforms enable collaboration between stakeholders in different domains and sectors? How can we empower organizations to demonstrate accountability in their analytical workflows, data, and representations of information through Open Science? What Open Science tools do organizations need to take action effectively? How can Open Science and FAIR data standards practically support accountability? How can we make it simple to connect data and platforms together in transparent, reusable and reproducible (FAIR) workflows? What are the specific challenges of using geospatial, earth observation (EO), and complementary data in this context?

Connecting Repositories to one Integrated Domain

Public science is critical to the economy and to society. However, much of the beneficial impact of scientific research only occurs when scientific knowledge is disseminated broadly and is used by others. This thesis examines the emerging policy, law, and practice of facilitating open access to scientific research data. One particular focus is to examine the open data policies recently introduced by research funders and publishers, and the potential in these for driving the practice of open scientific data into the future. This thesis identifies five major stumbling blocks to sustainable open scientific data. Firstly, the prevailing ‘mindset’ that facilitating open access to data is analogous to facilitating open access to publications and, therefore, research data can easily be shared, with research funders and librarians effectively leading the process. Secondly, the unclear meaning of the term ‘data’, which causes confusion among stakeholders. Thirdly, ‘misunderstood incentives’ for data sharing and the additional inputs required from researchers. Fourthly, ‘data privacy’—an issue that only applies to selected research datasets, and yet appears to dominate the discussion about open research data. Finally, there is ‘copyright law’, which poses challenges at different stages of data release and reuse. In this thesis, I argue that the above problems can be addressed using a staged model for open scientific data. I draw specifically on the practice with open scientific data at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) and the practice of sharing clinical trial data to argue that open data can be shared at various stages of processing and diversification. This model is supplemented by recommendations proposing changes to existing open data mandates and the introduction of a text and data mining exemption into Australian copyright law.

Figure 1 shows Digital Object Architecture enabling networked data and information interoperability and management across heterogeneous systems. Figure 2 shows DiSSCo Digital specimen concept (top) and relations to Digital Object Architecture concepts (light blue) and components (dark blue). PID = persistent identifier. NSId = Natural Science Identifier.

The Internet of Things (IW) is a modern concept for the development of communication networks in the short and long term. The concept implies the integration of devices (“things”), equipped with built-in technologies for interacting with each other or with the external environment, into a single worldwide network. Today, the number of devices connected to the network exceeds the number of all inhabitants of the planet and continues to grow rapidly, which raises the question of assigning each object a unique address to ensure confidentiality and security during data transmission, as well as unique identification of Internet of Things on the global network. The article presents a method for identifying devices and applications of the Internet of Things in heterogeneous communication networks based on the Digital Objects Architecture. It is also proposed to develop methods for installing the DO identifier into devices of the Internet of things with various wireless data transmission modules.

Towards FAIR Data Access

Between 2-4% of researchers admit to have falsified or fabricated their data. The prevalence of such unethical behavior can be as high as 10% in some disciplines or countries. Data falsification is an extreme form of questionable research practices that are both less problematic and much more widespread: surveys on different disciplines have shown that more than half of researchers make some form of selective reporting or add new data until they obtain significant results. Unethical practices harm the global quality of research. Provided they have been validated by peer review, fabricated, distorted or selected data are featured in literature review or meta-analysis. They can in turn influence directions for future research or, even, policy decisions with wide range implications in health, economics or politics. Negative incentives have attracted significant attention: publishers, institutions and research evaluators tend to favor unprecedented research that does not simply confirm common hypotheses. The lack of proper tools, standards and workflows to deal efficiently with data is also a fundamental issue. In most disciplines, data collection is not well organized nor maintained: it has been estimated that as much as half of the datasets created from the 1990s in life science are already lost. Questionable research practices partly stem from common deficiencies in scientific data management. Open science and data sharing have recently emerged as a common framework to solve issues of research integrity. While initially focused on access to publications, the open science movement is more broadly concerned with transparency at all the stages of the research lifecycle. The diffusion of datasets in open repositories and infrastructures has already largely solved major issues of long term preservation. It also ensures that potential errors or adjustments to statistical indicators can be subsequently corrected, as posterior analysis and replications have access to the original data source. Open science is now increasingly integrated into ethical standards, following community-led initiatives like the TOP Guidelines (2014). The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity from 2017 includes full requirements for open access, open data and reproducible workflow: “Researchers, research institutions and organizations ensure access to data is as open as possible, as closed as necessary”. The Hong Kong principles for assessing researchers (2020) acknowledge open science as one of the five pillars of scientific integrity. Open science is changing the nature of the debate over research integrity which had remained until now largely detached from the public space. 60%-90% of the audience of open scientific platforms comes from non-academic professionals and private citizens. This increased diffusion creates new responsibilities but also new opportunities to involve non-academic stakeholders in the spirit of citizen science.

