I was interviewed today (5th April 2017) by Max Hammond, a consultant presently working on behalf of Jisc to make sense of the landscape around what Jisc calls “Next Generation Research Environments” (NGRE). Coincidentally, yesterday I had been involved in an exchange of emails in the context of the Horizon 2020 funded ENVRIplus and VRE4EIC projects about a proposed architecture for “Virtual Research Environments” (VRE). There I tried to make clear the distinction between VREs, Virtual Laboratories (VL) and Science Gateways (SG) as I presently understand them. Continue reading “NGRE, VRE, VL, SG – What’s in an acronym?”
Reference models: What are they and why do we need them?
Introduction
I’m often asked about Reference Models. What are they? Why do we need one? What benefit does it give? How do I use it? Commonly these questions are coming up when we talk about e-Science and building e-infrastructures to support research; for example around research infrastructures for the environmental sciences (ENVRI) where we have the ENVRI Reference Model (ENVRI RM). The questions come up all the time. Continue reading “Reference models: What are they and why do we need them?”
Global Research Infrastructures for Biodiversity and Ecosystems Research
Recently I had the opportunity to give a presentation about global research infrastructures for biodiversity and ecosystem science to staff of the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystems Dynamics (IBED) at the University of Amsterdam. I’ve been working with some of the people there for most of the last 9 years. It’s been one of the most satisfying periods of my career. Continue reading “Global Research Infrastructures for Biodiversity and Ecosystems Research”
High pressure data potentially kills people!
“It is as important to ensure that public harm is avoided through the misuse or misinterpretation of data, as it was to ensure that railway passengers were not killed by exploding boilers in the early days of steam.”
I love this quote (bottom of page 493) from Professor Malcolm Atkinson‘s chapter on Data-Rich Futures in the book he co-edited on The Data Bonanza. It doesn’t deserve to remain buried away in a textbook and illustrates perfectly the immaturity of the current wave of “Big Data” R&D activity. Continue reading “High pressure data potentially kills people!”
Self-rescue in wild Scotland (or “Crying is not silly”)
I spent last week in Torridon, a wild and remote mountainous area on the west coast of Scotland where high, difficult mountains are separated from one another by lonely, windswept glens. With unusually fair weather for the time of year, everything went well. Long days in the hills passed by with members of the party completing Munros of Slioch, Liathach, and Ben Eighe, as well as a host of lesser peaks. Evenings in the pub, drinking a beer or two together were convivial. Continue reading “Self-rescue in wild Scotland (or “Crying is not silly”)”
My success or otherwise in the GMC 2014 photo competition
Each year, for as long as I can remember Gwent Mountaineering Club has run an annual photographic competition for its members. There are 3 categories of entry: mountain landscapes, mountaineering action and mountain flora and fauna. Club members can submit up to 3 entries in each category. This year I submitted the photos below and received the judge’s comments on each one. I was lucky enough to win 1st prize — an Up and Under voucher — in the flora and fauna category. Continue reading “My success or otherwise in the GMC 2014 photo competition”
5 things about software for research
Software is a critical element of many research endeavours, and not just scientific ones – And needs to be recognised as such. Continue reading “5 things about software for research”
Alex Hardisty 