U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Open-File Report 2018–1081

U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 

2017 Workshop Proceedings

U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data 

Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

By Leslie Hsu, Vivian B. Hutchison, Madison L. Langseth, and Benjamin Wheeler

Open-File Report 2018–1081

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

RYAN K. ZINKE, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

James F. Reilly II, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2018

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Suggested citation:

Hsu, L., Hutchison, V.B., Langseth, M.L., and Wheeler, B., 2018, U.S. Geological Survey Community for 

Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2018–1081, 56 p., 

https://doi.org/ofr20181081.

ISSN 2331-1258 (online)
iii

Contents

Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Agenda.............................................................................................................................................................3

Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science .........................................................................6

Data and Data Integration...................................................................................................................7

Where Are We Now? ..................................................................................................................7

Where Do We Want to Be?........................................................................................................7

Recommendations.......................................................................................................................7

Modeling.................................................................................................................................................8

Where Are We Now? ..................................................................................................................8

Where Do We Want to Be?........................................................................................................8

Recommendations.......................................................................................................................8

Computing Capacity .............................................................................................................................9

Where Are We Now? ..................................................................................................................9

Where Do We Want to Be?........................................................................................................9

Recommendations.....................................................................................................................10

Enterprise Needs ..............................................................................................................10

Training, Outreach, and Education.................................................................................10

Computing Resources......................................................................................................10

Science Data Infrastructure .............................................................................................................11

Where Are We Now? ................................................................................................................11

Where Do We Want to Be?......................................................................................................11

Recommendations.....................................................................................................................11

User Needs and Experience .............................................................................................................12

Where Are We Now? ................................................................................................................12

Where Do We Want to Be?......................................................................................................12

Recommendations.....................................................................................................................12

Recommended Pilot Projects ...........................................................................................................12

Summary of Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science........................................13

Presentations and Panels...........................................................................................................................14

Welcome and Opening Remarks......................................................................................................14

Why Enable Integrated Science? ....................................................................................................14

Beyond the Fourth Paradigm—Integrative Science Is Also about People ..............................14

The Joy of Data Lightning Panel ......................................................................................................14

Data Sharing—Agreements and Processes..................................................................................14

Data Science Community of Practice .............................................................................................15

Improving the Interface and User Experience for the Data Management Training 

Clearinghouse........................................................................................................................15

Advanced Scientific Computing Solutions .....................................................................................15

Strategies for Building an Integrated Science Capacity .............................................................15

Panel on the Community for Data Integration’s Role in Enabling Integrated Science............16

API Plugfest Report Out.....................................................................................................................17

Elevation and Hydrography Data Integration.................................................................................17

Keynote Talk.........................................................................................................................................17
iv

Panel on Community for Data Integration in Action .....................................................................18

A Road Map for Enabling Integrated Science—The U.S. Geological Survey Has 

Experience with This!...........................................................................................................18

Topical Sessions ..........................................................................................................................................19

Information Technology Architecture to Support Integrated Science .....................................19

National Map Corps Mapathon........................................................................................................20

Legacy Data—Challenges and Solutions.......................................................................................20

Data Citation—What’s All the Fuss?................................................................................................20

Data-Management Plans and Strategies for Science Centers ..................................................21

Software Showcase...........................................................................................................................21

Enterprise Tools for Documentation of Protocols, Methods, and Study Designs....................22

Getting Your Hands Dirty with 3D Elevation Program Data..........................................................23

U.S. Geological Survey “Science on a Screen” for Parks, Schools, and Museums...............24

Delivery of Real-Time Information....................................................................................................24

Trusted Digital Repositories—What Are They and How Do You Become One?......................26

Fine-Tuning Guidelines for Revising Public U.S. Geological Survey Data.................................26

National Geospatial Data Development..........................................................................................27

Learn More about Cloud Hosting Solutions (CHS) ........................................................................27

Working Group Meetings ...........................................................................................................................28

Data Management Working Group..................................................................................................28

Earth Science Themes Working Group...........................................................................................30

Semantic Web Working Group.........................................................................................................30

Tech Stack Working Group ...............................................................................................................31

Selected Birds of a Feather Discussion...................................................................................................32

Data Science Community of Practice .............................................................................................32

Open Lab........................................................................................................................................................32

Metadata Reviewers Community of Practice ................................................................................32

Trainings ........................................................................................................................................................33

R Workshop for Beginners ................................................................................................................33

Introduction to Advanced Scientific Computing ...........................................................................33

DataBlast.......................................................................................................................................................34

U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Geology Data Catalog—A Demonstration of the 

Prototype for the U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration ................34

Being Charlotte—Weaving Together Information Assets at the Great Lakes 

Science Center......................................................................................................................35

Automating the Use of Citizen Scientists’ Biodiversity Surveys in iNaturalist to Facilitate 

Early Detection of Species’ Responses to Climate Change...........................................35

Alaska Data Integration Working Group Metadata Toolkit—International Organization for 

Standards Metadata Editor .................................................................................................36

Team Metadata Creation for Longitudinal Data—Case Study with the Great Lake Science 

Center Research Vessel Catch Database .........................................................................36

Flocks of a Feather Dock Together—Using Docker and HTCondor to Link High-Throughput 

Computing Across the U.S. Geological Survey ................................................................36

U.S. Geological Survey Data at Risk—Expanding Legacy Data Inventory and Preservation 

Strategies................................................................................................................................37

Trusted Digital Repositories—What Are They and How Do You Become One?......................37

Data-First Architecture......................................................................................................................37
v

Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center and Central Mineral and 

Environmental Resources Science Center Field Collection with ArcGIS Online 

Tools—Collector and Survey123.........................................................................................37

Software Release Guidelines ...........................................................................................................38

Presenting Complex Analytical Datasets to the Public with Accessible Cloud-Based 

Visualizations .........................................................................................................................38

Improving the Data Management Training Clearinghouse..........................................................38

ScienceBase as a Platform for Data Release................................................................................39

An Information Ecosystem to Meet the Data-Management Requirements of the Long-Term 

Agrocecosystem Research Network.................................................................................39

U.S. Geological Survey StreamStats—Hydrologic and Geospatial Data Integrated to 

Support Water Science and Management.......................................................................39

The Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard, a Common Language That 

Facilitates Integrating Data About Marine Ecosystems.................................................40

Fundamental Science Practice Advisory Committee Scientific Data Guidance 

Subcommittee........................................................................................................................40

The Benefits of Microservice Architectures .................................................................................40

A Technique for Converting Time-Series Network Common Data Form (NetCDF) Files to a 

Different Convention and Two Options for Discovery and Display...............................41

Web Map Application for a Historical Geologic Field Photo Collection....................................41

An Enterprise-Level Problem—Big Data, Small Science Staff...................................................41

Visualizing Community Exposure and Evacuation Potential to Tsunami Hazards Using an 

Interactive Tableau Dashboard...........................................................................................42

Developing Application Programming Interfaces to Support Enterprise-Level 

Monitoring Using Existing Tools..........................................................................................42

An Interactive Web-Based Application for Earthquake-Triggered Ground-Failure 

Inventories..............................................................................................................................42

Secondary Validation of Geospatial Metadata..............................................................................43

How Can Cloud Hosting Solutions Help You?.................................................................................43

A Framework for Managing, Sharing, and Visualizing Land-Use Scenario Data ....................43

Dynamic Workflows to Advance Data Interoperability................................................................43

U.S. Geological Survey Near Real-Time Significant Earthquake and Earthquake Scenario 

Geographic Information System Feeds .............................................................................44

Second Generation Metadata Wizard ............................................................................................44

Bridging the Gap Between Water and Elevation—A U.S. Geological Survey Pilot Project ..44

A Semantic Architecture for Multidisciplinary Modeling............................................................45

Extending ScienceCache to Accommodate Broader Use within the U.S. Geological 

Survey—Project Overview..................................................................................................45

Evaluation and Testing of Standardized Forest Vegetation Metrics Derived from Light 

Detection and Ranging (Lidar) Data—Informing Geospatial Data Products for 3D 

Elevation Program, LANDFIRE, and the National Park Service Vegetation Inventory 

Programs.................................................................................................................................45

Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library—Facilitating Lifecycle Management of U.S. 

Geological Survey Data and Information Assets.............................................................46

Summary of Workshop Outcomes ............................................................................................................46

Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................................47

References....................................................................................................................................................47

Appendix 1. Interactive Session Questions and Comments .............................................................48
vi

Themes from the Submissions .........................................................................................................48

List of Pilot Projects from sli.do ........................................................................................................48

Recommendation Polls from Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science ..........48

Appendix 2. Attendees.............................................................................................................................51

Appendix 3. Community for Data Integration Science Support Framework ..................................56

Figures

 1. Visualization of the five themes, as road signs, discussed in the breakout sessions of 

the Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science .................................................6

 2. The U.S. Geological Survey Integrated Decision Support System (pyramid) diagram 

presented and discussed by Kevin Gallagher during his plenary session .......................25

 3. The Community for Data Integration Science Support Framework ...................................56

Tables

 1. Ideas for pilot projects that came out of the plenary session on the last day of the 

conference ...................................................................................................................................49

 2. Recommendations under the Data and Data Integration category ...................................49

 3. Recommendations under the Modeling category .................................................................50

 4. Recommendations under the Computing Capacity—Training, Outreach, 

and Education category .............................................................................................................50

 5. Recommendations under the Science Data Infrastructure category ...............................50

 6. List of conference attendees ....................................................................................................51

Conversion Factors

International System of Units to U.S. customary units

Multiply By To obtain

Length

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi)

kilometer (km) 0.5400 mile, nautical (nmi) 

Abbreviations

3DEP 3D Elevation Program

ACC Advanced Computing Cooperative

API application programming interface

app application

BAO Bureau Approving Official

C Computing Capacity
vii

CDI Community for Data Integration

CF climate and forecast

CHS Cloud Hosting Solutions

CMECS Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard

CMGP Coastal Marine Geology Program

COSSA Council of Senior Science Advisors

CSDMS Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System

CSW Catalog Services for the Web

D Data and Data Integration

DevOps software development and information technology operations

DMP data-management plan

DMZ demilitarized zone (computing)

DMWG Data Management Working Group

DOI Digital Object Identifier

DYFI Did You Feel It?

EarthMAP Earth Monitoring, Analyses, and Projections

EPIC Equatorial Pacific Information Collection

ERDDAP Environmental Research Division’s Data Access Program

EROS Earth Resources Observation and Science

ESIP Earth Science Information Partners

FGDC Federal Geographic Data Committee

FORCE11 Future of Research Communications and e-Scholarship

FSPAC Fundamental Science Practices Advisory Committee

GEO Group on Earth Observations

GIS geographic information system

GLSC Great Lakes Science Center

GRACEnet Greenhouse gas Reduction through Agricultural Carbon Enhancement Network

HTC high-throughput computing

HPC high-performance computing

ICEMM Interagency Collaborative for Environmental Modeling and Monitoring

IPDS Information Products Delivery System

ISO International Organization for Standards

LUCAS Land-Use and Carbon Scenario Simulator

M Modeling

MOOC massive open online course
viii

MPI Message Passing Interface

NABat North American Bat Monitoring Program

NetCDF Network Common Data Form

NGP National Geospatial Program

NHD National Hydrography Dataset

NHDPlus National Hydrography Dataset Plus

NOAA National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration

NPS National Park Service

OEI Office of Enterprise Information

OPeNDAP Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol

ORCID Open Researcher and Contributor ID

P Recommended Pilot Projects

REST representational state transfer

RGE Research Grade Evaluation

RVCAT Research Vessel Catch

S Science Data Infrastructure

SCSDWG Science Center Strategy Development Working Group

SDC Science Data Catalog

STEWARDS Sustaining the Earth’s Watersheds, Agricultural Research Data System

THREDDS Thematic Real-Time Environmental Distributed Data Services

U User Needs and Experience

UMESC Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

W3C PROV World Wide Web Consortium provenance standards

WMS web mapping services

WRET Web Re-Engineering Team

XML Extensible Markup Language
U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 

2017 Workshop Proceedings

By Leslie Hsu, Vivian B. Hutchison, Madison L. Langseth, Benjamin Wheeler

Executive Summary

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Community for Data Integration (CDI) Workshop was held May 16–19, 2017 at the 

Denver Federal Center. There were 183 in-person attendees and 35 virtual attendees over four days. The theme of the workshop 

was “Enabling Integrated Science,” with the purpose of bringing together the community to discuss current topics, shared challenges, 

and steps forward to advance integrated science at the USGS.

The CDI welcomed several keynote speakers, including Bill Werkheiser, USGS Acting Director; Kevin T. Gallagher, 

USGS Associate Director of the Core Science Systems Mission Area; Bruce Caron, Earth Science Information Partners 

Community Architect; and Tim Quinn, Chief of the USGS Office of Enterprise Information. Their presentations focused on 

the importance of collaborative, cross-disciplinary, and open science and the role of the CDI in identifying and supporting new 

opportunities in these areas for the USGS and its partners.

