ARDC policy brief for the UN 2023 STI forum v2
Channel: InfiniteWorld
Date: 2023-05-03

Policy brief for the UN's 2023 STI policy forum https://sdgs.un.org/tfm/STIForum2023
Video Script:
I would like to begin by acknowledging and celebrating the First Australians on whose lands I live and work, and pay my respect to their elders, past, present, and emerging

I would also like to thank the organisers for the opportunity to contribute to the STI Forum. 

Effectively addressing the grand societal challenges of the 21st century, as encompassed by the SDGs, requires a step change in the availability of knowledge, data and the enabling capabilities required to turn data into knowledge. 

A framework towards enabling this goal is the concept of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (“FAIR”) data. 

The last decade has seen a wide increase in awareness of the need to make data Findable, with a concurrent increase in the amount of data available globally. 

However, as the breadth and complexity of our data gathering capabilities increases, there is often a non-linear increase in the complexity of tools required to make use of these data.

So, while Findability is being addressed, what is less appreciated is that just making data available is insufficient because many modern data types aren’t actually Accessible or Reusable, without significant domain knowledge and access to complex software and computational infrastructure. 

Likewise, if we aspire to creating a more equitable and inclusive future, we must recognise that the concept of Accessibility must also include enabling access to data, and the tools needed to work with that data, for traditionally disenfranchised groups such as indigenous communities. Exploring this aspect of FAIRness unlocks a host of additional issues that must be addressed because lack of access to technology and education are common mechanisms by which people are marginalised.

Thus, an essential complement to FAIR data is the concept of CARE Data Principles (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility and Ethics), which provide a framework for how we can build capabilities that empower traditionally marginalised groups.

The Brno Declaration on Fostering a Global Ecosystem of Research Infrastructures proposes an international network of research infrastructure to address grand societal challenges such as the SDGs by providing long term capability to support and improve research. However the Declaration does not reference the additional issues addressed by the CARE concept. 

Yet as we have noted, Research Infrastructure is important not just for improving research outcomes, it can also play an essential role in reducing inequalities, supporting social justice and empowering communities to exercise data sovereignty and participate in national discourse.

Thus when building infrastructure, it is essential to include CARE principles because poorly designed Research Infrastructure can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and inequalities by, for example, enabling greater loss of cultural data or by creating national capabilities that may be widely adopted by government but are too complex for use by other stakeholders.

The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) is a national peak body for research data in Australia. The ARDC aims to drive excellence in the creation, analysis and retention of high-quality data assets with a critical focus on doing so through the FAIR and CARE principles.

Three ARDC co-investment initiatives that particularly embody this approach are 
(i) the Language Data Commons of Australia (or LDaCA)
(ii) the Australian Scalable Drone Cloud (ASDC)
And (iii) the Food Security Data Challenges Program 

(i) LDaCA is building a portal for the discovery and access of nationally significant language data to enhance the conservation of the linguistic and Indigenous knowledge pertaining to cultural applications of science and the preservation of cultural heritage.
(ii) the ASDC is creating a national, cloud-native capability for processing and visualising drone data and other 3D and geospatial data types. Advanced mapping and monitoring capabilities linked to robust access control are essential tools for empowering native landholders.
(iii) the Food Security Data Challenges Program will tackle projects around Food Security in a framework that implements FAIR and CARE principles.
These three case studies form part of the ARDC’s on-going work to integrate the FAIR and CARE Data Principles to support efforts in Australia towards reconciliation with First Nations people.

Given the potential benefits from Research Infrastructure initiatives that support Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities alike, we recommend that those working in the STI ecosystem, critically engage with the policy perspectives presented in the Brno Declaration to ensure that Research Infrastructure is built in such a way that it empowers Indigenous and other marginalised communities and recognises and protects the value of their knowledge, insights and lived experiences.