PROGRAM: 1-3

Title:

DATA INTEGRATION AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM (DIAS): RECENT ACTIVITIES TOWARD OPEN SCIENCE

Abstract:

Data Integration and Analysis System (DIAS) has continued its activity as one of core research data platforms in Japan in the field of earth environmental science and related fields for more than ten years. After successful completion of the first and second phases, DIAS entered into the third phase, started from FY 2016, with more focus on “open science.” It is a movement to change the whole procedure or culture of science more “open” in many respects, and DIAS has started new activities to meet the requirement and expectation of research data platform in the age of open science, as summarized below.

First, DIAS is transforming its platform to become compatible with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable) data principle, such as assigning Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to datasets. We defined a workflow to assign DOI from March 2017, with appropriate granularity for the utility of datasets such as data citation.

Second, DIAS is coordinating with paper authors and journal editors to make sure that research data deposited on DIAS can be used as evidence data for papers, and primary data for data papers, with appropriate data management policy. Although DIAS does not have an official certificate of trustworthy data repositories, we are referring to the requirement of standard certificates so that DIAS can be considered as trustworthy from stakeholders.

Third, DIAS is re-considering its role in research communities in Japan, especially in terms of our role to disseminate research data from Japan to global research communities. Research data supported by Japanese research funding may be better to be managed by Japanese infrastructure, and DIAS should play an important role as a domain data repository for earth environmental data. The original focus of DIAS was to collect relevant datasets for data-driven research within DIAS’s core data analysis platform, but our new role may be to add a new focus on datasets produced from Japan and relevant for data-driven research in global research communities.

Fourth, DIAS is expanding to a trans-disciplinary research so that domain scientists and computer scientists can work with people outside of academia. DIAS works with citizens for data collection and learning in the sense of citizen science. DIAS works with governments so that datasets and knowledge can be utilized for data-driven policy making in the area of disaster reduction, biodiversity conservation, and so on. Moreover, DIAS started to work with industry to implement a sustainable model to solve societal challenges. To collaborate with many types of stakeholders, we are responsible to raise the transparency of workflow and organization to a higher level.

Lastly, DIAS is open to international contribution using our datasets and systems. As an example, DIAS provided relevant information to Sri Lanka as a response to severe flooding in May 2017. On top of DIAS infrastructure, EDITORIA (Earth Observation Data Integration and Fusion Research Initiative) and ICHARM (International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management) collaboratively built real-time weather and flood simulation system for Sri Lanka to be used for disaster response and training for capacity building.

These activities suggest that DIAS is not only a research data repository, but also a research data and community platform that enables data-driven actions with scientific evidences based on trans-disciplinary collaboration. Open science is a keyword to drive these transformations, but the final goal of creating a sustainable model is still not clear. Good practices for sustainable human resources, computing infrastructure and financial support, is better to be shared across similar activities in the world so that we can find good solutions.

Acknowledgements:

I thank people in the DIAS open science working group, Dr. Masatoshi Yoshikawa, Dr. Toshiyuki Shimizu, Dr. Hiroko Kinutani, Mrs. Yoko Nakahara and Dr. Masafumi Ono, for helpful discussion.