Introduction to the Biodiversity Informatics Training Curriculum
Download as PPTX, PDF1 like488 views
The document outlines plans for developing a comprehensive training curriculum in biodiversity informatics. It notes that biodiversity informatics is a new field that currently lacks organized training resources. It proposes developing an in-person training course series along with online videos, subtitles, and translations to make the content broadly accessible globally. Funding has been obtained to create an initial set of course modules. Future plans include expanding the curriculum topics, translating the content into multiple languages, and potentially developing an international certificate or masters degree program in biodiversity informatics.
Introduction to the Biodiversity Informatics Training Curriculum
- 1. THE BIODIVERSITY INFORMATICS TRAINING CURRICULUM
- 3. Biodiversity Informatics • New field – no existing textbooks or organized training resources • No established, comprehensive programs – graduate training is via individual research programs, no comprehensive overviews • Few training resources – apart from some in- person training courses, few resources ‘out there,’ none comprehensive • Great need – growing field of considerable importance in biology, natural resource management, conservation, etc.
- 5. Data Cleaning Digitization Taxonomic Determination Existing Specimens and Observational Records Sampled Biodiversity Biodiversity Sharing and Integration Adherence to Standards Data Publishing Georeferencing Work to doUsable Information Digital Accessible Knowledge Leaks
- 7. Technology Opportunities • In-person is always BEST … but much can be achieved with melding in-person with on-line • Simple technologies can be very effective: – YouTube has massive usership, easy access, subtitling – DotSub offers effective platform for translation of subtitling • Can provide content broadly, globally, with little or no expense, not much effort
- 8. The Idea • In-person training courses • Digital video of all content • Publish video to YouTube • Transcribe to English subtitles • Translate via crowdsourcing (dotsub.com) to French, Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish • Provide ancillary information (literature, example data, etc.) via weblinks
- 10. JRS Funding • Proposal submitted January 2012, funded June 2012 • In-person courses … envisioned as nine courses covering diverse topics, to be held in 3 cities across Africa (now many more!) • Online content … all topics via YouTube videos, weblinks to other content, translations • Funding is barebones: expenses for courses, equipment for recording, partial funding for course assistant (= Kate Ingenloff, co-director)
- 11. Curriculum Content • INTRO – What is Biodiversity Informatics? ✔ • DESCRIPTIONS – How to Describe New Species ✔ • DATACAP – Capturing Biodiversity Data ✔ • DATACLEAN – Cleaning and Enriching Biodiversity Data ✔ • DATAPUB – “Publishing” or Sharing Biodiversity Data ✔ • NICHEMOD – Ecological Niche Modeling ✔ • ANALYSIS – Other Analyses of Biodiversity Data ✔ • INSTITUTIONS – Building Biodiversity Informatics Institutions ✔ • INVENTORIES – Conducting Biodiversity Inventories ✔ • DIAGNOSTICS - Developing National Biodiversity Diagnostics ✔ • CONSERVATION – Implementing Conservation Efforts ✔ • PUBLIC HEALTH – Public Health Applications ✔
- 15. Additional Modules (Online) • PUBLISHING – How to Publish Scientific Papers ✔ • FUNDING – How to Prepare Funding Proposals ✔ • GIS – Using QGIS in Biodiversity Informatics ✔ • R – Using R in Biodiversity Informatics ★ • BIOSTATS – Statistical Approaches to Biodiversity Questions ★ • EstimateS – Inventory Statistics ★
- 19. FINAL THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH!
- 21. = >251 DAYS of viewing!
- 22. Future Plans I • Subtitling: – Transcription of all audio to create English subtitles – Translation of subtitles into a series of other languages (French, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, etc.) • Updating courses periodically via – Global Online Seminar Series in Biodiversity Informatics to introduce new ideas and new topics – Re-runs of dated courses – New courses to present new ideas and approaches
- 23. Future Plans II • Extension to other fields: molecular systematics, taxonomy, public health, etc. • In-person courses taught directly in French in Africa, and Portuguese and Spanish (in Latin America) • Cooperative network of graduate programs for particularly promising trainees (requires funding!)
- 24. International Certificate in Biodiversity Informatics • Can develop a certificate program to attest to and document basic familiarity with BITC topics • Advantages of no cost, doable completely online • Disadvantage of no real status as a degree • Can be implemented easily and readily
- 25. Masters Degree in Biodiversity Informatics • Can develop a program that would result in a masters-level degree to document higher-level ability in biodiversity informatics • Would require in-person testing at some central place • Would likely require some low level of costs (perhaps could be subsidized externally) • Degree would be granted via a university or universities in different regions
- 26. Certificate or Degree Program? Masters Degree International Certificate
- 27. What Can You Do? • Spread the word about the BITC resources and activities to other biodiversity scientists and students – https://www.facebook.com/groups/BiodiversityInformati cs/ – https://plus.google.com/communities/111802729072058 850441 • Volunteer for subtitling and translation (once those efforts get underway) • Offer suggestions for certificates and degrees: what is the best choice or choices for BITC to have maximum impact?
- 28. BITC Project Directors Town Peterson Kate Ingenloff biodivtraining@gmail.com