In addition to the stated theme, the workshop agenda was driven by the needs of the CDI, with topics highlighting current resources and technologies that could help attendees in their daily work. Topical sessions were proposed by CDI members 

and included subjects such as data citation, information technology architecture, legacy data, real-time data, and many more. 

Plenary speakers from the community talked about USGS activities in data science, elevation and hydrography data integration, 

advanced scientific computing solutions, cloud computing, data-management training, and data-sharing agreements. Two panels 

addressed the role of the CDI in enabling integrated science and examples of CDI-supported projects in action.

Breakout discussions focused on the workshop theme of “Enabling Integrated Science” and covered five topics: Data and 

Data Integration, Modeling, Computing Capacity, Science Data Integration, and User Needs and Experience. Sessions on each 

topic identified actions that could bring the USGS and the broader Earth science community closer to the goal of making

integrated science commonplace. The breakouts produced recommendations with the broad themes of improving communication 

and connections across the USGS, reducing duplication and increasing knowledge transfer, increasing training and testbed 

opportunities to learn and experiment, and creating community-supported standards to enable better integration and interoperability.

The DataBlast poster and live demonstration session showcased 36 projects from around the CDI and included recent 

CDI-funded projects as well as other USGS and partner initiatives that were related to data and software integration and discovery.

Importantly, the CDI workshop provided a forum for scientists, technologists, data and resource managers, program managers,

and others to convene face to face to discuss common methods, interests, challenges, and solutions related to scientific data and 

technologies. As a result of this rare convergence, new connections were made across disciplines, backgrounds, and geographical 

locations, seeding future activities and collaborations. Sharing of ideas from all attendees was encouraged through the use of a 

mobile application to collect real-time questions and feedback from the audience.

The primary outcomes of the workshop are the recommendations from the breakout sessions titled “Roadmap Discussions 

on Enabling Integrated Science” and from the topical sessions detailed in these proceedings. These sessions, as well as the 

plenary discussions, identified new areas of collaboration and learning that the CDI will facilitate, such as data science, software 

development, scientific modeling practices, and user needs and experience. The CDI will build on the results of the workshop to 

guide its future topics, events, and funding opportunities to support an integrated science capacity for the USGS.

Introduction

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Community for Data Integration (CDI) is a dynamic community of practice with the 

goal of advancing data and information integration and accelerating Earth science research. As a community of practice, the 

CDI’s purpose is to build a community of people to learn together and increase knowledge and skills that they care about. This
2 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

knowledge and skills building results in community members doing their jobs better and sharing their successes across the 

USGS. Through partnerships, working groups, funded projects, meetings, and trainings, the CDI enables the development of 

collaborative tools and best practices in support of data integration and management, cyberinfrastructure, and data visualization.

Guiding principles for CDI projects and activities are to

• focus on targeted efforts that yield near-term benefits to science, while laying groundwork for future efforts;

• leverage existing capabilities and data;

• implement and demonstrate innovative solutions that could be used or replicated by others at scales from project 

to enterprise;

• preserve, expose, and improve access to Earth science data, models, and other outputs; and

• develop, organize, and share knowledge and best practices in data integration.

The goals of CDI in-person workshops, which are held approximately every two years, are to identify new, high-value 

opportunities for advancing data integration in the Earth sciences, share successes in data integration, applications, and tools, 

and provide training based on community needs. In 2017, the CDI Workshop was held May 16–19 at the Denver Federal Center. 

There were 183 in-person attendees and 35 virtual attendees over the four days of the workshop (appendix 2). The theme of the 

2017 workshop was “Enabling Integrated Science.”

The workshop year marked the end of the USGS science strategy for 2007–2017 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2007). Although 

a new strategic plan has not been released, the recent report of the USGS Council of Senior Science Advisors (COSSA), entitled 

“Grand Challenges for Integrated U.S. Geological Survey Science—A Workshop Report” (Jenni and others, 2017), provides a 

preview. Both the old strategic plan and new COSSA report stress the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to address the 

complex scientific issues facing the nation. It is in this context that the CDI was asked to focus its 2017 workshop on “Enabling 

Integrated Science”—meaning, more specifically, to lay the groundwork for an integrated decision-support system that can be 

applied to the variety of complex problems within the purview of the USGS.

To address this theme, the CDI coordinators included in the workshop agenda a recurring breakout session entitled “Roadmap 

Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science”— the goal being to encourage as much participation as possible among the workshop 

attendees (a shifting cast of characters from one day to the next, providing a wide range of perspectives). In addition, the plenary 

presentations by Tim Quinn, Marty Goldhaber, Bruce Caron, Kevin Gallagher, Bill Werkheiser, and Viv Hutchison all touched on 

the theme of integrated science as it relates to the USGS science strategy.

These proceedings provide documentation of the plenary talks, panels, breakout discussions, posters, and live demonstrations 

from the 2017 CDI workshop. The DataBlast posters are linked to elements of the CDI Science Support Framework, which is described 

in appendix 3. This document is a record of the topics and activities that are important to the CDI at this time, and our intention is that it 

will help guide the future activities of the CDI, as well as continue to seed fruitful connections in our diverse community.

Attendees at the 2017 Community for Data Integration Workshop listen to then Acting Director Bill Werkheiser’s keynote talk. 

Photograph by Viv Hutchison.
Agenda 3

Agenda

[All session leaders are with the U.S. Geological Survey except where specified. API, application programming interface; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; 

FGDC, Federal Geographic Data Commission; CDI, Community for Data Integration; —, no data]—Continued

Time Session title Session leader(s)

Monday, May 15, 2017

1:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Geospatial API Plugfest (USGS, FGDC, and CDI) Rich Frazier and Lorna Schmid

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Geospatial API Plugfest (USGS, FGDC, and CDI) Rich Frazier and Lorna Schmid

8:00 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Registration —

8:30 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks

Why Enable Integrated Science?

Beyond the Fourth Paradigm—Integrative Science Is 

also about People

Max Ethridge and Tim Quinn

Marty Goldhaber

Bruce Caron 

(Earth Science Information Partners)

10:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Break —

10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Presentations and Panels

• The Joy of Data Lightning Panel

• Data Sharing—Agreements and Processes

• Data Science Community of Practice

• Improving the Interface and User Experience for the Data

Management Training Clearinghouse

• Advanced Scientific Computing Solutions

—

Fran Lightsom

JC Nelson

Lindsay Carr

Sophie Hou 

(National Center for Atmospheric Research)

Jeff Falgout

12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m. Lunch —

1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m. Strategies for Building an Integrated Science Capacity

Panel on the Community for Data Integration’s 

Role in Enabling Integrated Science

Kevin T. Gallagher

Viv Hutchison, Rich Signell, Fran Lightsom, 

JC Nelson, and Roland Viger

3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Break —

3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Concurrent breakout sessions

• Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science

• Data and Data Integration

• Modeling

• Computing Capacity

• Science Data Infrastructure

• User Needs and Experience

• Information Technology Architecture to Support

Integrated Science

• National Map Corps Mapathon

• Legacy Data—Challenges and Solutions

• Data Citation—What’s All the Fuss?

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Cassandra Ladino, Tim Quinn, 

and Paul Exter

Elizabeth McCartney

A. Lance Everette

Lisa Zolly

5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Birds of a Feather Discussions

• Metadata Reviewers Community of Practice

—

Fran Lightsom
4 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

[All session leaders are with the U.S. Geological Survey except where specified. API, application programming interface; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; 

FGDC, Federal Geographic Data Commission; CDI, Community for Data Integration; —, no data]—Continued

Time Session title Session leader(s)

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Geospatial API Plugfest (USGS, FGDC, and CDI) Rich Frazier and Lorna Schmid

8:30 a.m.–10:00 a.m. Presentations and Panels

• API Plugfest Report Out

• Elevation and Hydrography 

Data Integration

—

Ivan DeLoatch

Steve Aichele, Jason Stoker, and Al Rea

10:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Break —

10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Concurrent breakout sessions

• Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science

• Data and Data Integration

• Modeling

• Computing Capacity

• Science Data Infrastructure

• Data-Management Plans and Strategies for 

Science Centers

• Software Showcase 

• Enterprise Tools for Documentation of Protocols, 

Methods, and Study Designs 

• Getting Your Hands Dirty with 3D Elevation 

Program Data 

• USGS “Science on a Screen” for Parks, Schools, and 

Museums 

—

—

—

—

—

—

Cassandra Ladino

Michelle Guy and Lynda Lastowka

Rebecca Scully

Jason Stoker

Rex Sanders

12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m. Lunch —

1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m. Concurrent breakout sessions

• Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science

• Data and Data Integration

• Modeling

• Computing Capacity

• Science Data Infrastructure

• Delivery of Real-Time Information 

• Trusted Digital Repositories 

• Fine-Tuning Guidelines for Revising Public 

USGS Data 

• National Geospatial Data Development

• Learn more about Cloud Hosting Solutions (CHS)

—

—

—

—

—

—

Jake Weltzin

John Faundeen

Fran Lightsom

John Brakebill

Harold House

3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Break —
Agenda 5

[All session leaders are with the U.S. Geological Survey except where specified. API, application programming interface; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; 

FGDC, Federal Geographic Data Commission; CDI, Community for Data Integration; —, no data]—Continued

Time Session title Session leader(s)

3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Concurrent breakout sessions

• Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science

• Data and Data Integration

• Modeling

• Computing Capacity

• Science Data Infrastructure

Concurrent working group meetings

• Data Management 

• Earth Science Themes 

• Semantic Web

• Tech Stack

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Birds of a Feather Discussions

• Data Science Community of Practice

• Coasts and Oceans and Great Lakes—Where can we 

cooperate on data management?

—

Lindsay Carr

Rex Sanders

Thursday, May 18, 2017

7:30 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Breakfast with Bill (CDI) Bill Werkheiser

8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Geospatial API Plugfest (USGS, FGDC, and CDI) Rich Frazier and Lorna Schmid

8:30 a.m.–10:00 a.m. DataBlast posters and demonstrations Moderators: Leslie Hsu and Madison Langseth

10:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Break —

10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Keynote Talk

Panel on Community for Data Integration in Action

Bill Werkheiser

Michelle Guy, Emily Fort, Tim Kern, Sky Bristol

12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m. Lunch —

1:30 p.m.–3:00 p.m. A Road Map for Enabling Integrated 

Science—The U.S. Geological Survey Has Experience with This!

Roadmap Report Outs 

Viv Hutchison

Working group and breakout session leads

3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Break —

3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Interactive Session to Set Priorities

Closing Discussion on Next StepsAward Ceremony

Leslie Hsu

Kevin T. Gallagher, Tim Quinn, Bill 

Werkheiser, and CDI coordinators

Friday, May 19, 2017

8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. R Workshop for Beginners Training Lindsay Carr

8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Introduction to Advanced Scientific Computing Training Janice Gordon

8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Open Lab—Metadata Reviewers Community of Practice Fran Lightsom
6 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science

“This community has the expertise to build high-profile, modular components of an integrated decision support system. 

I’d like to ask your help in creating a roadmap to achieve the integrated science of the USGS vision.” —Kevin T. 

Gallagher, USGS, from his plenary presentation to the 2017 CDI workshop

A main goal of the workshop was to begin building a roadmap with actionable steps that the USGS could use to improve our 

ability to do integrated science. We define “integrated science” to include research efforts that draw on the knowledge, methods, 

and data of multiple fields in order to address important societal problems. Currently in the USGS, individual projects and 

activities have been employing integrated science, however, Bureau-wide capabilities and gaps in the integrated science process 

have not been considered in tandem. Therefore, workshop breakouts and plenaries, with participants from across the USGS, 

were devoted to this topic. Activities included discussion and brainstorming, followed by group voting on steps that the USGS 

could take to enable integrated science.

Integrated science is a core concept that drives USGS science, even as the vision and priorities of the USGS evolve. To augment 

the metaphor of building a roadmap, we find it useful to use the image of multiple teams charting a course to the destination of integrated 

science, using the available information to navigate a path. This image gives different teams options to break new trails or to 

develop recommendations for other teams depending on each team’s composition and expertise. As a result, there are many paths to 

integrated science, and each team can chart a course using the best available knowledge while addressing changing conditions.

At the workshop, breakout sessions were held for each of the following four themes: Data and Data Integration, Modeling, 

Computing Capacity, and Science Data Infrastructure (fig. 1). In addition, a group on User Needs and Experience was formed 

as a result of workshop discussion and interest. Each group considered the following questions: where are we now, where do we 

want to be, how do we get there, and what steps can we take to get to our destination. The groups generated a list of recommended 

steps, which were voted on by the plenary group on the last day of the workshop. Approximately 100 people with very diverse 

skillsets attended the four roadmap breakout sessions, and about 70 people participated in the interactive plenary discussion to 

set priorities (appendix 1).

