The purpose of the Second International Data Conference 2023
“The data we need for the ocean we want” is the title of the Second International Ocean Data Conference 2023 organized at UNESCO headquarters in Paris from 20 to 21 March. A name containing a call to action as clear as sun, the same guiding the aim of the conference itself: new information needs to be collected and exchanged in order to improve the ocean’s data repository.
The Second International Ocean Data Conference 2023 wanted to allow the members of the IODE community and all invited guests to present new challenges and opportunities in the area of oceanographic data and information management and exchange.
MAPWORMS heard the call, especially considering the species of worms it took inspiration from to develop the concept of a new bioinspired robot. The event was somehow a chance to give our contribution in the effort to prove the importance of ocean biodiversity.
How MAPWORMS contributes to collect data on ocean biodiversity
The MAPWORMS project made its appearance at the Second International Ocean Data Conference 2023 in the person of Mrs Dimitra Mavraki from the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR). We had a poster named “Scientific community needs: FAIR and credible data repositories. The case of MedOBIS Repository and MAPWORS Project” displaying at the event.
Going into detail, the poster explained which Data Management Plan MAPWORMS uses to identify and describe 4 categories of data:
- biological;
- technical;
- patent;
- dissemination.
It also indicates that MAPWORMS biodistributional/georeferenced data are uploaded to the MedOBIOS repository, which is the Mediterranean node of the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
Ocean biodiversity: the answer’s in the question
When people think about ocean and marine biodiversity, they don’t focus on data and research. They imagine a blue carpet of water and the incredible surprises that nature might hold. What they don’t understand is that maintaining marine biodiversity is nowadays a matter of how much you know about environment and what you can do to preserve the ocean and its inhabitants.
This is why events such the Second International Ocean Data Conference 2023 are so important to be part of, and this is why MAPWORMS could not miss the chance to give its contribution to the cause. As we do say in the poster:
“as we live in the era of producing big and diverse data –which have exceeded the capacity of conventional practices and databases– we need to invest in FAIR Research Infrastractures, such as MedOBIOS”
Taking a step forward and doing our part in a matter of such importance is the road MAPWORMS decided to take.