StrategicPlanning

Tidbits

put this on the target list: [EvoPipes]

Meetings

Conference call 11/4/2010

Attending: Arlin, Enrico, Nico, Karen, Hilmar

Minutes:

• The PRF Board Meeting is now scheduled for Dec 13-14, 2010.
• The 2010 TDWG Phylogenetics Standards working meeting subgroup on Linking and Publishing Trees created a survey to get feedback on the community's needs.This should inform the PRF Board meeting, and will ultimately result in a manuscript.
• NESCent Working Group
  • A continuation of an earlier working group would not be received favorably, but one that uses products and methods from a previous one would be.
  • A proposed WG would focus on using hackathons as the format for meetings, and finding effective methods for follow-up, such as leveraging other support mechanisms at NESCent, including short-term visitor grants. Also would engage partner organizations to co-sponsor hackathon funding.
  • Arlin would be willing to serve as PI. He would like to have co-PIs and asks others from our group to step forward.
• NSF Workshpp proposal:
  • The proposal should combine the brainstorming and visioning components of the "old" version and the broader scope of the "new" version.
  • Next step is to write an abstract that expresses what we all agree the workshop to be about. Target date for this is Nov 24. Then shop at NSF, and distribute in time to PRF to obtain feedback and possibly endorsement.
  • Actual workshop proposal would be submitted in Dec or Jan.

Telecon October 12, 2010: Possible working group proposal

Enrico, Hilmar, Arlin

• Arlin provided an intro based on discussions with others
  • first evoinfo focused on phylo software developers, standards
  • "another" evoinfo working group would be desirable and timely
  • but the proposal must stand on its own ("continuation" is a dirty word)
  • the next NESCent working group proposal deadline is December 1, 2010
  • a previous attempt (july 2009) was aborted due to lack of interest
• this was followed by 45 minutes of discussion on topics including
  • possible focus on MIAPA
  • need for integration, or "putting the pieces together"
  • disseminating interop technology stack
  • reference implementations (Tolkin, TolWeb, TreeBase, TimeTree)
  • phylo producers are 1000s of independent scientists. but who are the consumers or aggregators?
    • ToLWeb is a consumer
    • TimeTree is a consumer
  • topics from the comp phy course proposal (mashups, aggregation, decorating trees)
  • hackathon mechanism (aka codeblitz, codesprint, coordinated development)
  • a working group focused more on hackathons than regular meetings
    • partnering with EoL or other orgs to support more hackathons
    • explicit attention to ensuring followup, e.g.,
      • small workshops
      • visiting scientist visits to finish up projects
• eventually we came round to agreement on the value of:
  • a working group focused on data aggregation, integration and repurposing
  • a strategic focus on reference implementations
  • an organizational strategy of hackathons + partnering + followup
• to do list
  • Arlin agrees to write up notes and distribute
  • Enrico agrees to contact Mark J about getting involved
  • Arlin will write to suggest another meeting next Tues at 2:00