With regard to the five integrated science themes listed above, this brief report summarizes where we are now, where we 

want to be, actions recommended, and pilot projects suggested at the workshop. From each theme’s discussion notes, we 

summarize the current status in the USGS and the desired future outcomes in statements reflecting what we would want to be 

able to say about each theme in the future. Actions were recommended with respect to the general integrated science concept; 

this is considered an initial step taken before other groups with the appropriate expertise begin to produce roadmaps for 

specific integrated science problems, or “grand challenges,” 1

 such as those laid out in the “Grand Challenges for Integrated 

U.S. Geological Survey Science—A Workshop Report” report (Jenni and others, 2017). Each theme and the outcomes of their 

respective breakout sessions are described below.

1

A USGS grand challenge for integrated science is a fundamental problem with broad societal consequences and solutions in Earth system science 

(Jenni and others, 2017).

Creating a Roadmap to Integrated Science

• Where are we now?

• Where do we want to be?

• How do we get there?

• What steps can we take?

Data & Data 

Integration

Modeling

Science Data 

Infrastructure

User Needs and

Experience

Computing

Capacity

Figure 1. Visualization of the five themes, as road signs, discussed in the breakout sessions of the Roadmap Discussions on Enabling 

Integrated Science: Data and Data Integration, Modeling, Computing Capacity, Science Data Infrastructure, and User Needs and 

Experience. For each theme, breakout groups discussed the questions in the gray box. 
Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science 7

Data and Data Integration

The Data and Data Integration theme was described by the following questions: what USGS data assets are foundational 

for integrated science, how could they be linked or combined, and what data are needed to meet the goals and grand challenges.

Where Are We Now?

The four breakout sessions identified over 40 assets related to USGS Data and Data Integration. These assets included the 

substantial size, temporal length, and scope of USGS data; USGS data validation workflow; data management, preservation and sharing resources; and initial lists of additional specific data assets. Instead of concentrating on listing particular databases or systems that 

could be combined, the discussion focused on steps and methods that would be necessary for linking interdisciplinary data in general.

One tool currently available that provides access to USGS data assets is the USGS Science Data Catalog (SDC; 

https://data.usgs.gov/). The SDC is a single access point for public USGS scientific datasets and a conduit to external catalogs. The 

SDC allows the public to access USGS datasets through (1) text- and geographic information system (GIS)-based searching, (2) topical 

browsing, or (3) keyword, mission area, data source, and scientist faceted searching. In addition, many recent developments arising 

from the public access plan (U.S. Geological Survey, 2016), including data release procedures and trainings, are supporting data and 

data-integration capabilities at the USGS.

Where Do We Want to Be?

The USGS has increased the discoverability of the many USGS data sources, which span diverse disciplines, project types, and 

geographic regions.—Efforts to catalog all USGS data (such as the Science Data Catalog) reach the many different disciplinary and 

organizational sources, including legacy data and small-scale projects from across the Bureau. Information is consistently provided to 

the public in both human- and standardized machine-readable formats.

The USGS uses external standards or common protocols to increase interoperability within and outside of the USGS.—We 

achieve robust semantic interoperability2 and agreed-upon standard protocols for data types, usage, serving, and cataloging. The USGS 

is able to integrate with external data sources because partner agencies hold the same standards for openly accessible data as we do.

The USGS uses innovative mechanisms to capture and communicate feedback on data usability, quality, and fitness for use.—

We have overarching standards for metadata (Federal Geographic Data Committee [FGDC] and the International Organization

for Standards [ISO]) as well as discipline-specific guidance that provides documentation at the level required for actual reuse of 

the data. We have guidelines for properly citing and dealing with versioned data.

Recommendations

These recommendations are listed in order of participant support, as indicated by electronic voting at the Thursday plenary 

interactive discussion.

D1. Establish expert teams of scientists and data experts from across mission areas to address data assets, gaps, and next steps 

for specific grand challenges.

D2. Promote use of standards to advance interoperability and usability of data, such as using standardized web services for 

discovery and delivery. The USGS still has large amounts of data (for example, tabular, gridded) that could be delivered 

by standardized web services (for example, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] does with 

Environmental Research Division’s Data Access Program [ERDDAP]3).

D3. Increase training on exposing and using data services.

D4. Assess need for new or improved foundational datasets (national efforts that inform a good number of mission-area 

products, such as elevation, geology).

D5. Maintain more robust registries of information products, for example, by improving the Science Data Catalog with standard catalog services and more features.

D6. Increase use of semantic technologies to improve discovery and connectivity, for example, by using existing algorithms 

or developing new ones for intelligent tagging of assets to be able to find associated items.

2

 Semantic interoperability is the ability to integrate resources that were developed using different vocabularies and different perspectives on the data. “To 

achieve semantic interoperability, systems must be able to exchange data in such a way that the precise meaning of the data is readily accessible and the data 

itself can be translated by any system into a form that it understands.” (Heflin and Hendler, 2000, p. 1).

3

 Environmental Research Division’s Data Access Program (ERDDAP) is a data server that gives the user a simple, consistent way to download subsets of 

scientific datasets in common file formats.
8 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Modeling

The modeling theme was described by the following question: how could models be developed, reused, and connected to 

enable integrated science.

The definition of modeling and modelers, and their relation to software and scripts, is not the same for every discipline in 

the USGS. Here, we define modeling broadly as any numerical simulation meant to logically represent a scientific system.

Where Are We Now?

Our assets are our models, modelers, modeling infrastructure, and modeling technologies. Currently, the USGS uses numerous models to test and predict process responses, events, and characteristics. Some models have been operationalized and are 

updated over time to support ongoing research. Application of many, or even most, of these models is sufficiently complex that 

the community of those expert enough to use the models is considered an asset. 

During the 2017 CDI Workshop, the USGS Office of Enterprise Information (OEI) announced the creation of a USGS code 

repository in GitLab (https://code.usgs.gov/public/) that will eventually automatically mirror all the repositories in the USGS 

organization on GitHub. The USGS plans to expand to both public and private Git offerings over the next year.

Where Do We Want to Be?

The USGS uses novel communication methods to share information about new tools, resources, and success stories related 

to modeling, thus enabling us to leverage modeling knowledge more effectively across the entire Bureau.—Despite the diversity 

of our modeling community, we are able to communicate about modeling efforts from a science perspective. Modelers working 

on very different science challenges are able to share similar technological challenges and discuss common interests in modeling 

tools and resources. 

USGS researchers have more modeling-specific training opportunities in best practices for software development and 

programming (for example, organizing data and workflows, modularizing code, and using version-control software like Git) and 

advance their research more quickly and efficiently.—The Bureau offers training in new modeling techniques to complement 

the researchers’ specialized expertise in their area of science with advanced computational skills. The USGS promotes software 

best practices through existing efforts like Software Carpentry and R training events and specifically targets modelers and their 

needs, such as identifying model output standards. 

Existing and in-progress models and modeling resources are easy to discover across disciplines and mission areas within 

the USGS through a Bureau-wide registry of modeling efforts, thereby allowing new researchers and projects to get up to speed 

more quickly.—The USGS offers guidance on metadata for software or models and has a common location and protocols for 

archiving models. Even though many models are developed to meet specific needs of research projects, the models and their 

outputs are built to encourage reuse and integration.

USGS researchers can easily work with and publish large datasets (terabyte scale) produced by models.—Analysis and 

visualization are done next to the data with simulation modeling in the cloud, greatly improving our ability to integrate modeling 

efforts. Software (for example, JupyterHub and Unidata’s Thematic Real-Time Environmental Distributed Data Services 

[THREDDS]) is accessible in the computing environment and persistent storage is available next to computing resources.

Recommendations

The first five recommendations are listed in order of the support they received at the Thursday plenary interactive discussion, 

and the next two were added by discussion leads after the workshop.

M1. Provide shared remote workspace (for example, cloud) environment for modelers to help analyze and distribute model 

results (for example, with analysis environments like JupyterHub and services for serving environmental data like 

THREDDS and ERDDAP).

M2. Develop an enterprise-grade model API or toolkit that takes advantage of recently developed standards for model output. 

Currently, we have community standards established for meteorologic, ocean, groundwater, and surface-water models on 

both staggered and unstructured grids, but no robust toolbox that supports the standards. 

M3. Continue and (or) increase support for the Advanced Computing Cooperative (ACC), a group of USGS science centers 

who have agreed to collaborate and offer expertise and infrastructure to others in the Bureau.
Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science 9

M4. Offer training opportunities that specifically target modelers. Training includes, but is not limited to, modeling standards, software, and Git best practices. Based on past participant experience, training events are most successful when they are relatively 

small (about six individuals), do not overburden trainees with terminology, and are taught by USGS modelers who have firsthand accounts of how new techniques have improved their own work as a modeler. Virtual training is a possibility.

M5. Create and promote a modeling listserv or Slack channel to improve communication among modelers across the USGS.

M6. Adopt, establish, and promote a metadata standard for describing models that includes information on inputs and outputs, 

characterization of processes and algorithms, uncertainty, model configuration, and specifics on the application of the 

model (for example, user-defined thresholds, filtering of input data). The standard could incorporate elements of the World 

Wide Web consortium provenance standards (W3C PROV), as done by the USGS Biogeographic Characterization Branch 

in the Core Science Systems Mission Area, or build on the protocol of the USGS Office of Groundwater. 

M7. Establish web-based catalog services for finding models, built on model metadata (recommendation M6), that are lightweight but provide support for model discovery.

Computing Capacity

The computing capacity theme was described with the following questions: what existing and desired computing capacity 

and support at the USGS would improve our ability to pursue integrated science questions (including high-performance computing [HPC], high-throughput computing [HTC], and more).

Where Are We Now?

Participants took note of the significant advances the USGS has made in recent years in standing up and sharing HPC 

(through the “Yeti” supercomputing cluster in Denver), HTC (through HTC expertise at the USGS Wisconsin Water Science 

Center) and cloud computing resources from across the Bureau (through USGS Cloud Hosting Solutions operated by the 

OEI) and sought to build on these. The Core Science Systems Mission Area has been offering USGS scientists approximately 

2 to 3 workshops per year such as R scripting in an HPC world, General HPC 101, and Advanced HPC concepts. Through the 

ACC, USGS scientists have access to training, consultation (such as code tuning), and infrastructure to support their scientific 

computing needs. The ACC is made up of those USGS science centers who have agreed to collaborate and offer up expertise 

and (or) infrastructure to others in the Bureau. Core members of the ACC include the Advanced Research Computing group, 

the Wisconsin Water Science Center, and the OEI Cloud Hosting Solutions group. Select USGS science centers have also 

created smaller clusters to meet local needs.

The USGS, through the Core Science Systems Mission Area, has proposed various sustainability plans for new 

computing-capacity solutions.

Where Do We Want to Be?

The USGS recognizes the differences between quickly evolving scientific computing needs and traditional administrative 

and enterprise computing needs. This allows the scientific computing needs of researchers to be identified and addressed more 

quickly.—Researchers have a mixture of open-source and commercial, off-the-shelf tools available to support their activities. 

These tools can be configured, tuned, and (or) customized to support their needs and associated data. 

The USGS continues to build on the growing awareness of developments in computing and resources by increased sharing 

of existing computing capabilities across the Bureau.—The ACC and other coordinating groups increase their reach and include 

all science centers that have advanced computing needs, facilitating the communication and sharing of computing capabilities 

and knowledge. 

On-site computing resources (laptops, workstations, local clusters) grow at the same pace as the rapidly increasing 

magnitude of scientific data collected and used, allowing researchers to save, deliver, and efficiently reproduce our latest data 

products.—The USGS Council of Senior Science Advisors has identified enhanced scientific computing capabilities as one of 

the primary needs to resolve future complex, interdisciplinary, computationally intensive science questions including the grand 

challenges that the USGS must address (Jenni and others, 2017). The USGS develops comprehensive coordination across the 

Bureau to reduce potential duplication of effort and to respond to challenges in a timely manner.
10 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Recommendations

The training, outreach, and education recommendations are listed in order of support they received at the Thursday 

plenary interactive discussion. The other two categories (enterprise needs and computing resources) were not voted on because 

of time constraints.

Enterprise Needs

C1. Core Science Systems and the OEI collaborate to understand and approve new large computing purchases, plan available 

resources for broader use, and communicate resources across the Bureau.

C2. Implement advanced, higher speed data transfer technologies such as GridFTP and Globus, to improve transfer of data 

within the USGS, linking it with appropriate computing resources and safely storing and providing access to it.

C3. Perform a network-traffic study to identify network bottlenecks, implement high-speed connections between key centers, 

leverage Internet2 and Rocky Mountain Advanced Computing Consortium networks, and evaluate a science demilitarized 

zone (DMZ)4 for separating administrative and science traffic. 

