CODATA 23

As President of CODATA I am delighted to welcome you to the official website of the 23rd International CODATA Conference “Open Data and Information for a Changing Planet”.

Never before have scientific data and information played such a major role in addressing the problems and challenges facing our planet. The calls for freely available, publicly accessible data are gaining a stronger voice. The June 2011 editorial in Nature highlighted the value of open access to global nuclear-monitoring data, and the benefits of such data for a variety of applications, “in times of both calm and crisis.”

The theme “Open Data and Information for a Changing Planet” encompasses some relevant issues in data-intensive scientific fields. Nurturing an open environment for data and information is crucial for disseminating research results to a wide audience and allowing thorough, collaborative analysis. Also, the theme distinguishes between data and information and by so doing highlights the role data-intensive science plays in transforming raw observations into applicable, intelligible results and discoveries. Furthermore, the theme emphasizes that our scientific endeavors, and the data that sustain them, are key to providing reasoned solutions to the problems we face with climate change, population pressure, natural hazards, and other global issues. The theme supports not only the mission of CODATA, but that of ICSU, as it strives to strengthen international science for the benefit of society.

CODATA 23 will bring together stakeholders from industry, research and academia who will highlight, debate and address these issues over a three day period. It will provide an international forum where these stakeholders, in collaboration with the ICSU and CODATA international networks and other networks can create a dialogue on legal, economic, and technological challenges; evaluate societal impacts; and put forward possible solutions that can in turn benefit the planet. Nurturing an open environment for data and information plays a pivotal role in this process. This will be the underpinning message of the conference.

We recognize the importance of involving and working with early career scientists in discussing these issues. They are the scientists that will have to address these challenges tomorrow. CODATA 23 will thus build on strengthening interaction between young scientists and senior scientists on data. Special young scientist activities and social events will take place within the framework of the scientific program.

The biennial CODATA Prize will also be awarded at the event to a recipient for his or her outstanding contribution in the field of data and information science.

Over the next few months, additional information will be available on all events and sessions that will take place in Taipei. We invite you to browse this site and we look forward to meeting you at CODATA 23.

Huadong Guo President CODATA