EPA System of Registries Conference May 20, 2009

System of Registries Conference

May 20, 2009

   

  

Agenda

  

Bringing Meaning to Data: Terminology and Metadata Services Today

   

  

  

Purpose:

  

Access to high quality information is an important part of the mission of the EPA Office of Environmental Information.The Data Standards Branch supports that goal by providing registration services for important metadata (data about data) that describes systems, data, terminology, and technology components that can be used for understanding, building, transporting, and validating environmental information.Subject matter experts in metadata management provide guidance in how to implement best practices and automated services within environmental business processes.

  

The System of Registries (SoR) conference is an opportunity for members of the Data Standards Branch and their contractors to interact with the scientists, regulators, and decision makers that use environmental information as well as the information technology managers, oversight officials, and developers that use the registries and their services in a more direct way.Over the past several years all of the registries and services have undergone major enhancements and new registries are being added.This is a chance for trendsetters to evaluate how you might use the new capabilities in your program and in support of your mission.

  

Please register early to assure your spot at this interesting and no-cost event.

Agenda 

  

Time	Track 1 Fostering Access     (Continental Ballroom)     Michael Pendleton - Coordinator		Track 2 Improving Transparency     (Amphitheater)     John Harman - Coordinator
8:00 – 8:30	Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 8:45	Welcome, Logistics, Introductions     Michael Pendleton, Terminology Services Manager, USEPA
8:45 – 9:15	Bringing Meaning to Data: Terminology and Metadata Services Today     Cindy Dickinson, Chief, Data Standards Branch, USEPA
9:15 – 9:45	Keynote Address     Lisa Schlosser, Director, Office of Information Collection, USEPA
9:45 – 10:00	Break
10:00 – 10:45	Presentation: How Metadata Can Support New Science            Moderator: Jane Greenberg	Jane Greenberg, <place w:st="on"/><placetype w:st="on"/>Universityof <placename w:st="on"/>North Carolina/place /> (UNC)     Steve Young, USEPA/OEI     Todd Kuiken, <place w:st="on"/><placename w:st="on"/>Woodrow<placename w:st="on"/>Wilson<placename w:st="on"/>Center/place />	Panel: The Challenges of Machine to Machine Information Transfer            Moderator: Lico Galindo	Chuck Freeman, USEPA/OEI     Anand Mudambi, USEPA/Office of Water (OW)     Mike Hulme, IJIS Institute
10:45 – 11:00	Break
11:00 – 12:15	Panel: Use of Controlled Vocabularies in the Federal Government            Moderator: Mike Pendleton	Lori Finch, USDA     Lisa Zolly, USGS     Margie Hlava, Access Innovations	Panel: Bringing Structured & Unstructured Data Together: How USEPA is Meeting the Challenge            Moderator: Lico Galindo	Constance Downs, USEPA/OEI     Odelia Funke, USEPA/OEI     Jane Wallace, USEPA/Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics
12:15 – 1:15	Lunch: Everyone on their own
1:15 – 2:30	Panel: Use of Controlled Vocabularies at USEPA            Moderator: Mike Pendleton	Susan Fagan, OEI/OIAA     Scott Stirneman, OEI/OIC     Gail Hodge, Information International Associates (IIa)	Presentation: Improving Data Quality Using Metadata Tools            Moderator: Dawn Banks	Reggie Cheatham, USEPA/OEI     Michelle Torreano, USEPA/OEI
2:30 – 2:45	Break
2:45 – 3:30	Presentation: Social Bookmarking: Sharing Information on the Web Through Terminology            Moderator: Dawn Banks	Kol Peterson, USEPA/Office of Air and Radiation (OAR)     Tina Chen, USEPA/OEI	Presentation: How SRS Supports Programs Through Standardization and Better Understanding of Chemicals            Moderator: John Harman	Kristen Tensuan, USEPA/Office of Water (OW)     Kim Balassiano, USEPA/OEI
3:30 – 4:15	Bringing it all Together – Reflections and New Directions     Jeffrey Wells, Acting Deputy Director, Information Exchange and Services Division, USEPA

  

Track 1:

   

  

1.1 Presentation: How Metadata Can Support New Science

   

As a relatively new science, nanotechnology produces materials and byproducts that may impact the environment and thus require regulation.These substances currently have no universally accepted naming conventions.This presentation will lay out the issues and discuss possible solutions.It will also present the potential role of the SoR registries and services in facilitating the metadata development for nanotechnology regulation and science.

   

1.2 Panel: Use of Controlled Vocabularies in the Federal Government

   

Controlled Vocabularies are used to index and catalog information resources to make them easier to discover, locate and retrieve.This panel will share experiences in developing and using controlled vocabularies within the federal context.Panel members from USGS, USDA, and private industry will reflect on their experiences in developing and using controlled vocabularies to address federal government business needs.

   

1.3 Panel: Use of Controlled Vocabularies at EPA

   

Controlled Vocabularies are used to index and catalog information resources to make them easier to discover, locate and retrieve. The panel will discuss the use of controlled vocabularies to support various EPA business needs, including web search, enterprise content management, and the management of scientific information.

   

1.4 Presentation: Social Bookmarking: Sharing Information on the Web Through Terminology

   

Social bookmarking is an example of a new technology that permits interactive collaboration and may challenge how the Agency traditionally has conducted its business.This presentation will be a discussion of social bookmarking, a demonstration of a software product in use by others, and explore ideas for incorporating social bookmarking into the Agency’s information management.

   

   

Track 2

   

   

2.1 Panel: The Challenges of Machine to Machine Information Transfer

   

This panel will address the effect of multiple exchange standards and suggest potential criteria for determining the appropriate standard.Highlighted standards are the National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) and the Staged Electronic Data Deliverable (SEDD) schema with an example of a method for implementation: CDX.

   

2.2 Panel: Bringing Structured & Unstructured Data Together: How EPA is Meeting the Challenge

   

EPA’s Access initiative and content management are key examples of where the Agency is moving forward to bring structured and unstructured data together.This aggregation is facilitated by standard terminologies and taxonomies to enable retrieval.Examples of current initiatives will be discussed, including web cataloging, ECMS (email content management), and the services within the Reusable Component Services registry that could facilitate the process.

   

2.3 Presentation: Improving Data Quality Using Metadata Tools

   

Metadata can improve data quality through using standards for validation and the use of centralized management of value lists / code sets which are embedded in the business processes.The presenters will discuss the importance of quality data in registries and in all EPA processes and how EPA is utilizing different tools to achieve quality metadata.

   

2.4 Presentation: How SRS Supports Programs Through Standardization and Better Understanding of Chemicals

   

This presentation features speakers from three EPA programs that use the SRS to meet their programmatic needs.The data from the SRS is accessed by EPA systems to support data quality and understanding about chemicals.