Training, Outreach, and Education

C4. Offer internal trainings or partner with universities to offer more online and in-person courses for USGS staff (for example, 

on advanced computing, R, modifying USGS scientific data and software to run successfully on advanced computing 

platforms, and cloud-based resources).

C5. Further develop the USGS ACC and communicate the full range of computing resources available to USGS researchers, 

for example, additional formal communications, a decision tree for services (guiding researchers toward which advanced 

computing solution might best meet their needs), pilot projects, reuse of models, coordinated email addresses and contact 

information, and dedicated staffing for coordination and facilitation.

C6. Develop a USGS Computing Scientific Challenge, a prize competition leveraging cloud, HTC and (or) HPC and driven by 

an executive charge such as grand challenges or science improvement.

C7. Assist in retooling USGS scientific applications and computing to leverage open-source solutions (for example, courses, 

workshops, communicating benefits from conversion such as converting proprietary MATLAB to open Python).

Computing Resources

C8. Initiate a study to understand specific computing requirements related to key USGS science questions, grand challenges, 

and products.

C9. Evaluate common or floating licenses for sharing resources across the Bureau, reducing individual investments in software 

at science centers. 

C10. Identify upcoming software needs for computing resources to ensure HPC, HTC, and cloud computing options all have 

appropriate software.

C11. Evaluate and further promote open-source solutions, for example, by providing courses, workshops, and communicating 

benefits of conversion from proprietary to open technologies).

C12. Set up sandbox environments for research into data integration, data applicability, and tools review (for example, staging 

data for model evaluation).

4 In computer security, a demilitarized zone (DMZ; sometimes referred to as a perimeter network) is “a network added between a protected network and an 

external network in order to provide an additional layer of security.” (Young, 2001, p. 2)
Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science 11

Science Data Infrastructure

The Science Data Infrastructure theme was described with the following question: what infrastructure would support integration 

of research data (including methods for collecting, displaying, accessing, and delivering it and communicating about it).

Where Are We Now?

The USGS has enterprise operations and infrastructure in place, but also allows the flexibility and freedom for researchers 

to innovate at the project level, developing project-specific infrastructure for collecting scientific data. National projects maintain 

methods and techniques to support data collection and handling. Thus, smaller projects are able to build on common infrastructure. 

Enterprise operation assets include guidance from Fundamental Science Practices and policies to maintain a high level of data 

quality and integrity for our science. 

Additionally, the USGS maintains enterprise systems to support researchers such as the USGS sensor networks (for 

example, in the Water and Natural Hazards Mission Areas), The National Map, ScienceBase, Advanced Research Computing 

(high-performance computing), a telecommunications network, and cloud hosting and cloud computing.

The USGS encourages collaboration and holds significant convening power (the ability and reputation to bring groups 

together), thus allowing scientists to form groups both within the USGS and among a vast partner network to solve scientific 

challenges and share information.

Finally, the Core Science Systems Mission Area was identified as an asset that is currently supporting aspects of science 

and data infrastructure and convening power (for example, the Community for Data Integration and myUSGS).

Where Do We Want to Be?

The USGS maintains and builds an infrastructure that focuses on the interoperability of its many research data types, 

fostering collaboration between programs and mission areas.—There are many opportunities to link laboratories, databases, and 

sensor networks across the Bureau that could greatly improve integration of data and science as well as reduce duplication of 

effort. Major systems in the USGS are integrated and able to exchange information quickly and effectively, thus reaching their 

full potential.

USGS researchers have a forum to share up-to-date project information such that scientists can collaborate on existing science infrastructure, reducing costs and duplication of effort.—Information about available infrastructure is gathered together for 

browsing, and the priority of enterprise support is science. The USGS develops guidelines to allow sharing prerelease data and 

pre-project data-management planning in order to determine if there are opportunities to share infrastructure.

Recommendations

Recommended actions for Science Data Infrastructure fall under the broad categories of encouraging standard practices 

across the Bureau, encouraging internal cooperation, and incentivizing infrastructure development for the enterprise (and not 

just individual programs). Science Data Infrastructure should be a USGS priority, to support USGS science.

S1. Incentivize scientists to employ shared science infrastructure, including more innovative distribution methods (for example, 

APIs), and a standard model or architecture (technology, database, sensor, lab).

S2. Establish criteria so that foundational data are maintained in such a way that they can be interoperable, such as enterprise-tiered 

storage capacity linked to trusted digital repositories.

S3. Implement a tiger team to look at USGS enterprise systems and architecture to evaluate how they can more efficiently 

integrate and (or) interoperate with the result of establishing integrated systems and support resources.

S4. Establish a community of practice to provide consistency in how we are approaching data collection and movement with 

standardized processes, new technology, and DevOps (software development and information technology operations).

(Note the USGS DevOps group, for instance.)

S5. Extend enterprise data handling and distribution capability to help meet transparency requirements and increase availability of collaboration tools (for example, shared workspaces for both internal and external collaborations).

S6. Develop a more efficient funding mechanism and governance to lessen internal competition and decrease disjointed infrastructure.
12 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

User Needs and Experience

During workshop discussions, User Needs and Experience emerged as an important theme, so a breakout group was 

created to discuss it.

Where Are We Now?

Some parts of the USGS are taking actions to understand who uses our products and how, and what characteristics our 

products need to be useful.

Where Do We Want to Be?

The USGS establishes a forum to discuss techniques to evaluate and address user needs, thereby leveraging knowledge 

across the Bureau to improve user experience with USGS products.—Efforts are made to address not only the funders’ but also 

the users’ needs. User concerns are considered in planning integrated science products.

The USGS has national assets, such as metrics, to help us understand use of USGS products, allowing us to strategically 

improve the user experience.

Recommendations

U1. Identify existing assets and processes to help the USGS as a whole and USGS programs understand how our products are 

used (and not used) or needed by defined audiences.

U2. Identify techniques for integrating information about user experience into a development process for integrated science products.

U3. The USGS or the CDI should set up a group of people to follow through with this, working with Earth Science Information 

Partners (ESIP) and USGS Libraries to help accomplish this task.

Recommended Pilot Projects

Pilot projects described here are consolidated from similar ideas that came up in the separate discussion groups, and are ordered 

loosely by anticipated effort required for implementation, starting with the easier to implement and progressing to the more difficult. 

We realize that the projects are at different levels of feasibility and resource requirements, but each could have a significant effect.

Abbreviations for each theme are used to label the primary theme and then other related themes for each project: D, Data 

and Data Integration; M, Modeling; C, Computing Capacity; S, Science Data Infrastructure; U, User Needs and Experience. 

P1. (S, D, M) Sponsor a series of scientist-to-scientist workshops to share best practices related to science data and science-data 

infrastructure, thereby improving communication about computing, modeling, and infrastructure resources across the Bureau.

• Example: Demonstrating and developing how current science data infrastructure helps automate manual processes.

• Example: Developing cross-domain “data-as-code” projects to demonstrate how data development can be automated.

P2. (M, D) Reproducible Science Interoperability Project: Compile Jupyter or R Markdown notebooks showing interoperability: accessing, analyzing and visualizing data from two or more web services from different disciplines or mission areas. 

The project team could create a series of notebooks (for example, notebook of the month) that would demonstrate different 

linkages in the USGS and among partners with web services.

This pilot project would have a number of benefits:

a) demonstrate successes we already have with interoperable web services,

b) find small issues with metadata and services that would be easy to fix,

c) point to larger issues that highlight gaps, and

d) provide reproducible examples that could be reused for other service and interoperability testing.
Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science 13

P3. (D, M, C, S, U) Establish expert cross-mission-area teams of scientists, data experts, and product users to address 

specific aspects of a USGS grand challenge involving data and data integration, computing, modeling, and 

science-data infrastructure, such as one or more from the Jenni and others (2017) report.

• Example: Form a team to work on a grand science challenge, such as forecasting invasive species, based on 

interoperable components—identify where connectivity and components are broken and how they could be 

fixed (for example, through application of standards). The overarching goal would be to determine what is 

possible in the USGS with our current assets and to identify ideas on how to improve processes, protocols, 

and so forth, not necessarily to develop a fully functional invasive species forecasting system.

P4. (C, D) Perform a retrospective on a natural disaster to learn how to leverage computing capacity and data when 

responding to disasters. The exercise could be run in simulated realtime and document what could have been 

done—so that response to the next disaster event could be supported in an improved manner. 

• Example: the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) is already collecting near-real-time data in 

its eDNA monitoring of invasive species. (https://umesc.usgs.gov/aquatic/aquatic_invasives24.html).

P5. (S, C) Invest in a science demilitarized zone (DMZ) for the USGS, a subnetwork to handle high-volume data transfers, 

including scientific and high-performance computing. This would improve enterprise-level data handling, movement, 

and distribution capability and include a substantial increase in bandwidth for centers. 

P6. (D, S, M) Create a new or better mechanism for a registry of tools, data, models, staff expertise, active projects, and 

other information products.

• Example: Share data-management plans (with methodology, protocols, sample designs, and project descriptions) 

so that future researchers could more readily discover and use previous project designs and therefore have an easier 

time developing metadata, improving discovery, integration, and quality. 

• Example: Model catalog (see recommendation M7) to improve discovery and application of models.

P7. (S) Charge an enterprise architecture team to design an interoperable architecture that spans USGS enterprise. 

Engage the Investment Review Board in examining the overarching infrastructure investment process, and 

evaluating infrastructure purchases based on scalability and reusability for enterprise purposes, with the goal 

of lessening siloed purchases in the Bureau. 

Summary of Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science

As presented in the introduction, the recommendations in this document (34 thematic recommendations and 

7 pilot projects) represent our community’s venture to chart a course and assist any USGS team in reaching its goal 

of integrated science, whatever the team’s expertise, current priorities, and requirements. Even as Bureau priorities 

and strategy change, the recommendations presented here will build a foundation for the different teams in the USGS 

that are striving to reach their own style of integrated science.

The workshop participants agreed that the USGS has many assets that have been built over time to enable 

integrated science. But in order to reach the goal of routine and commonplace integrated science everywhere in the 

Bureau, the USGS must place greater focus on enterprise challenges and make long-term investments to address 

them for our researchers and data staff. The recommendations and pilot projects presented here have common themes 

of improving communication, increasing training and testbed opportunities to learn and experiment, and creating 

community-supported standards for better integration and interoperability. These themes solidly align with the CDI’s 

strengths and interests. A large number of CDI members noted that they would be interested in participating in future 

activities to implement the recommendations here, and we look forward to those opportunities.
14 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Presentations and Panels

Brief summaries of the plenary presentations and panels are provided here in order of occurrence.

Welcome and Opening Remarks

By Tim Quinn (USGS Office of Enterprise Information)

The Community for Data Integration exemplifies large-scale collaboration to solve big-data challenges. Over the years, we 

have seen the strength and enthusiasm of this grassroots community, and we are looking forward to the outcomes of this workshop, 

including the Roadmap to Integrated Science discussions that will influence the future of the USGS.

Why Enable Integrated Science?

By Marty Goldhaber (USGS Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center)

Change is happening in our world, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) needs to change as well to remain 

relevant. The USGS is the only non-regulatory Earth-science agency within the Department of the Interior, with 

boots-on-the-ground scientists and data spanning the nation. The USGS has an untapped opportunity to engage in

 integrated science and tackle problems at a large, decision-making scale. The USGS Science Strategy 2007–2017 

(U.S. Geological Survey, 2007) is coming to the end of its scope, and the USGS needs to plan for the future. One priority 

must be to continue to dissolve silos of data and research. The USGS Council of Senior Science Advisors (COSSA) has 

been thinking about this. COSSA has a long-term vision for an integrated scientific framework that spans traditional 

scientific boundaries and disciplines and integrates the full portfolio of USGS science. We call it EarthMAP, for Earth 

Monitoring, Analyses, and Projections. A workshop in February 2017 was held to identify integrative scientific grand 

challenges that could unite the USGS and guide our efforts toward EarthMAP (Jenni and others, 2017).

Beyond the Fourth Paradigm—Integrative Science Is Also about People

By Bruce Caron (Earth Science Information Partners)

We are experiencing a great explosion of science, but there is failure to scale. Scientific communication must 

evolve with our technology. For example, scientific posters have been popular for some time now, but take a lot of time, 

effort, and money and usually do not get reused. Posting ideas and content on the internet can facilitate shorter time to 

both collaboration and results than in-person workshops. The organization Earth Science Information Partners, uses the 

internet to host working clusters, as well as to accomplish crowdsourcing, attribution, sharing, and rating of ideas. When 

in-person science-community gatherings do occur, these gatherings can be thought of as festivals, where all are active 

participants and all are leaders. It is important for there to be enough trust in the community so that risks can be taken 

and creativity spawned. In an optimal gathering, all participants are leaders and all contribute to progress.

