IDigBio Working Groups

Overview

iDigBio supports a number of Working Groups. Several working groups are focused on the delivery of short-term objectives, while other standing Working Groups are tasked with ongoing research, development, and improvement activities. This page provides an overview of both current (active) and disbanded (inactive) Working Groups.

The section "Overlap with Other Working Groups" should be used to list subject areas that may duplicate some effort from another Working Group. When Working Group activities stray into these overlapping subject areas then collaboration between working groups is warranted for those tasks.

Active Working Groups

Augmenting OCR (aOCR)

Background: The Augmenting OCR working group formed from the first iDigBio Summit in 2011 out of a community consensus wish to attempt improving OCR output and algorithm tools to speed up the digitization process. Initial group members were suggested by those present at Summit 2011. Our current working group met, in person, at a workshop in October 2012 to learn more about each other's use of OCR and OCR output, plan a February 2013 hackathon, develop content for our iSchools 2013 iConference workshop panel, and learn more about the latest developments in handwriting recognition. We are currently hard at work finalizing the hackathon and iConference13 plans.

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Bryan Heidorn, (Chair), Director, School of Information Resources and Library Science, University of Arizona Deborah Paul (Co-Chair), iDigBio User Services Robert Anglin, Symbiota Developer, LBCC TCN Anne Barber, SALIX Jason Best, Director Bioinformatics at BRIT, Apiary Renato Figueiredo, iDigBio IT Ed Gilbert Symbiota Lead Developer, LBCC TCN, MaCC TCN Nathan Gnanasambandam, Xerox Stephen Gottschalk, Curatorial Assistant, NYBG Elspeth Haston, Assistant Curator, Digitisation Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Daryl Lafferty, SALIX Peter Lang, Pre Sales Engineer, ABBYY Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization Nahil Sobh, InvertNet Developer, InvertNet TCN William Ulate, Technical Director, Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) Kimberly Watson, Curatorial Assistant, NYBG Tri-Trophic TCN Qianjin Zhang, Graduate Student, University of Arizona, School of Information Resources and Library Science
Mission & Scope	Engage experts in the biodiversity and information technology fields to identify opportunities to broadly implement existing effective OCR tools and enhance existing Machine and Natural Language Processing technologies to meet the needs of the biodiversity community. Want to know more? Contact Bryan Heidorn or Deborah Paul or any other member of the working group. We'd like to hear from you!
Overlap with Other Working Groups	Needing access to the specimen label images on the iDigBio server, the aOCR working group overlaps with the cyberinfrastructure working group. This includes OS issues as well as hardware minimum requirements necessary for whatever hack-a-thon type activities the aOCR group persues.
Links	Augmenting OCR and NLP Forum Augmenting OCR Working Group Wiki Augmenting OCR Working Group Resources Augmenting OCR Listserv

Biodiversity Informatics Management Working Group

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Lead) Joanna McCaffrey iDigBio Biodiversity Informatics Manager (co-lead) Dorothy Allard, UVM Anne Barber, ASU Andy Bentley, Biodiversity Institute, U. of Kansas Lawrence Gall, Yale, Peabody Ed Gilbert, Lichens & Bryophytes, and SCAN TCNs IT, Symbiota Les Landrum, ASU Austin Mast, FSU Herbarium Paul J. Morris , Harvard Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Rich Rabeler, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Mission & Scope	The role of biodiversity informatics management and biodiversity informatics managers as a recognized profession is becoming increasingly important to digitization programs, biodiversity data management, and to museum organizational hierarchy. The most successful digitization programs visited by Nelson and Paul (2012) in preparation for their paper in Zookeys were directly dependent on the presence of strong biodiversity informatics managers with well-defined roles, supported from the top of the organizational hierarchy, and focused on providing guidance and service to digitization staff and initiatives. The institutionalization of this role will ensure the sustainability of digitization initiatives. Members of the Droid 1 workgroup recognized this need as an important component underlying successful implementation of digitization workflows and practices, and strongly suggested that iDigBio sponsor a working group focused on this issue.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Working Group Wiki, Listserv

Cyberinfrastructure (CYWG)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Andréa Matsunaga (Co-Lead), iDigBio IT Joanna McCaffrey (Co-Lead), iDigBio Program Manager Renato Figueiredo, iDigBio IT Alex Thompson, iDigBio IT Greg Traub, iDigBio IT Yonggang Liu, iDigBio IT Kyuho Jeong, iDigBio IT Casey McLaughlin, iDigBio IT James Beach, Paleoniches TCN IT/Co-PI, University of Kansas Michael Bevans, Tri-tropic TCN Information Manager for Digitization and Photography Andrew Brown KE Software Edward Gilbert, Lichens & Bryophytes, and SCAN TCNs IT, Symbiota Corinna Gries, Lichens & Bryophytes TCN, PI Paul L Heinrich, SCAN TCN IT Tony Kirchgessner, Tri-trophic TCN IT, NYBG Katja Seltmann, Tri-trophic TCN IT, AMNH Nahil Sobh, InvertNet TCN IT, Co-PI Omar Sobh, InvertNet TCN IT
Mission & Scope	Define, document and test iDigBio service Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and appliances. The first phase will focus on data ingestion APIs and appliances considering TCN use cases. Definition and documentation of potential services and appliances for OCR and georeferencing are left to the respective working groups. Definition of data structure for ingestion is left to MISC working group.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Cyberinfrastructure Working Group Wiki iDigBio DwC-A Pull Ingestion iDigBio Image Ingestion Appliance

