Announced during Plenary 21, the Targeted International Working GRoups – US Program, TIGRUS, is officially launched and underway at RDA-US.
Led by RDA-US Executive Director Beth Plale and TIGRUS Program Manager Rob Quick, the TIGRUS Facilitation Program leverages RDA’s Working Group structure to address data challenges happening within the US. Through the creation and support of RDA groups interested in developing solutions to data challenges specific to the US, the Program will facilitate collaboration efforts among its members and with the international RDA community. TIGRUS is also poised to facilitate the efforts of US-funded research projects that come together on consensus solutions (“standards”) that promote interoperability and/or best practices.
RDA-US and TIGRUS is supported by Indiana University’s (IU) Pervasive Technology Institute (PTI). PTI, is IU’s flagship organization for research and development in cyberinfrastructure, informatics, and computer science in support of science and engineering research, scholarship, and cybersecurity.
According to Plale, who is also Executive Director of IU’s PTI and the Data to Insight Center, “PTI’s investment in the RDA-US and the TIGRUS Program is a testament to the shared commitment of RDA-US and IU to advance open science in the US and beyond.”
The TIGRUS Program will take place in phases, with the first phase spanning over the next two years. Objectives for this phase include the formation of a limited number of Working Group projects. As the program develops, additional support is anticipated, enabling it to scale and accommodate more groups tackling data challenges directly impacting our country. RDA-US and the TIGRUS Program also plan to support and collaborate with various federal agencies organizations to promote open science and innovation, while also developing the RDA-US community and the experiences of early career researchers.
PTI’s investment in the RDA-US and the TIGRUS Program is a testament to the shared commitment of RDA-US and IU to advance open science in the US and beyond.
Beth Plale, RDA-US Executive Director
A Steering Committee, who will have their second meeting on February 27, will guide the selection of new Working Group topics, help advance those groups through the approval process within RDA and manage the group projects. Steering committee members, representing various disciplines and areas of expertise, include:
- Stuart Chalk, University of North Florida
- Zach Chandler, Stanford University
- Sayeed Choudhury, Carnegie Mellon University
- Steven Diggs, University of California
- Erin Ellis, Indiana University
- Meredith Goins, World Data System
- Yolanda Meleco, Indiana University
- Natalie Meyers, University of Notre Dame
- Amy Nurnberger, MIT Libraries
- Robert Ping, Pervasive Technology Institute at Indiana University
- Beth Plale, Pervasive Technology Institute at Indiana University
- Rob Quick, Pervasive Technology Institute at Indiana University
- Shelley Stall, American Geophysical Union
- Cynthia Vitale, Association of Research Libraries
- Michael Witt, Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies
According to Rob Quick regarding TIGRUS, “Universities and funders in the US are positioning themselves to be responsive to data centric and global research. Community organizations like RDA offer consensus guidance that can influence research, infrastructure, and student training. The TIGRUS Program is an excellent opportunity for RDA and all organizations to synergize efforts for the common good.”
If you are interested in engaging further with RDA-US and the TIGRUS program, email Rob Quick at [email protected].