The Joy of Data Lightning Panel

Moderated by Fran Lightsom (USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center)

Did you ever manage to collect good data in an incredibly challenging location? Create cool infographics to communicate 

a really complex scientific finding? Build a database that satisfied an impossible combination of requirements? Participants 

in the Joy of Data Lightning Talks shared the joy by giving a 60-second lightning talk with a single PowerPoint slide that 

illustrated their challenge, for example, a photo of that measurement site, a screenshot of the infographic, or a Venn diagram 

of the requirements.

Data Sharing—Agreements and Processes

By JC Nelson (USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center)

How can we improve the process of data sharing? What successes have we had following the October 1, 2016, 

implementation of our USGS public access plan (USGS, 2016), and what challenges remain? How do we handle shared 

data? Is it possible to have a shared library of approved data-sharing agreements? This talk presented the challenge, 

reported on progress that has been made in terms of agreement templates, and discussed where to go from here.
Presentations and Panels 15

Data Science Community of Practice

By Lindsay Carr (USGS Office of Water Information)

Working knowledge of computer science and statistics (in other words, data science) is increasingly important

 for dealing with 21st century data-intensive scientific workflows. One of the biggest barriers in developing efficient 

workflows can be knowing what appropriate tools, packages, or techniques exist. Channels of communication between 

users engaged in similar work can help but can be difficult to establish because practitioners are scattered across 

projects and offices. A subsequent Birds of a Feather session solicited group input on (1) the scope of a data-science 

community of practice, (2) identification of data-science (or similar) groups that exist within and beyond the Bureau, 

(3) exploration of opportunities for data science to enhance existing Bureau science, and (4) the potential ownership 

of such a group, including as a Community for Data Integration working group. An established data science group 

would promote sharing and exchange of data-science practices across the Bureau, with the ultimate goal of increasing 

efficiency, reproducibility, and scalability of science throughout the U.S. Geological Survey.

Improving the Interface and User Experience for the Data Management Training Clearinghouse

By Sophie Hou (National Center for Atmospheric Research)

The Data Management Training Clearinghouse was developed with seed money received in 2016 from the 

U.S. Geological Survey’s Community for Data Integration. The implementation phase of the collaboratively developed 

clearinghouse allowed the clearinghouse to become operational and ready for people to search, browse, and submit 

learning resources related to research data management. Although the clearinghouse team was able to complete some 

informal usability testing of the clearinghouse’s interface during the initial six months of its funding, the team aims to 

improve and enhance the ease of use for all of the clearinghouse functions. This presentation provided a brief introduction 

to the clearinghouse’s current design and implementation, and invited the workshop attendees to try out several key 

functions of the clearinghouse in order to provide feedback and suggest the priorities for its future development. 

Advanced Scientific Computing Solutions

By Jeff Falgout (USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library)

Advanced computing is the practice of aggregating computing power in a way that delivers much higher performance 

than one could get out of a typical desktop computer or workstation in order to solve large problems in science. The 

U.S. Geological Survey provides several tools to help researchers with their advanced scientific computing needs. The 

Advanced Computing Cooperative works across organizational boundaries to provide advanced scientific computing 

capabilities to U.S. Geological Survey researchers. These capabilities include a consulting toolbox, compute toolbox, 

and data toolbox. Email hpc@usgs.gov for more information.

Strategies for Building an Integrated Science Capacity

By Kevin T. Gallagher (USGS Core Science Systems)

The Community for Data Integration (CDI) is the result of a grassroots effort to increase the efficiencies between 

the information technology and research-science communities within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). There has 

been a lot of specialization to advance basic science, but societally significant issues are complex and solutions need 

to be interdisciplinary in order to deliver useful products and information for decision making. To reach this goal, we 

must work together and integrate science and information from different disciplines. This community has the expertise 

to build high-profile, modular components of an integrated decision-support system. I would like to ask your help in 

creating a roadmap to achieve the integrated science of the USGS vision. The Executive Leadership Team is eager to 

hear your input; you have a lot of power as a member of the USGS and the CDI to guide the path.
16 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Panel on the Community for Data Integration’s Role in Enabling Integrated Science

Panelists Viv Hutchison (USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library), Fran Lightsom (USGS Woods Hole Coastal and 

Marine Science Center), JC Nelson (USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center), Rich Signell (USGS Woods Hole 

Coastal and Marine Science Center), and Roland Viger (USGS National Research Program)

The goal of this panel was to bring the community together with a shared vision for how the Community for Data 

Integration (CDI) can contribute to enabling integrated science at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Panelists mentioned the current ability of the CDI to develop tools that can be used across all USGS mission areas, the diversity of the 

CDI and its connections to many parts of the USGS, the ability to reach even outside the USGS and the government, and 

the ability to provide a unified voice that can bridge boundaries. Some elements that were suggested for inclusion in our 

roadmap discussions were delivery of usable scientific information, the human component and collaboration, engaging 

with users and user needs, having systems that keep us in touch with the stakeholders, knowing what information people 

are looking for, and integrated modeling.

The panel on the Community for Data Integration’s role in enabling integrated science. From left to right: Rich Signell, Viv Hutchison, 

Fran Lightsom, Roland Viger, JC Nelson, and moderator Leslie Hsu. Photograph by Daniel Wieferich.
Presentations and Panels 17

API Plugfest Report Out

By Ivan DeLoatch (USGS Federal Geographic Data Committee)

The Application Programming Interface (API) plugfest was conducted on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. The plugfest was a 

collaborative environment for public-private partnerships to engage in research and development toward interoperability 

of our many different data sources and tools. The intent of the plugfest was to highlight technology and develop lessons 

learned in using geospatial APIs. We did this by discussing how to use APIs effectively to exchange information, plan for 

increased use of protocols, and share thoughts and ideas. The plugfest focused on the themes of water, environment, food, 

and hazards. The themes are interconnected and must be integrated to support decision-making.

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) has been a proponent of developing geospatial technology for the 

Nation to enable a location-based digital ecosystem. The FGDC is focusing on providing technology such as data, tools, 

and services, and APIs are part of the framework. We have diverse contributors: organizations represented in the API 

plugfest included the General Services Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Open Geospatial Consortium, Esri, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National 

Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Environmental Protection Agency, the 

Group on Earth Observations (GEO), and others. We had great participation from API providers.

The following needs to support APIs were identified:

• standards for interoperability (critical),

• increased engagement and feedback from users (it was interesting to see perspectives from developers and users),

• resolution of security issues when working across various domains,

• increased bandwidth, and 

• improved use of standards, encouraging use of the Open Geospatial Consortium framework.

Elevation and Hydrography Data Integration

By Steve Aichele, Jason Stoker, and Al Rea (all from the USGS National Geospatial Program)

The integration of our national elevation data and the National Hydrography Dataset into a more cohesive package is 

a priority for both the elevation and hydrography communities. As new, high-resolution elevation data enters through the 

3D Elevation Program, older, smaller-scale national hydrographic features may not necessarily align well. The ability to 

create synthetic streams from elevation data is a fairly automated process, however, routing flow automatically becomes 

difficult when barriers such as culverts are left in the data. Also, conflating all the attributes from the existing linework 

to any new or newly aligned streams is not an easy task. This presentation provided some program insights as to where 

we are in terms of elevation and hydrography integration and where we hope to be by 2020. Topics included the National 

Geospatial Program (NGP), the National Enhanced Elevation Assessment, the Topo Data Services Strategic Roadmap, and 

the National Hydrography Dataset Plus (NHDPlus).

Keynote Talk

By Bill Werkheiser (USGS)

The Community for Data Integration has done a phenomenal job in using its network and knowledge to advance data 

integration and management at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). From the first DataBlast many years ago, to recent 

implementation of data policies and data-management procedures, from your work in integrating different information 

systems, providing data portals, and making connections within and beyond the USGS, you have taken the opportunity to 

build your portfolio of accomplishments. Now it is time for us to take another look at our USGS strategic science plan. 

The Executive Leadership Team has reviewed all of the documents and sources of information and has come up with 

a new annual science planning process that is nimble and can change with the priorities of the Bureau. We will also be 

looking at realigning our Bureau to improve communication throughout. Your community, developing tools and delivering 

outcomes, helps the USGS with its applied science, and I thank you for the work that you do.
18 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Panel on Community for Data Integration in Action

Panelists Emily Fort (USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center), Tim Kern (USGS Fort Collins 

Science Center), Michelle Guy (USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center), and Sky Bristol (USGS Core Science Analytics, 

Synthesis, and Library)

The goal of this panel was to highlight how the Community for Data Integration has already been enabling integrated 

science. Each panelist gave a presentation on an example of integrated science: Hunting and Fishing Climate Impacts from 

the U.S. Geological Survey National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (Emily Fort); ScienceCache—Fail Fast, 

Recover (Tim Kern); The Power of Data Sharing, Integration, and Innovation (Michelle Guy); and the Science of Dam 

Removal (Sky Bristol).

Elements of success in these previous integrated efforts included acknowledging the challenge of collaborative work 

and securing funded data stewards, taking on high-risk ideas and sharing lessons learned with the community, integrating 

free citizen-science data with scientific standardized data, and sharing the integrated data with other agencies. Another 

theme was coordinating the Powell Center, the Community for Data Integration, and other projects to work off of a common 

spark for innovation.

Panel on Community for Data Integration in Action. From left to right: Emily Fort, Tim Kern, Michelle Guy, and Sky Bristol. 

Photograph by Viv Hutchison.

A Road Map for Enabling Integrated Science—The U.S. Geological Survey Has 

Experience with This!

By Viv Hutchison (USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library)

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Associate Directors and the Council of Senior Science Advisors have presented us 

with an exciting charge: to engage the Community for Data Integration in the process of creating a roadmap for implementing 

new innovative ideas that enable the integration of science in the USGS. When the USGS published a plan called “Public Access 

to Results of Federally Funded Research at the U.S. Geological Survey—Scholarly Publications and Digital Data” (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 2016), it outlined a framework for activities that would increase public access to scholarly publications and digital scientific 

data resulting from research funded by the USGS. The plan required collaboration, action, and accountability from a variety of 

Bureau programs that had not necessarily worked together before to get it implemented. But, we did it. (Who had any doubt?!?) 

We did it in a 6-month period by understanding our goals, getting the appropriate people on the job, and holding accountability 

meetings that showcased our progress and our success. Sure, there are still some loose ends in our example—things that need 

continued work —but let us take a look at the lessons learned and what it took to be successful, so we can show how we, the 

Community for Data Integration, can actively support and implement a roadmap for enabling integrated science.
Topical Sessions 19

Topical Sessions

Brief summaries of the sessions are provided here in order of occurrence.

Information Technology Architecture to Support Integrated Science 

Session led by Cassandra Ladino (USGS Eastern Geographic Science Center), Tim Quinn (USGS Office of Enterprise Information), 

and Paul Exter (USGS Office of Enterprise Information)

The goals of the session were to introduce key people from the Office of Enterprise Information (OEI) and to learn 

about the need for information technology architecture to support integrated science. We covered two use cases: Alces 

Flight (a scalable high-performance computing environment for research and scientific computing) and the National Minerals 

Information Center, and had a discussion about ideas for innovation and community building.

In this session we discussed OEI capabilities and the needs of scientists throughout the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS). Scientists from different disciplines need to access data across traditional boundaries. They require the ability 

to synthesize, analyze, model, simulate, predict, visualize and display data and results using a wide array of commercial 

and open-source tool sets. They also require access to computing environments capable of high-performance computing 

and high-throughput computing, among other capabilities. Finally, scientists require well-curated, accessible storage that 

allows multidiscipline access and integrated mashing up. This storage needs to be located (virtually or physically) near 

enough to take advantage of high-end computing resources.

The OEI provides infrastructure and computational services for the USGS that support science projects and web 

applications and services. OEI’s capabilities include wired and wireless network maintenance, Advanced Research Computing, 

data-storage options, software tools, customer desktop experience, and security and integrity of information. 

With respect to enabling integrated science at the USGS, scientists are often isolated by insufficient network bandwidth, 

access to software and computing tools, storage, and other information technology capabilities limiting integrated scientific 

work. Cost of expensive software licensing, high-end servers, and storage often exceed the funds available to individual 

science centers. Frequent complaints are heard regarding inability to get data to and from where it is needed.

The USGS is and has been a leader in computing for many years in the Department of the Interior. Our cloud and 

Advanced Research Computing capabilities have been recognized recently by the Department as best practices and are 

being considered as a shared reimbursable service to other bureaus. However, there are significant gaps in our ability to 

achieve integrated science because our information technology infrastructure separates the scientist from the data and the 

processing. Although some of the elements of the proposed coherent architecture exist, we cannot be successful until we 

address these gaps.

Ideally, we would like to move to a situation where a purpose-designed architecture leverages existing capabilities, 

improves on the areas where gaps exist, and supports the scientists in a manner in which they deserve. A discussion about 

and an evaluation of the possibility of establishing a cross-sector integrated architecture team to address these issues could 

help us get there.

Scientists are ready and willing to utilize advanced computing resources, as was clear from the participation at our 

session and related Cloud Hosting Solutions sessions. To support integrated science, storage and network challenges must 

be addressed and more support needs to be dedicated to infrastructure. Consolidation of systems, such as the Advanced 

Computing Cooperative and cloud, should be encouraged.

Some steps we can take to get to where we want to be are listed below. 

• Expand the Cloud Hosting Solutions capability.

• Provide training on and enable easier access to sandbox environments.

• Collect additional input from scientists.

• Consolidate common software (for example, Oracle) and infrastructure.

• Increase network bandwidth options with broadband, direct connect, and other technologies.

• Enable virtual-desktop-infrastructure capabilities for scientists located in offices that are challenged with 

network performance.

• Support data storage staging capabilities to enable advanced scientific computing solutions.

• Provide data storage capabilities that extend beyond the end of the life of a project.
20 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

• Assess whether some applications should be consolidated rather than distributed.

In the next year, some steps that could be taken to reach our goals are to continue to discuss infrastructure that supports 

integrated science with mission areas, leverage the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act cross-discipline 

team to address decreasing stove pipes, work with the Department of the Interior to address telecommunications concerns, and 

further leverage and resource the cloud.

National Map Corps Mapathon

Session led by Elizabeth McCartney (USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center)

The National Map Corps is a citizen science project focused on data acquisition and improvement in support of The 

National Map geospatial databases. In this session, participants learned about the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) citizen 

science project called The National Map Corps and helped to improve data about structures at the same time. We confirmed, updated, and added new features, and removed obsolete points using our online map editor. Both newly collected 

and modified point features become part of the USGS National Structures Database, The National Map, and ultimately 

USGS topographic maps.

Although citizen science is an essential part of integrated science, there continues to be resistance to volunteered 

geographic information. We need a strong affirmation indicating citizen science is a valid solution for significant mapping 

or geospatial data problems. 

Next steps include expansion in the number and types of features collected or improved, establishment of partnerships 

both internally and externally to leverage the current web editing application, and the development and implementation of 

a mobile editor.

See more at https://edits.nationalmap.gov/tnmcorps/.

Legacy Data—Challenges and Solutions

Session led by Lance Everette (USGS Fort Collins Science Center) and John Faundeen (USGS Earth Resources Observation 

and Science Center)

This was an interactive session that discussed (1) tools to inventory and report U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 

legacy data in need of preservation; (2) methods to evaluate and prioritize legacy data inventories based on risk of damage 

or loss, USGS mission areas, programs and priorities, and geospatial and temporal extents; and (3) funding models for 

preserving and publishing priority USGS legacy data.

To set the stage, a brief overview of each legacy data challenge was provided, with a presentation of the experiences 

and solutions developed through the USGS Data Rescue Program (2006–2013), Legacy Data Inventory Reporting System 

(2014–present), and the Data at Risk preservation project (2016). Participants were encouraged to provide feedback on 

improvements to existing tools and methods, as well as to suggest new potential solutions to these challenges.

Data Citation—What’s All the Fuss?

Session led by Lisa Zolly (USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library)

In this session, we discussed the following questions—What is the real value of data citation? What considerations 

should we be mindful of in our use of Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) (at what level should they be applied)? How is the 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) involved in the larger community of practice focusing on data citation? What tools do we 

have in the USGS to create, reserve, and apply DOIs to our data?

The more we collectively understand the intricacies of data citation and can align our practices related to the application 

and use of persistent identifiers, the more successful we will be in understanding how our research data are being reused.

Priorities that emerged from the session discussion, organized around the Future of Research Communications and 

e-Scholarship (FORCE11; https://www.force11.org/) data-citation principles, are summarized as follows.

• Credit and attribution—Data are legitimate, citable products of research that should be afforded the same importance as 

scholarly publications.

• Evidence—Wherever a claim in the publication relies upon data, the data should be cited. It is therefore important for 

USGS data to be published in ways that are easy to reference, discover, access, and cite.
Topical Sessions 21

• Unique identification—We currently assign DOIs to static datasets. The next step is to support granular DOIs for citable 

components of a data release. In the future, we want to figure out dynamic DOI assignment for our queryable, dynamic 

data systems.

• Access—For static data releases, each DOI should resolve to a landing page that provides access to data, metadata, code, 

documentation, and other materials. This presumes use of repositories.

• Persistence—DOIs are permanent, not deletable, and must be managed even beyond the life of the data they reference. 

There is a need for more consistent curation of our DOIs.

• Specificity and verifiability—Link analyses and the supporting data, guarantee provenance, and ensure future access to 

the exact data that were cited.

Data-Management Plans and Strategies for Science Centers

Session led by Cassandra Ladino (USGS Eastern Geographic Science Center)

The goals of the session were to showcase working examples of data-management plans (DMPs) and data-management 

strategies. We discussed the obstacles in data-management planning and where science centers need more support, as well as 

innovative ideas for implementing DMPs and data-management strategies.

This session was a continuation of the Community for Data Integration Science Center Strategy Development work 

group (SCSDWG) discussion that occurred online in 2016–2017. However, all were welcome, whether they participated 

in the SCSDWG or not! Our objective was to learn from one another and create solutions that work for science centers 

and staff. Data-management plan development and implementation was highlighted in this session, although we covered 

other approaches to developing data-management programs as well.

This topic relates to enabling integrated science at the U.S. Geological Survey because we need functional and 

repeatable processes for data management in place at the science-center level before we can begin to integrate data across 

centers or disciplines.

Currently, there are varying degrees of data-management maturity across the U.S. Geological Survey. Gaps exist in 

maturity of data-management activities across science centers and programs, and in education and implementation 

of DMPs.

Our goal is to help establish a baseline and provide opportunities for data management to mature. Ideally, we would 

move to a situation where data strategies at the science center and program level inform scientists about larger data goals 

and data-management options, where principal investigators are engaged in DMP development and get the most value 

out of the documentation, and where there is an enterprise solution for creation and management of DMPs that allows for 

template customization and search, reuse, and discovery of content.

Some steps we can take to get to where we want to be include collaboration and sharing of strategies that work, 

increased accountability for DMPs, and development of use cases for tools that help with DMP challenges.

Software Showcase

Session led by Michelle Guy and Lynda Lastowka (both from USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center)

The goals of this session were to highlight some best practices for software development for all, and to explore how 

to bring the numerous U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) software efforts into a search space to better enable finding, using, 

contributing to, and collaborating on these efforts and tools to support integrated science.

Software is a key component of reproducible, sharable, integrated science especially as our science becomes more 

complicated, with larger volumes of data. We want software in the USGS to be highly visible and discoverable, managed 

with actionable and flexible guidelines to cover the wide spectrum of software, community based, available in external 

and internal spaces, and valued.

Currently in the USGS, a community of those involved in software development is emerging. Within that community, 

science centers and individuals have their own procedures and work flows that are very different. To start aligning procedures and guidelines, the Best Practices project in GitHub (https://github.com/usgs/best-practices) is a valuable resource 

and is even being used by the Department of the Interior to solve technical issues. 

We would like to move to a situation where there are informed and consistent fundamental practices that accommodate 

diverse needs. Towards the goal of integrated science, sharing software is highly important. Software by its very nature should 
22 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

be reusable and shared. However, the stealing (or “scooping”) of another’s code needs to be addressed and transparency is one 

key to the solution.

Some short term (1–3 years) steps we can take to get to where we want to be are listed below.

• Enable software discovery with centralized hosting. (for example, by using the USGS code repository in GitLab at 

https://code.usgs.gov/)

• Integrate with the USGS Web Re-Engineering Team (WRET) Science Explorer. This would allow connections with staff 

pages, research projects, publications, and so forth, and could possibly evolve into a software catalog for the USGS.

• To make software searchable and discoverable, figure out what type of metadata is necessary and develop a system for 

tagging software. It would be beneficial to develop an application programming interface (API) to help automate metadata tagging. Recent agency policy was developed to make software citable with a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). 

• Implement keyword searching and metadata for software, perhaps in ScienceBase. 

• Establish a review process for software. This might be achieved with community volunteers.

• Build a community of practice.

• Get technical staff involved at the start of a project that includes software development, not at the end.

• Establish best practices, a curriculum, and a process for educating software developers on these practices:

• Fundamental Science Practices training and

• Software Carpentry workshops.

• Establish a checklist for approval (such as at the Center Director level) to make the review easier.

Some longer term (3–10 years) steps we can take to get to where we want to be are listed below.

• We might consider some type of Bureau Approving Official (BAO) for software. We do not know exactly what that 

would look like, but it could be beneficial to have a BAO with sufficient technical knowledge to review and approve 

software.

• Elevate the value placed on software to a similar level as for research papers or publications. Software is a mechanism 

to communicate and deliver the science to the users. Publicly accessible software contributes to the transparency and 

reproducibility of the science and accelerates discovery and innovation. It may also pull in talent from the public if they 

discover and contribute to an open-source project online.

• Define methods that allow us to identify the value of software. What metrics do we use? How do people get credit? Are 

there analogies to be drawn with regards to traditional publications?

• Develop a process for hosting code on code.usgs.gov that integrates well with the WRET, as software cannot be hosted 

in Drupal. The WRET can have a software page listing software. (The software itself would be hosted on the USGS code 

repository in GitLab at https://code.usgs.gov.)

Enterprise Tools for Documentation of Protocols, Methods, and Study Designs

Session led by Rebecca Scully (USGS Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership), Jen Bayer (USGS Pacific Northwest 

Aquatic Monitoring Partnership), and Jake Weltzin (USGS National Phenology Network)

This session focused on sharing Monitoring Resources (https://www.monitoringresources.org), which is an online suite of 

tools that supports documentation of methods, protocols, and sample designs related to monitoring. The session presented user 

stories describing the use of the tools and associated application programming interfaces. The goal was to facilitate a discussion 

on the Monitoring Resource tools as an enterprise resource, to determine how the community of practice could use these tools, 

to learn what other tools exist that could be integrated to support the Community for Data Integration Science Support Framework, 

and to identify what improvements could be made. 
Topical Sessions 23

Currently, several groups within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are working to support monitoring across large 

spatial and temporal scales and across jurisdictional boundaries, but we lack tools to support integration of plans for data 

collection as well as integrated data delivery. To deliver information in a timely and consistent manner, we need enterprise 

infrastructure to help research and monitoring practitioners manage data and information through the full data lifecycle. In 

the USGS, we have some of this infrastructure as part of the new Data Release Workbench, but it is not linked to planning 

of research and monitoring in a way that ultimately facilitates data interoperability, integration, and delivery of higher 

order data products.

Ideally, we would use the existing tools such as Monitoring Resources to build an open and freely available suite of 

enterprise tools that supports consistent data collection, analysis, and reporting to generate efficiencies in the management 

and delivery of information to decision-makers.

The session participants suggested short-term (1–3 years) steps to building enterprise tools, initially focusing on 

developing and testing enterprise resources to support information transfer from collection of data to implementation of 

knowledge. Immediate objectives include 

• working with the USGS community to understand if Monitoring Resources can serve as an official USGS citation for 

USGS work, journal work, and so forth;

• linking the tools to the USGS map resources like the National Hydrography Dataset Plus;

• creating and building linkages to transfer information (using application programming interfaces) from Monitoring 

Resources to pre-populate a metadata record;

• establishing rules for automated information upload into Monitoring Resources from other systems;

• conducting outreach to additional communities of practice to learn if Monitoring Resources fits their needs;

• completing pilot projects to understand needs and make improvements to Monitoring Resources platforms;

• creating a steering committee to guide this effort; and

• conducting outreach to decision makers and program leaders to understand how they consume information and to devise 

a business plan that could support discussion about meeting these needs.

Longer term (3–10 year) creation of enterprise resources to support information transfer from collection to knowledge 

would require

• consistent funding support for development, operation, and maintenance of enterprise resources;

• two to three communities of practice using the tools;

• linkages between Monitoring Resources tools and other tools to eliminate duplication of effort and to streamline the 

creation, review, and release of data and data documentation;

• a team of staff to support users of the tools, including training, development, and outreach; and

• a community of practice operating across Federal organizational boundaries to guide the development and application of 

enterprise tools in support of coordinating resource monitoring and ultimately data integration and application.

Getting Your Hands Dirty with 3D Elevation Program Data

Session led by Jason Stoker (USGS National Geospatial Program) and Darcee Killpack (USGS National Geospatial Technical 

Operations Center)

This workshop on the U.S. Geological Survey’s 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) helped participants to add three-dimensional 

features to their research, gain familiarity with U.S. Geological Survey light detection and ranging (lidar) data (over 4 trillion 

points and over 75 terabytes), and learn how to get lidar data and what to do with it. Topics included finding data in an area 

of interest, knowing the difference in products available, connecting to elevation services, understanding spatial and project 

metadata as it relates to 3DEP, visualizing and processing lidar and lidar-derived products using open-source tools, and 

high-performance computing with lidar.
24 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

U.S. Geological Survey “Science on a Screen” for Parks, Schools, and Museums

Session led by Rex Sanders (USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center)

The goal of the session was to explore interest in an idea: creating easy to implement, easy to understand, web pages 

for kiosks in parks, museums, and schools that present many different kinds of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science.

About 15 people met to discuss the idea. Most were very supportive, and several wanted to help work on a full project 

proposal. Concerns included long-term funding, working with low-resource locations (places with old computers, slow 

internet, no information technology support), and choosing appropriate external partners. Several participants already 

work with the public or partners who supply USGS information. Several mentioned the possibility of external funding to 

serve specific partners, like libraries. We added libraries as potential kiosk partners. Parks and museums have expertise in 

what works for kiosk information and would make excellent partners. The National Park Service would make an excellent 

Department of the Interior partner at both high levels and at individual parks. (Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif., is 

interested in this concept.) We could collaborate with a university group with expertise in application development and 

user experience.

This project would present integrated USGS science to a very wide audience—potentially millions of visitors annually 

to parks, museums, schools, and libraries.

Currently, the USGS presents many different kinds of information in widely varied formats, mostly targeted at professional audiences, which are hard to customize for kiosks. It is even harder to present integrated science.

Ideally, we would work toward a situation where a National Park Service interpretive specialist could easily select 

from a large number of web pages that present USGS science at an appropriate level for park visitors. A USGS server 

would deliver those pages to an unattended kiosk running on an old computer and a slow internet link with no information 

technology support. Other users may find this approach useful, including other parks, museums, schools, libraries, congressional 

offices, and the general public. This project could become one facet of Earth Monitoring, Analyses, and Projections 

(EarthMAP) (Jenni and others, 2017).

The first short-term step to help us get to our vision would be to create an interest group to develop a project proposal 

and seek appropriate partners inside and outside the USGS. Further, the interest group could seek funding from the Community 

for Data Integration, other USGS sources, and outside partners. The group would start developing requirements, find gaps 

in desired services, and work with partners to fill those gaps, leading to development of products.

In the long term (3–10 years) the project needs long-term support, both financially and organizationally, to keep the 

service running and updated as new technology and new USGS products become available.

Delivery of Real-Time Information

Session led by Jake Weltzin (USGS National Phenology Network)

The goal of this session was to investigate the potential for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to become a leader in 

the delivery of real-time data and information across scientific disciplines.

About twenty people joined our session, which focused on a broad discussion of the value of real-time information 

production and delivery across several disciplines within the USGS. We explored several case studies, including examples 

from water, biodiversity, and natural hazards including flooding and earthquakes.

Conversation included the following topics.

• What are the opportunities and challenges to delivery of data and information realtime? 

• How do we create and deliver information that is most useful to our stakeholders? 

• What are some good models we can look to, and what are their lessons learned? 

• How do we integrate, synthesize and deliver data across disciplines? 

• How do we weigh the balance between research and operations? 

• How can we comply with new requirements for information management (for example, Survey Manual 502.8)?

To help guide our discussion, we reproduced the USGS Integrated Decision Support System (pyramid) diagram (fig. 2) 

presented and discussed by Kevin Gallagher during his plenary session. This pyramid diagram illustrates key components of 

existing USGS capacity (including research and development, observations and monitoring, modeling, integration, analysis and delivery—buttressed by communications) required to deliver higher level “branded” products, examples of which 

included “Famine Early Warning,” “Invasives Forecasting,” “Water Prediction,” and “Biothreat Network.”
Topical Sessions 25

Although the USGS conducts a broad variety of research, ranging from place-based assessments to paleoclimate or 

geologic reconstructions, the production and delivery of real-time information is demonstrably important to the USGS. For 

example, that the USGS home page features “Real-time Data” directly under the news banner emphasizes how the USGS 

is “providing real-time or near real-time data and information on current conditions and earth observations” (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 2018) and features links to more information about recent earthquakes, current water conditions, airborne sensors, 

volcanoes, and landslides. Similarly, there are a number of excellent operational examples that organize and deliver real-time 

or near real-time information.

• Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (https://lacoast.gov/crms2).

• Coastal Change Hazards Portal (https://marine.usgs.gov/coastalchangehazardsportal/). 

• National Water Information System (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis).

• National Phenology Network (https://www.usanpn.org/).

• Nonindigenous Aquatic Species information resource (https://nas.er.usgs.gov/).

• Graphing Water Information System (https://www.usgs.gov/news/usgs-releases-new-javascript-library-plottingwater-data-nation). 

• Projects of the Earthquakes Hazards Program such as Did You Feel It? (https://earthquake.usgs.gov/data/dyfi/) and 

• Tweet Earthquake Dispatch (https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/ted/).

Development and marketing of branded products by the USGS, using the Integrated Decision Support System, will 

require enhanced capacities for production and delivery of real-time data and information, including a robust internal and 

external communications infrastructure. In addition, to produce such branded products at a spatial and temporal scale useful 

to science and society, data integration—particularly across disciplines—will be required. 

Further, our success will depend on a strong awareness of—and a willingness to embrace both conceptually and 

organizationally—the “research to operations” continuum. The USGS must both conduct research to develop new understanding, data, and information products, as well as commit to operationalizing those higher order data and information 

products (for example, through graphical user interfaces). Our organization excels on the research end of the continuum, 

but could be strengthened on the operations end of the continuum. This will indeed require a commitment to sustained 

provision of resources to develop, maintain, improve, and deliver operational products. 

Alternatively, if we do not take on these challenges ourselves, we must be content to outsource the operational delivery 

of USGS data and data products to third parties, which may or may not appropriately acknowledge the value of USGS 

contribution to the operational product. This approach would require fewer resources, but there is the potential loss of an 

easily identifiable USGS brand and an eventual loss of relevance to society. This is particularly significant during a time of 

shrinking Federal budgets.

COMMUNICATION

Delivery

Analysis

Modeling and Integration

Observations and Monitoring

Research and Development

USGS Integrated Decision Support System

Figure 2. The U.S. Geological Survey Integrated Decision Support System (pyramid) 

diagram presented and discussed by Kevin Gallagher during his plenary session. 
26 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Participants in this workshop, some of whom attended a similar workshop led by Jake Weltzin at the Innovation Center 

Workshop, held in Menlo Park, Calif., in December 2016, expressed interest in the potential development of a community 

of interest for real-time data. An email listserv might help foster communication among interested parties; create efficiencies 

through sharing of lessons learned; help remove roadblocks to information management and delivery; facilitate enterprise 

solutions, tools, and technologies; create opportunities for coordination or collaboration; support innovation; improve policy 

compliance; and serve as a nucleus for continued development of real-time integrated data and information in support of our 

goals for the Integrated Decision Support System. Further, this group could expand communication and collaboration through 

organized activities (for example, symposia, workshops, sessions, webinars) within the USGS and at scientific meetings and 

gatherings or with external partners such as other Department of the Interior Bureaus, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Over the longer term, the strengths of this community of interest, or practice, could be brought to bear support to the 

production and delivery of USGS-branded products. This is the vision of the Integrated Decision Support System. Other 

USGS strategic planning activities such as the Executive Leadership Team science and capacity planning activities, or those 

suggested by the Council of Senior Science Advisors workshop (Jenni and others, 2017), could also contribute to the aspirations 

of USGS-branded products in the Integrated Decision Support System.

For more information, see the full report at the workshop presentation page at https://my.usgs.gov/confluence/x/Np7OIQ. 

Trusted Digital Repositories—What Are They and How Do You Become One?

Session led by John Faundeen (USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center)

This was an interactive session to (1) inform the audience of the variety of certification options available, (2) detail the 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) adopted choice, (3) explain the process to become certified, (4) share experiences with using 

the USGS approach, and (5) discuss where we think the trusted digital repositories process is headed. Audience interaction 

was encouraged throughout this session.

Fine-Tuning Guidelines for Revising Public U.S. Geological Survey Data

Session led by Fran Lightsom (USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center)

The goal of the session was to include a broad range of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data experience in reviewing 

the new Fundamental Science Practices Advisory Committee (FSPAC) guidelines for revising data releases as well as suggest 

needed clarifications or additional factors to consider. We looked together at the guidance, which is available on the Fundamental 

Science Practices website at https://www2.usgs.gov/fsp/data_versioning.asp. Generally the FSPAC Scientific Data Guidance 

Subcommittee has done a good job, although we identified some areas where improvement is possible.

Integrated science would presumably involve repurposing existing data, which would benefit from corrected data releases 

and clear documentation of these revisions. Currently, data releases are a relatively new requirement, and very few have been 

revised as of yet. Going forward, the guidance will be important to ensure the quality of USGS data and metadata. 

Ideally, we would like the FSPAC guidance to address the wide variety of USGS research and data in a way that maintains 

quality and integrity without discouraging productivity. In the short term, the observations of the session are being communicated to 

the FSPAC subcommittee, where we have confidence they will be used to create a better guidance document. In the longer term, 

the Community for Data Integration might adopt a future role of reviewing sections of FSPAC data-release guidance at all of our 

meetings to assist FSPAC in keeping current with research and innovations in information science.
Topical Sessions 27

National Geospatial Data Development

Session led by John Brakebill

Presentations by John Brakebill (USGS Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia Water Science Center), Al Rea (USGS 

National Geospatial Program), Mike Wieczorek (USGS Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia Water Science Center), 

and Roland Viger (USGS National Research Program)

The goals of the National Geospatial Data Development session were to (1) provide an overview of key geospatial 

data development and current needs, (2) describe integration applications, and (3) present community ideas (for example, 

how to share, communicate).

Throughout the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other Federal agencies, many national-scale geospatial datasets are 

being created, developed, modified, and associated to hydrologic frameworks to suit multiple programs and projects in support 

of environmental assessments. This session discussed and described the following topics: key data being developed, scales and 

units, benefits and limitations, what some of the remaining needs are, what the key frameworks are, and how one finds out what 

is being compiled. Collaborative approaches with other agencies were addressed, including successes and failures. Mechanisms 

to allow for faster notification and awareness of development, updates, and access were also discussed. Critical hydrologic networks, like the National Hydrography Dataset (and NHDPlus), were discussed as crucial frameworks for multiple applications.

National geospatial data development relates to enabling integrated science at the USGS because knowledge and 

access of geospatial data allows for additional data sharing and applications beyond the original intent of development. 

Knowledge prior to data development allows for an expanded scope and input for a variety of needs. Assigning key data 

to stable networks (for example, hydrologic networks) allows for integration. Finally, interactions with other Federal 

agencies are very critical.

Currently, some duplication of effort exists at the USGS with regard to national geospatial data development. There 

is an opportunity for support (technical, computer, systems) to be improved. The online Confluence wiki website and 

ScienceBase system are good steps forward. The current business model affects the ability to work across layers.

Ideally, there would be a community that produces standard operating procedures and serves as an outlet to post and 

communicate activities and needs. With respect to data, enterprise data would be identified, communicated, and practiced. 

There would be seamless integration across the Bureau and other Federal agencies.

A short-term step we can take to get to where we want to be is to improve cooperation with other Federal agencies 

such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Environmental Protection Agency. Longer term steps would 

be to examine possible improvements to the USGS funding model and to support enterprise USGS data development, 

including getting some applications included in the Presidential budget proposal (that is, the “Green Book”).

Learn More about Cloud Hosting Solutions (CHS)

Session led by Harold House (USGS Office of the Director), Courtney Owens (USGS Office of Enterprise Information), and Jennifer

Erxleben (USGS Cloud Hosting Solutions)

In this session, participants learned about Cloud Hosting Solutions (CHS), the secure cloud offering for U.S. Geological 

Survey science centers and mission areas. CHS is operated and maintained by the Office of Enterprise Information in 

cooperation and governance with the Department of the Interior. We provided a detailed overview of the CHS program, its 

strategic vision, fiscal year 2016 accomplishments, lessons learned, and current service offerings. We presented information 

on U.S. Geological Survey programs that are currently operating in the CHS cloud environment, and provided demonstrations 

on the CHS Sandbox, cluster computing (Alces Flight), and offsite backup (CloudBerry).
28 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Working Group Meetings

Four working groups met during the workshop (listed alphabetically).