Developing Robust Object to Image to Data (DROID1)

The various preparation-specific DROID working groups was spawned from the DROID workshop, held in Gainesville, Florida in May 2012. The purpose of this workshop was an exploration of digitization workflows and methods for improving workflow efficiency across preparation types. The DROID 1 working group is focused on flat sheets and packets digitization, primarily as this relates to herbarium collections. Flat Sheets and Packets completed a set of workflows in fall 2012 and published them on iDigBio's Documentation Page. An herbarium digitization workshop was spawned from the DROID effort,during which the workflows developed by Flat Sheets and Packets were presented and distributed. A digitization training workshop wiki has been created to provide links to resources for this and upcoming workshops spawned by the initial DROID workshop. DROID 1 workflows development also led to considerations of imaging standards, which resulted in the development of iDigBio's statement of Image File Format Requirements and Recommendations, also published in fall 2012.

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Dorothy Allard, UVM Anne Barber, ASU Edward Gilbert, Lichens & Bryophytes, Macrofungi and SCAN TCNs IT, Symbiota Les Landrum, ASU Austin Mast, FSU Paul J. Morris , Harvard Amanda K. Neill, BRIT, Texas A&M University Richard Rabeler, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Patrick Sweeney, New England Vascular Plants TCN Co-PI Yale - Peabody
Mission & Scope	The Flat Sheets and Packets Working Group (DROID1) is devoting its attention to developing workflow modules and tasks recommendations for vascular and non-vascular plant specimens.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	See WG for DROID2 and DROID3
Links	Wiki Training Workshops Wiki Image File Format Requirements and Recommendations Flat Sheets and Packets published workflows

Developing Robust Object to Image to Data (DROID2)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Lead) Nicole Fisher, ANIC Nico Franz, ASU Lawrence Gall, Yale, Peabody Talia Karim, Univ. of Colorado Paul J. Morris, Harvard John Oswald Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Edward Riley, Texas A&M Katja Seltmann, AMNH Petra Sierwald, FMNH Margaret Thayer, FMNH Jennifer Thomas, KU
Mission & Scope	The Pinned Specimens in Trays and Drawers Working Group is devoting its attention to developing workflow modules and task lists for digitizing dry, pinned specimens.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	See WG for DROID1 and DROID3
Links	Wiki Photo - First Meeting of DROID2 Working Group

Developing Robust Object to Image to Data (DROID3): 3D Objects and Things in Spirits

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization Andy Bentley, Biodiversity Institute, U. of Kansas Adam Cohen,Texas Natural History Collections, U. Texas Linda Ford, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard Talia Karim U. Colorado Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Dean Pentcheff, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Nelson Rios, Tulane, GeoLocate Rob Robins, Florida Museum of Natural History, U. Florida Jessica Utrup, Peabody Museum, Yale Andy Williston, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard
Mission & Scope	The working group will devote its attention to specimens in jars and of greater 3D dimensionality.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	See WG for DROID1 and DROID2
Links	Wiki

Education and Outreach

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Bruce MacFadden, FLMNH Austin Hendy, FLMNH Cathy Bester, FLMNH Betty Dunckel, FLMNH Shari Ellis, FLMNH Reed Beaman, FLMNH David Jennings, FLMNH Kevin Love, FLMNH Austin Mast, FSU Deb Paul, FSU Gil Nelson, FSU Libby Ellwood, FSU
Mission & Scope	This working group will: Coordinate Education and Outreach activities Communicate with TCNs Develop activities of interest to the HUB and TCNs Establish regular communication with one Education and Outreach point person from each TCN Plan for, and implement, Education and Outreach Workshop Facilitate common goals
Overlap with Other Working Groups	There is some overlap with the Public Participation in Digitization Working Group in regards to goals and objectives (outreach).
Links	Education and Outreach Working Group Wiki: about the working group, meeting notes and links to documentation from the working group.

