Earth, Space, and Environmental Sciences IG - TAB Review

Interest Group Title: Earth, Space, and Environmental Sciences IG

Group Page: https://www.rd-alliance.org/groups/earth-space-and-environmental-science...

Charter:  https://www.rd-alliance.org/group/earth-space-and-environmental-sciences...

Revised Charter: https://rd-alliance.org/sites/default/files/case_statement/EarthSpaceEnv...

Proposers: Helen Glaves, Danie Kinkade, Lesley Wyborn, Shelley Stall 

Date Received by TAB: 28 Dec 2017

Comments on revised case statement:

The revised charter has addressed all previous concerns including:

- Reordering the work plan to work to gather interested parties from the broader RDA community at the start

- Adding details regarding formally engaged organisations and their representatives.

Case Statement is Sufficient X; Case Statement Requires Revision ___; Case Statement is Rejected __

NOTE: The text below relates to the review of the original case statement and are included as a historical record of interaction only

Summary: 

Accept with minor review reccommendations

The group aims to work towards coordinating and harmonizing the globally multiple efforts focused on improving Earth, space, and environmental science data management practices, so as to reduce duplication, increase efficiency, share use cases, and promote partnerships and adoption in the community.

Focus and Fit:  

(Are the Interest Group objectives aligned with the RDA mission ?  Is the scope too large for effective progress, too small for an RDA effort, or not appropriate for the RDA?  Overall, is this a worthwhile effort for the RDA to take on?  Is this an effort that adds value over and above what is currently being done within the community?)The goals align with the RDA vision for promoting open sharing of data.  It appears that all other venues for such a group are too domain or geographic area centric and that RDA would meeting a real need by serving as a common meeting forum for global efforts.  

Capacity:

(Does the initial membership list include sufficient expertise, and disciplinary and international representation?  Are the people involved in the Interest Group sufficient to make tangible progress?  What individuals or organizations are missing?) 

Global appropriate resentation is included.  Martina Stockhause makes a valid point that the the modeling community is missing in representation and suggests that European Network for Earth System Modelling; enes.org be included.

The group implies by its name that 'space' is a central topic. However, space agencies are also not obviously represented.  ESIP may server as a proxy for NASA but others are directly missing. Also, no specific activities / use cases are listed regarding space science. The involvement of organizations in this area and relevant activities (use cases) should be more solidly specified.

Impact and Engagement:

(Is it likely that the Interest Group will engage the intended community?  Is there evidence that the research community wants this?  Will the outcome(s) of the Interest Group foster data sharing and/or exchange?)

Given the number of efforts occuring separatly the research and funding community clearly want this, whether the related RDA WG and IGs will engage with this effort is unknown.  Reaching out to such is part of their initial 12month plan.  

There is however the concern that with the Geospatial IG an established group already exists that may have some overlaps with the proposed group. The case statement should indicate how this relationship will be managed and if so, how the activities of the proposed group are significantly different from the current activities of the Geospatial IG.

Recommendation:  Charter is Sufficient __; Charter Requires Revision _X_; Charter is Rejected __

- That the order of steps 3 in the initial 12 month plan be made step 1.  Fellow RDA WG/IG chairs should be involved in the step: "Establish mechanism to share project information and assess any dependencies, overlaps, and gaps. This needs to include allowing multiple efforts that are similar to proceed."  Further, these chairs would inform their current step 1 "Communicate with Earth, space, and environmental science communities not yet part of the Interest Group; invite them to join."

- A list of represented organisations and their representative who has accepted to be formally involved be created and published. 

Additional Comments: