Data-intensive Research Policy

In Ireland

A brief overview

By J.-C. Desplat <j-c.desplat@ichec.ie>

2

The Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC)

• Set up in 2005 from a “green field”• First ever National HPC Centre in RoI• Mission includes:

– National HPC Service– Cornerstone of Irish e-Infrastructure– Economic development through industry

engagement• Base Centre funding from SFI/HEA

– Linked to six government depts

3

Data intensive research• Legislative Framework

– Data Protection Commissioner• Policies and guidelines

– from funding agencies, e.g.• Science Foundation Ireland, Higher Education

Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, Health Research Board, Irish Research Council

– from advisory bodies, e.g.• Health Information & Quality Authority

• International best practice– “Open Data” out of scope

4

Ecosystem & topical areas

• National Research Prioritisation Exercise

A – Future networks & comms B – Data analytics, mgt, security, … C – Digital platforms, contents & appsD – Connected health & indep. livingE – Medical diagnosticsF – Diagnostics G – Therapeutics H – Food for healthI – Sustainable food production, …J – Marine renewable energyK – Smart grids & smart citiesL – Manufacturing competitivenessM – Processing tech & novel materialsN – Innovation in services, …

5

CS1 – Humanities Soc. Sciences

• Initiatives to develop national digital repository for the humanities and social sciences

6

CS1 – Humanities Soc. Sciences

• Initiatives to develop national digital repository for the humanities and social sciences

• Project-based funding– 2007-12: Digital Humanities Observatory

(DHO)– 2011-15: Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI)

• Sustainability vs. data curation & preservation?– Staff turn around (loss of expertise)– Running costs for service past end of grant?– Lack of strategy for sustainability past end of

grant

7

CS1 – Humanities Soc. Sciences

• Constraints determine model – Institutions “hold on” source data– Metadata aggregation platform at national

level though project funded initiatives– Persistent service available at European

level• Europeana and DARIAH (ESFRI)• Interoperability (ESE/DRIM)• Streamlining integration of Irish

humanities data into a EU context

• Sustainable National e-Infrastructureand topical centres required

8

CS2: CMIP5 (Climate Sciences)•Impact of national policies on participation in international initiatives •CMIP5: Model Intercomparison Project 5 for the UN IPCC report• ICHEC a partner in the EC-Earth climate model. Handles data mgt• Each model uploads core experiment results to main centres• Other model results kept “locally”

– model centre (e.g. ICHEC) runs an “Earth System Grid” (ESG) data node

– portals retrieve this data via ESG data node

ICHEC

B. Lawrence, 2009

9

CS2: CMIP5 (Climate Sciences)

• Climate data mgt at Irish ESG node– Processed 1-10M files (>3PB) from 14 EU partners– Workflow for optimised publishing and analysis

• From guidelines and best practice– NetCDF/OpenDAP, CMOR, CF

conventions for climate data, etc.– INSPIRE directive (2007/2/EC)

• Main challenge– Sustainability of underpinning e-Infrastructure

• Self-funded… no medium/long term commitment

10

CS3 – Clinical Research

• Irish Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ICRIN) – Founded by Molecular Medicine

Ireland• to engage with the constituent

teaching hospitals to develop a national clinical research infrastructure,

• to harmonise clinical research processes, to connect with European networks,

• to develop education and training programmes and to support investigators in conducting multi-centre clinical studies.

11

CS3 – Clinical Research

• Leverages on investments by the HRB and the Wellcome Trust in clinical research facilities

• Promotes and facilitates engagement of the clinical research community in Ireland – to a common strategy, – adopting harmonised processes and practices, – and fostering education and training in all

aspects of clinical research, particularly multi-centre studies.

• ICRIN, as the Irish member of the European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network.

12

Closing thoughts

• Personal views:1. International framework (e.g., INSPIRE) preferable2. Policies need to support sustainability of

underpinning e-Infrastructure3. Importance of Platform Science & Technology still

not understood4. Policies need to incentivise/require sharing of

data5. Changing “Business as usual” mentality6. Urgent need to develop creation of a new breed

of “Data Scientists” and include generic skills in STEM curriculum