Georeferencing Working Group (GWG)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	John Wieczorek, Berkeley, MVZ Mary Barkworth, Utah State Univ, UTC Reed Beaman, FLMNH David Bloom, Berkeley, MVZ Una Farrell (Paleoniches TCN, Co-PI) Paul Heinrich (SCAN TCN, Co-PI) Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Nelson Rios, Tulane, GeoLocate Carol Spencer, Berkeley, MVZ
Mission & Scope	We've started building a community of expert Georeferencing trainers from our first Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Georeferencing Workshop in October 2012 and we're getting ready for TTT #2 in August 2013. We're putting the finishing touches on some new videos anyone can use for training. We're also helping to advance the capabilities of Georeferencing tools. Want to know more? Contact any member of the working group. We'd love to hear from you.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Georeferencing Wiki: a compiled, annotated listing of helpful links / resources for georeferencing Georeferencing Resources: descriptions and links to what's available (wiki, list serve, forum,... on this website for help with georeferencing. Georeferencing Discussion Forum: got a georeferencing question? Ask us! Georeferencing Working Group Wiki: about the working group, meeting notes and links to documentation from the working group. GWG listserve

Minimum Information Standards, Authority Files, & Semantics (MISC)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Co-Lead) Katja Seltmann, AMNH (Co-Lead) Dorothy Allard, UVM Reed Beaman, FLMNH Stan Blum, California Academy of Sciences John Deck, UC Berkeley Andrea Matsunaga, iDigBio IT Joanna McCaffrey, iDigBio Biodiversity Informatics Manager Paul J. Morris, Harvard Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Dean Pentcheff, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Petra Sierwald, FMNH
Mission & Scope	1) Establish the working group and its goals, with the guidance of participants from the MISC breakout group from iDigBio's It Standards workshop. 2) Document basic assumptions underpinning a minimal information for scientific collections expectation. 3) Develop a document outlining and providing a rationale for required, minimal, desired, and supplementary data elements to be provided by iDigBio contributors. 4) Develop guidelines for data validation, training and assistance to iDigBio contributors for configuring data for ingestion into the iDigBio portal.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	The overlap between the MISC and Authority Files Working groups prompted merging into a single working group.
Links	Working Group Wiki, Discussion Forum

Paleontology

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Bruce Lieberman (Lead), University of Kansas Laurie Anderson, South Dakota School of Mines David Bloom, VertNet, UC Berkeley Greg Dietl, PRI Jere Lipps, John Cooper Museum Bruce MacFadden, FLMNH Timothy Rowe, University of Texas Katja Seltmann, AMNH Dena Smith, Colorado Kathleen Springer, San Bernardino County Museum Barbara Thiers, NYBG Sophie Warny, LSU Tim White, Yale
Mission & Scope	This group is currently being formed. One of the group's first tasks will be to define a Mission and Scope. Broadly, the group will maintain awareness of digitization activities and needs within the Paleontology community, and promote communication between Neontology/Paleontology/Information Technology partners.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Listserv, Discussion Forum, Working Group Wiki

Public Participation in Digitization

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Austin Mast (Lead) Michael Denslow NEON Libby Ellwood, iDigBio FSU Betty Dunckel FLMNH Bruce MacFadden, FLMNH Tom Nash, ASU Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Nelson Rios, Tulane, GeoLocate Andrew Sallans Blanka Shaw , Duke Jon Shaw, Duke Barbara Thiers, NYBG Matt von Konrat, FMNH
Mission & Scope	Identify and improve aspects of biodiversity digitization workflows that can be newly architected or enhanced to take advantage of public participation.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Listserv, Working Group Wiki, Joint Public Participation in Digitization/Eductation & Outreach Workshop

Strategic Communication Interest Group

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Grant Godden, iDigBio (Lead) Betty Dunckel, FLMNH Bruce MacFadden, FLMNH Brent Mishler, UC, Berkeley Anna K. Monfils, Central Michigan U. Barbara Thiers, NYBG
Mission & Scope	We will be developing a strategic communications plan and organizing an advisory panel of communications experts, corporate social responsibility and fundraising experts, and key stakeholders from the collections community. Our collective charge is: (1) to develop a unified platform for communicating the importance of digitization efforts; (2) to identify specific needs of the collection community, develop strategies for addressing these needs through communications activities (including education and outreach), and formalize goals and objectives; and (3) to design implementable activities that can meet our goals/objectives and effectively engage iDigBio target audiences. We will provide recommendations to iDigBio that increase the momentum of digitization/outreach activities on a national scale and ensure the long-term sustainability of these efforts.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links

Inactive Working Groups

Authority Files

Data Field	Details
Status	Merged: The Authority Files Working Group has merged with the MISC Working Group, with Katja Seltmann and Gil Nelson as Co-Leads. See below: Minimum Information Standards, Authority Files, & Semantics.
Original Members (Now Included Below)	Greg Riccardi (Lead) Dorothy Allard, Univ. Vermont, Montpellier Stan Blum, California Academy of Sciences Andrea Matsunaga , iDigBio IT Paul J. Morris, Harvard Gil Nelson, iDigBio Deb Paul, iDigBio User Services Katja Seltmann, AMNH Dean Pentcheff, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Petra Sierwald, FMNH
Mission & Scope
Overlap with other Working Groups
Links

Intellectual Property Policy

Data Field	Details
Status	Inactive
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Lead) Chris Dietrich John Fraser David Giblin Deborah Paul iDigBio User Services Katja Schultz Katja Seltmann, AMNH Paul Stern
Mission & Scope	Produce a clear Intellectual Property Policy to establish data ownership rights and data re-use requirements related to content presented via iDigBio by collections and institutions.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	None identified
Links	Final Published Document Note: This document is open for community comment