Ian Jackson

Geoinformatics: Transforming data to knowledge for geosciences

An integrative view of Earth as a system, based on multidisciplinary data, has become one of the most compelling reasons for research and education in the geosciences. It is now necessary to establish a modern infrastructure that can support the transformation of data to knowledge. Such an information infrastructure for geosciences is contained within the emerging science of geoinformatics, which seeks to promote the utilization and integration of complex, multidisciplinary data in seeking solutions to geoscience-based societal challenges.

Addressing the real needs of all the users of geological information : the opportunities, issues and problems

The role of geology in ensuring environmental protection, sustainable resources and a safer environment is not widely understood. Not many people outside the geological profession can understand a conventional geological map and can comprehend what that map has to say about risks and resources; the fact that geological maps also reveal what is happening at depth—the third dimension—is appreciated by even fewer people. The information technology (IT) revolution has provided sophisticated new hardware and software—database, geographical information system (GIS) and three-dimensional (3-D) modelling packages—so that we no longer have to be restricted to producing one complex and highly scientific document as the result of our survey and research work. In the new IT datasets, however, products and services need special attribution and quality control. Providing full national cover with novel products and services, digitising legacy and map data causes many problems with ensuring consistency and thus the need to agree and work to standards. And, there arise problems of liability, intellectual property rights and charging policy when digital products become more widely available.

Enabling Global Collaboration in the Geosciences: Geoinformatics 2008; Potsdam, Germany, 11–13 June 2008

Scientists are facing an increasing flood of data and information in the Earth sciences from which they try to distill knowledge. The emerging discipline of geoinformatics brings together the tools necessary to create and make accessible the knowledge needed to respond to societys complex challenges, such as climate change, new energy and mineral resources, new sources of water, and protecting environmental and human health. Globalization of geoinformatics-based research and education in support of meeting societal challenges was the theme for the Geoinformatics 2008 conference, which was held at the German Research Centre for Geosciences, in Potsdam, Germany. Participants came from China, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, representing academic institutions, national research centers, and government agencies.

Acting Locally, Thinking Globally: One Geology?

Geological survey organizations around the world are responsible for geological data for their own countries, but until recently those data had never been made accessible worldwide. This raised the question of whether we really do have a holistic understanding of the geology of our planet—one geology. OneGeology (http://www.onegeology.org) is a global venture created to increase the accessibility of geological map data and make them available on the Web. Geological survey organizations from 113 countries are currently participating in OneGeology, and to date more than 40 of those organizations are serving geological data to a dedicated Web map portal (see Figure 1). Since its inception in February 2006, OneGeology has been extremely successful. A growing number of geological survey organizations are contributing data and through the project have developed the know-how to do so; the initiative has raised the profile of and moved forward interoperability in the geosciences; scientists and educators around the world have made innovative use of the newly accessible data; and the initiative has received much positive publicity. The reason for the success of OneGeology since its inception lies in its three unifying goals: (1) to make existing geological map data Web accessible; (2) to transfer know-how to the developing world; and (3) to accelerate the progress of an emerging geoscience data interchange standard. As a result of the publicity and media profile of the initiative, a fourth goal has been added: to use OneGeology to raise the public profile and understanding of geoscience.