The array of problems presented to Extension professionals is broad and growing in number and complexity. As Extension has demonstrated its adaptability in addressing these issues, new ways of working have emerged. Access to an expanding pool of scientific reports and data can potentially provide Extension professionals with the greater tools and knowledge they need to collaboratively engage with their communities. However, a key challenge and possible impediment will be access to rapidly emerging research and data. Open science and open data can broaden the evidence base available to Extension educators, and the emerging field of data science offers new tools to help Extension stakeholders make data-informed decisions. A new data-sharing partnership among Canada, Mexico, and the United States may serve as a model for other countries’ rural advisory services and national Extension systems. Fully implementing this expanded role for Extension will require resources to establish a National Community Learning Network and a national data commons as well as advocacy for open access policies at all levels of government. As abstract as open science and open data may seem to local and regional Extension practitioners, equal access to scientific knowledge and underlying research data is not only imperative for local community engagement but also integral for locally appropriate decision-making. Widening access to research and data directly supports the democratization of science and Extension. Opening scientific research and providing effective access to publicly financed data will become essential platforms for university engagement and Extension. It is critical for Extension professionals to understand the analytic powers and emerging policies that easily-accessed research and data can bring to collaborative community engagement.

Should research institutions from developing countries provide open access to their data? Who would benefit? These are highly relevant questions for environmental research. In the backdrop of increasing discussions regarding open data, attention should be paid to guarantee that research institutions from developing countries do not become mere data providers. At the same time, restricted access to data should not become a barrier for advancing our knowledge of critical environmental issues. Open access policies for environmental data must be developed not only for advancing science, but also to provide growing opportunities for researchers in developing countries.

Purpose of the study. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current state and prospects for introducing the principles of open access to scientific publications and scientific data in the sphere of science and education in Belarus. Its relevance is related to the need to develop measures to accelerate the process of digital transformation of science and education of the Republic of Belarus.Materials and methods. Information base of the research was made by publications of scientists and specialists on the issues under study, normative documents, final documents of conferences on this topic, data from the Open Data in Belarus portal, national and international aggregators of institutional repositories, open scientific data repositories.Results. The analysis of the state and prospects of introducing the principles of open access to scientific publications and scientific data into the sphere of science and education of Belarus was carried out during the research. It is shown that the digital transformation of science and education is at an early stage. The dissemination of the principles of open science and the introduction of new instruments of scientific communication in the Belarusian academic and university science are uneven, there is a need to develop a strategy in this direction. The principle of open access to publications is being most actively introduced into practice through the development of a network of university repositories. In Belarus, the open data infrastructure is at the very beginning of its formation. In this regard, there is a need to conduct additional research to identify problems associated with the discovery of scientific data. One step in the transition to open science is the unification of all the repositories on a single platform of the national aggregator. The review of national and international aggregators of institutional repositories is presented. The questions on creation of the national system-aggregator of information resources of open access in the Republic of Belarus in the context of the formation of the Republican information and educational environment are considered: the purpose of the system, the platform used, technical solutions for organizing the integration of information systems of higher education institutions and the rules of interaction of system users.Conclusions. The creation of a national system-aggregator will not only provide a single point of access to the institutional repositories of project participants, which will significantly improve the convenience and completeness of the search, but will also solve one of the most important tasks of the project - popularizing the idea of open access to scientific publications. The implementation of the proposed measures to create conditions for the discovery of scientific data in Belarus will contribute to the introduction of the principle of open access to scientific data. The considered approaches will allow accelerating the process of digital transformation of the scientific and educational sphere of Belarus.

Decarbonisation and efficiency goals set as a response to global warming issue require appropriate decision-making strategies to promote an effective and timely change in energy systems. Conceptualization of change is a relevant part of energy transitions research today, which aims at enabling radical shifts compatible with societal functions and market mechanisms. In this framework, construction sector can play a relevant role because of its energy and environmental impact. There is, however, the need to move from general instances to specific actions. Open data and open science, digitalization and building data interoperability, together with innovative business models could represent enabling factors to accelerate the process of change. For this reason, built environment research has to address the co-evolution of technologies and human behaviour and the analytical methods used for this purpose should be empirically grounded, transparent, scalable and consistent across different temporal/spatial scales of analysis. These features could potentially enable the emergence of “ecosystems” of applications that, in turn, could translate into projects, products and services for energy transitions in the built environment, proposing innovative business models that can stimulate market competitiveness. For these reasons, in this paper we organize our analysis according to three levels, from general concepts to specific issues. In the first level, we consider the role of building energy modelling at multiple scales. In the second level, we focus on harmonization of methods for energy performance analysis. Finally, in the third level, we consider emerging concepts such as energy flexibility and occupant-centric energy modelling, considering their relation to monitoring systems and automation. The goal of this research is to evaluate the current state of the art and identify key concepts that can encourage further research, addressing both human and technological factors that influence energy performance of buildings.

