Workshop on Databases and Data-sharing in Paleoanthropology

古人类学数据库和数据共享研讨会

• 批准号: 0653793
• 负责人: Eric Delson
• 金额: $ 1.65万
• 依托单位: American Museum Natural History
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-03-01 至 2008-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0653793&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Workshop; Databases; Data; sharing; Paleoanthropology

The accumulation and analysis of large datasets, on hominids, as well as associated faunal, floral, and geological contexts, has allowed paleoanthropologists many exciting new insights and findings. Modern computing power and networking capabilities have greatly facilitated the collection, analysis, and dissemination of these datasets. As a consequence, the size and number of databases have increased in paleoanthropology and allied disciplines. However, datasets are controlled by the researcher(s) who collected them, and they may not be broadly available, even after they have been analyzed and published. Making paleoanthropological data more widely accessible and readily useable has been a concern among researchers for many years. It is appreciated that there are diverse stake holders in this process, including, but not necessarily limited to: those who collect material in the field, those who analyze data collected by others, and those charged with the management and care of paleoanthropological collections housed in various museums.A further issue is repeated collection of similar datasets by researchers (and especially students) unaware that such data have already been collected and may be available for study. Repeated collection of data on the same specimens is not only a poor use of limited research time and funds, but also potentially detrimental to the conservation of those specimens. Given these concerns, the PIs will hold a two-day workshop in New York to bring together representatives of these different stake holders, as well as colleagues from sister disciplines such as vertebrate paleontology and systematic museology, to exchange ideas and plan new approaches to this topic. Discussion topics will include: the need for collaboration on databasing and data access; the types of data to be included (catalogue "metadata", metrical data, digital imagery); levels of access to such data; types of database systems which could be employed and whether they should be local, centralized or linked.The intellectual merit of this project is that it will bring together representatives of diverse communities within and outside paleoanthropology to consider the value of facilitating data exchange and implementing ways to do so. The broader impacts of this workshop are that database development and the questions of open access to data and means of distribution are of general interest across a great range of science disciplines; a report on the deliberations at this meeting will be of value to colleagues in diverse fields, and may lower the barriers to database implementation for researchers considering this option for their data; the inclusion of colleagues from around the world helps to build infrastructure and global collaboration as they educate each other. Improved access to data, allowing sampling of broader datasets, will benefit the training of advanced students and also reduce duplication of effort through repetition of measurements. The study of human origins is a topic of great public interest, and wider access to data will broaden public understanding of and interest in paleoanthropology and related fields. Finally, as more and more types of data are quantified (and therefore lend themselves to databasing) these concerns will only grow in the future.

对原始人类以及相关动物、花卉和地质背景的大型数据集的积累和分析，使古人类学家获得了许多令人兴奋的新见解和发现。 现代计算能力和网络能力极大地促进了这些数据集的收集、分析和传播。 因此，古人类学和相关学科的数据库的规模和数量都增加了。然而，数据集由收集它们的研究人员控制，即使在分析和发布之后，它们也可能无法广泛使用。 多年来，如何让古人类学数据更广泛地获取和使用一直是研究人员关注的问题。值得注意的是，这一过程中有不同的利益相关者，包括但不一定限于：在实地收集材料的人、分析其他人收集的数据的人以及负责管理和照管古人类学藏品的人。另一个问题是研究人员（尤其是学生）重复收集类似的数据集，但他们不知道这些数据已经被收集并且可以用于研究。 重复收集同一标本的数据不仅浪费了有限的研究时间和资金，而且还可能不利于这些标本的保护。 考虑到这些问题，PI 将在纽约举办为期两天的研讨会，将这些不同利益相关者的代表以及来自脊椎动物古生物学和系统博物馆学等姊妹学科的同事聚集在一起，交流想法并规划解决这一问题的新方法话题。讨论主题将包括： 数据库和数据访问方面协作的必要性；要包含的数据类型（目录“元数据”、度量数据、数字图像）；对此类数据的访问级别；可以使用的数据库系统类型以及它们是否应该是本地的、集中的还是链接的。该项目的智力优点在于它将汇集古人类学内外不同社区的代表，以考虑促进数据交换和实施方式的价值这样做。本次研讨会的更广泛影响是，数据库开发以及数据开放获取和分发方式的问题引起了众多科学学科的普遍兴趣；关于本次会议审议情况的报告将对不同领域的同事有价值，并且可能会降低考虑采用这种数据选择的研究人员实施数据库的障碍；来自世界各地的同事的参与有助于建立基础设施和全球合作，因为他们互相教育。 改进数据获取方式，允许对更广泛的数据集进行采样，将有利于高级学生的培训，并通过重复测量减少重复工作。人类起源研究是公众非常感兴趣的话题，更广泛地获取数据将扩大公众对古人类学及相关领域的理解和兴趣。最后，随着越来越多类型的数据被量化（因此适合数据库），这些担忧在未来只会增加。