Marine Scotland, a directorate of Scottish Government, comprises of policy, planning and science divisions that collectively aim to manage Scotland's seas for prosperity and sustainability. Across this wide portfolio, data underpin the decisions Marine Scotland makes and the advice it provides to Ministers and the public. A transparent and robust decision making process requires easy access to authoritative data, both for use within Marine Scotland and by external stakeholders. Marine Scotland manages three data-driven services that work in harmony to provide an Open Data Network: Marine Scotland Information, Marine Scotland Data and Marine Scotland Maps. By closely following Open Data standards and working with the INSPIRE directive and open source tools, Marine Scotland has designed a complex but highly responsive network of services to bring together data access and visualisation, GIS capabilities and an information management solution. There are an increasing number of users of the sea, and while traditional management activities such as fisheries management and environmental monitoring and assessment still feature heavily, marine spatial management, licensing of activities and protecting designated areas are becoming the integrating tools for a more holistic management of the seas. In Scotland, the Scottish Government introduced a National Marine Plan, first published in 2015, which fulfils the requirements of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, and the Maritime Spatial Planning EU Directive (2014/89/EU). During the work to prepare an assessment on the condition of the Scottish marine area, Scotland's Marine Atlas was published in 2011. To support the Atlas, and in recognition of the need to update and manage spatial information on Scotland's seas, an interactive GIS portal was developed — National Marine Plan Interactive (NMPi), now known as Marine Scotland Maps. While the GIS portal greatly enhanced stakeholder engagement and created a tool for updating and managing spatial information to support planning of activities in Scottish seas, there was recognition that additional information was often required. Information web pages for spatial layers were created — initially a manual process- and subsequently transferred to a more dynamic database driven system to facilitate reuse of information sources and links. Within the research and monitoring function of Marine Scotland, data publication was becoming a pressing matter — not just for GIS representation, but to provide persistent identifiers to facilitate collaborative data sharing, and to be used in peer reviewed publications as well as Marine Scotland's own scientific report series. To improve access, and at the same time embrace the developing Scottish Government Open Data Strategy that was published in 2015, Marine Scotland deployed an open data portal (Marine Scotland Data) using open source software and open standards. This delivers open data at 4-star rating (www.5stardata.info) while also minting persistent identifiers on the datasets to improve citation and use in scientific literature. A number of the datasets published on Marine Scotland Data were increasingly used and referenced from pages describing the work presented on the Marine Scotland Map GIS portal, and it was decided to make the supporting information web pages more integrated to provide a more holistic description and access for stakeholders as well as enabling Marine Scotland to make better use of its own published information assets. The new information portal, Marine Scotland Information (MSI), was developed on a Drupal platform which combines service data from open standards (OGC standards and DCAT JSON feeds) with content generated by staff. Vocabularies allow the categorisation of service data and other content into searchable resources that allow stakeholders to locate and read about a broader topic, and then jump to the specific datasets and map layers as required. In this way MSI acts as a central source of information, bringing the data and GIS services together. The utilisation of information available through services enabled further keywords to be automatically generated, and additional metadata on spatial layers to be supplied through MSI. This provides context, user-friendly information and guided access to Marine Scotland data. It also facilities access to the more advanced functions offered by the data and GIS portals. The combination of contextual information with direct data access and open standards means that Marine Scotland is increasingly using its external facing tools for a substantial part of its data and information management for internal work also. This paper discusses the design and functionality of the Marine Scotland open data solution, and how the systems improve information management for both Marine Scotland and its stakeholders.

Identification Method for Endpoint Devices on Low-Power Wide-Area Networks Using Digital Object Architecture with Blockchain Technology Integration

In order to more efficiently test the performance of Internet of Data applications based on Digital Object Architecture (DOA), this paper proposes a data-driven, automated performance testing method for the Internet of Data. This approach separates test data from the testing scripts and implements monitoring of the test data. When new test data is added or existing data is modified, the test scripts automatically read the new data and rapidly update the test cases. To ensure the accuracy of the test results, the method involves sending no-load probe requests to determine the basic performance of the system being tested, using this as a baseline for comparison in actual tests. This paper first introduces the concept of data-driven testing, then integrates it into the performance testing for the Internet of Data, outlining the design and implementation of this data-driven performance testing approach. Finally, the method's reusability, simplicity, efficiency, and stability are demonstrated through the establishment of a testing platform and the analysis of specific test cases.

During the era of open systems, healthcare services and related data are in a constant flux caused by digital transformation. The amount, sources and dimensionality of data grow rapidly, and solutions for data governance, integration and interoperability are urgently needed. At the same time, digital data and information technology–enabled healthcare services are offered as a means to empower citizens. The objective is for active citizens to take better care of their own health. It is possible to support empowerment in many ways, such as with easy-to-use information systems (IS) or personal health records (PHR), or by supporting citizens’ participation in health data creation. In this article, we first present the federative approach to data governance with data federation matrixes in order to show how data are made interoperable by combining data from different data storages. Federation matrixes define shared attributes with their technical, information-flow and socio-contextual metadata. We then contemplate how the federative approach can be deployed to citizens’ healthcare data empowerment. We propose that data ontologies, e.g., data federation matrixes, are useful in bridging gaps between the social contexts of citizens and healthcare professionals and, by doing so, to promote citizen empowerment. The present article contributes to research on the federative approach to data governance, its deployment to citizens’ healthcare empowerment, and to the practice-oriented further development of the federation matrix tools for this and other use cases.