• Data Management Working Group

• Earth Science Themes Working Group

• Semantic Web Working Group

• Tech Stack Working Group

Data Management Working Group

Session led by Viv Hutchison (USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library) and Cassandra Ladino (USGS Eastern Geographic Science Center)

The main goal of this session was to determine how the Data Management Working Group (DMWG) could best contribute 

to enabling integrated science. This included identifying specific challenges that we could tackle in the form of subteams within 

the DMWG and gathering ideas for the types of presentations in our monthly meetings that would be most helpful to U.S. 

Geological Survey data managers and other colleagues.

The DMWG is open to all those who are interested in advancing data-management best practices in the Bureau. This 

session was a chance for anyone interested in participating in the DMWG to meet face to face and discuss what we wanted to 

see the group accomplish next. Currently, the working group is a monthly forum where we share new tools and applications and 

highlight updates and Bureau progress in data management. We sponsor subteams that meet for a short period of time to tackle 

an aspect of data management in need of guidance or direction.

Discussion included the following topics.

• What challenges are we facing that we can make progress on through the working group?

• How can we best contribute to enabling integrated science?

• What small teams should we think about leading this year?

Participants brainstorm ideas at the Data Management Working Group breakout session. Photograph by Viv Hutchison.
Working Group Meetings 29

• What kinds of presentations or discussion topics would you like to see in DMWG?

• What ideas do you have to make the DMWG even more relevant and helpful in your daily job?

In a brainstorming session, we considered the sentence “If ____ was easier, I could do my work in data management more 

efficiently” in light of Science Data Lifecycle Model components and associated topics. Ideas for phrases that could complete 

the blank in the sentence were posted, and those that received the most support from the group are listed here by Science Data 

Lifecycle Model Component and associated topics:

• Plan

• accessing and searching data-management plans (DMP) between the centers

• developing more standardized DMPs (better defined plans with boilerplate language)

• developing templates with consistent fields

• achieving better communication of expectations to managers

• adding data support staff

• Acquire

• convincing scientists to use consistent data schemas

• Process

• moving large volumes of data

• Analyze

• aggregation of data

• Preserve

• moving and copying big data

• migrating data to new media

• Publish and Share

• integrating DMPs with the Information Products Delivery System (IPDS) and metadata systems so information 

is not retyped

• doing software release and review

• creating interactive websites

• getting scientists credit for data releases

• Metadata

• developing guidelines for review and training

• linking DMPs to metadata

• finding available metadata reviewers

• automating metadata creation

• communicating incentives for good metadata creation

• applying universally consistent vocabulary and keywords

• Quality

• finding better guidelines for review
30 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

• performing quality reviews

• using consistent definitions for quality

• Other

• change in culture

• educating managers

• getting recognition and acceptance of effort

• finding the right people to do the work (staffing, outsourcing, contracting, skill sets)

• hiring data-management support staff at agency level

• using ScienceBase

Earth Science Themes Working Group

Session led by Roland Viger (USGS National Research Program)

The Earth Science Themes Working Group is an umbrella group to facilitate sharing of methods, data, software, and 

conceptual models for more specific Earth-science themes. A main message from the Earth Science Themes Working Group 

breakout is that adapting one’s style of work and culture to be more open is key to advancing overall scientific progress. This 

is not necessarily hard, but it requires a somewhat conscious effort to change long-established patterns.The breakout included a 

series of talks focusing on the river corridor, looking to continue on with collaboration between the 3D Elevation Program and 

other projects, for example, ecological flows and drought. The session included the following:

• a talk by the Powell Center project co-director Martin Goldhaber;

• a presentation by Andrea Ostroff on the ecological flows initiative and drought;

• a presentation by Jason Stoker on leveraging 3D Elevation Program lidar data for extraction of features and landscape 

characterization, such as floodplain mapping and near-stream canopy-height and biomass estimation; and

• a presentation by Michael Wieczorek about the National Water-Quality Assessment on soils data and riparian-zone 

mapping from the U.S. Forest Service.

We discussed national datasets and their role in our science. There are lots of national datasets being produced, and we need 

to share our work more efficiently. There are national hydrological and hydrographical frameworks for organizing information 

(for example, other data types and observations). The community is needed to generate feedback and guidance from stakeholders. Several likely topics for national dataset creation were vegetation height and biomass near streams, manure, and culverts.

Although not present for the workshop, the Earth Science Themes Working Group includes the Bioinformatics Community 

of Practice, which is very active, and the Interagency Collaborative for Environmental Modeling and Monitoring (ICEMM), a 

Federal interagency group. The ICEMM is about 15 years old and has moved into the Community for Data Integration’s wiki 

space. It has its own governance and internal structure of working groups. We received lots of friendly feedback from them in 

preparing for the workshop and would like to develop relationships on this topic. It is possible they might have opinions on 

model archiving.

Semantic Web Working Group

Session led by Fran Lightsom (USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center)

The Community for Data Integration (CDI) Semantic Web Working Group is an open and ongoing CDI working group that 

explores semantic web technologies as possible methods for exposing U.S. Geological Survey data and information projects. 

Semantic web has important applications for “Enabling Integrated Science,” which is this year’s CDI workshop theme. In our 

breakout session, we introduced CDI members to the basics of semantic web and to the projects our working group has pursued. 

Semantic web techniques are good for making connections among disparate data and for identifying the specific and subtle 

requirements of complex projects.
Working Group Meetings 31

Tech Stack Working Group

Session led by Rich Signell (USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center)

The Community for Data Integration (CDI) Tech Stack Working Group is interested in tools and techniques that improve 

data discoverability, interoperability, and access efficiency and workflow reproducibility. In this session, we invited speakers to 

lead discussions on the following topics of interest to our group:

Software Release Policy (Sky Bristol)—The instructional manual is being tested and will be refined as needed. We are working 

toward appropriate vetting and documentation, hopefully without too many roadblocks. Bureau approval for software is moving to 

the Center Director level. Provisional software release and use of GitHub, for example, is allowed with Center Director approval.

Dealing with Sub-Petabyte Data (Rich Signell and Jeff Falgout)—Dealing with large datasets is a pervasive problem, that results 

in many ad hoc local solutions and no way to meet the publication requirements. A shared remote solution is needed, with fast access 

for science. There is a developing paradigm of data-centric computing—where data remain in place and the computing resources 

are brought to the data. To be economically feasible, we need to provide multiple tiers of storage—from extremely high-performing 

storage such as Non-Volatile Memory Express to extremely high-capacity storage, such as Enterprise-level tape libraries. These tiers 

must be appropriate to the type of computational analysis performed. To make these tiers effective, the data must flow between tiers, 

enabling the data lifecycle workflow (Faundeen and others, 2013). There is a multiphase pilot project underway to address the 

challenges of large datasets. The first phase of the project enables users of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) high-performance 

computing environment, where a significant amount of data is analyzed and produced, to move between data, on demand, between tiers. 

The next phase is to integrate on-demand data movement with ScienceBase publishing. The final phase of the pilot will explore 

multi-site replication over wide area networks in a user-controlled, multi-tiered data-storage environment. We need to set up tools 

for analysis and visualization of data that work close to the data and will provide increased performance processing, reduce 

data-egress charges, and obviate the need for the user to have fast network connections. The goal is to allow users to effectively 

process, analyze, and visualize large datasets, for example, from their hotel room using only a web browser on a Chromebook.

Simulation Model Archiving (Roland Viger)—The motivation for this topic is that we need best practices for archiving models 

for different modeling communities; for example, the groundwater group at the USGS has developed an example approach. This 

topic could be discussed jointly across other CDI working groups, as it is relevant to the Data Management Working Group and 

possibly the Semantic Web Working Group. We are interested in finding others to participate here.

The Tech Stack Working Group plans to host a series of talks that will hopefully result in some consensus building. Possible 

presentation topics include

• the USGS Water Mission Area first generation protocols for model archiving, which have differing levels of sophistication

across their disciplines; groundwater is in the lead and we would like to hear more about their motivations, concepts, and

technology choices;

• experiments by the Core Science Systems Mission Area’s Biogeographic Characterization Branch on using the World

Wide Web Consortium provenance standards for describing data provenance;

• semantic meta-modeling; and

• a number of related academic groups that are addressing similar topics, particularly which is the best starting point for

us—Earth System Documentation (https://earthsystemcog.org/projects/es-doc-models/) for models, based on the Common

Information Model, and the Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System (CSDMS), among others.

A next step would be to develop lists or use cases around CDI member needs and USGS policy (Fundamental Science Practices,

publications, and so forth). This is a big, complicated, common problem, and we definitely do not want to reinvent anything. There are 

already some folks working on or around this issue within the USGS, as well as beyond. Our purpose in pursuing this topic is to educate 

ourselves a bit, develop thinking about our specific needs, think about increasing the effect of modeling-based science produced by 

CDI members, and help guide policy and protocol development around this type of scientific information content.
32 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Selected Birds of a Feather Discussion

A brief summary of a selected Birds of a Feather Discussion is provided here.

Data Science Community of Practice

Session led by Lindsay Carr (USGS Office of Water Information)

Working knowledge of computer science and statistics (in other words, data science) is increasingly important for 

dealing with 21st century data-intensive scientific workflows. One of the biggest barriers in developing efficient workflows 

can be knowing what appropriate tools, packages, or techniques exist. Channels of communication between users engaged 

in similar work can help, but can be difficult to establish because practitioners are scattered across projects and offices. 

This session solicited group input on (1) the scope of a data science community of practice, (2) identifying data science 

(or similar) groups that exist within and beyond the Bureau, (3) exploring opportunities for data science to enhance 

existing Bureau science, and (4) the potential ownership of such a group, including as a Community for Data Integration 

working group. The establishment of a data science group would promote sharing and exchange of data science practices 

across the Bureau, with the ultimate goal of increasing efficiency, reproducibility, and scalability of science throughout the 

U.S. Geological Survey.

In our discussion, we affirmed that we wanted a forum to have data-science-related discussions but not additional 

monthly meetings. We aimed for the “clusters” concept presented by Bruce Caron in one of the workshop keynotes.

The community of practice developed the following list of action items.

• Create a U.S. Geological Survey best-practices GitHub repository (https://github.com/usgs/best-practices):

• use the Issues feature to ask questions, suggest potential projects, and opt out when conversation is not applicable and

• in the read-me file (data-science/README.md), collect resources, examples of data science, and contact information.

• Create a Community for Data Integration Confluence page pointing to the GitHub repository.

Open Lab

Metadata Reviewers Community of Practice

Session led by Fran Lightsom (USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center)

The Metadata Reviewers Community of Practice explored new metadata tools together at the workshop Open Lab 

(a meeting space at the workshop for those who wanted to meet and work on any topic).

After a spirited discussion of the larger work citation and the best place in the metadata record for a citation of an 

associated publication, we had three demonstrations: the new stand-alone version of Metadata Wizard (Colin Talbert), 

secondary validation of metadata records using the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Geospatial Metadata Validation Service 

at https://mrdata.usgs.gov/validation/ (Peter Schweitzer), and the Alaska Science Center metadata editor (Dennis Walworth). 

Additional notes are at https://my.usgs.gov/confluence/display/cdi/Meetings+of+the+Metadata+Reviewers+Community.

To the extent that integrated science requires integrating data, metadata will be essential in discovering and reusing 

the data.

Current metadata tools are insufficiently user-friendly, especially for some data types and research topics. New tools

are in the final stages of development and should be operational within a year.

Ideally, we want to move to a situation where we have the following: (1) a spectrum of metadata profiles to ensure 

quality and facilitate metadata creation for the wide range of USGS data, (2) web services for a wide range of controlled 

vocabularies to facilitate data discovery and metadata creation, and (3) a situation where we maintain a USGS collection 

of data dictionaries or data-dictionary items for incorporation into metadata records and use in designing data collection 

and facilitating data integration.

Short term (1–3 years) steps we can take to get to where we want to be are listed below.

• Have a Metadata Reviewers Community of Practice session to experiment with mdEditor when it is ready (year 1).

• Encourage early adopters to help refine the new metadata tools (year 1).
Trainings 33

• Start offering ongoing interactive training for use of metadata tools and for metadata review.

• Use case analyses for metadata profiles.

• Use case analysis for a USGS collection of data-dictionary items.

• Reinvigorate the USGS Thesaurus team.

Longer term (3–10 years) steps we can take to get to where we want to be are listed below.

• Work toward USGS adoption of mdJSON as the internal USGS standard for metadata compliant with standards established 

by the International Organization for Standards, with translation capabilities for interfacing with external systems that 

require Extensible Markup Language (XML). Steps would include development of a service for reusable snippets such 

as contact information or data-dictionary items and development of tools for metadata review.

Trainings

R Workshop for Beginners

Contacts: Lindsay Carr and Emily Read (both from USGS Office of Water Information)

Format: full-day training session

Learn the basics of scientific computing in R, including how to

• import data into R from local files or web sources,

• reformat and clean data to prepare for analysis,

• analyze and visualize data, and

• repeat and reproduce workflows.

This course covered similar concepts to a full, three-day Introduction to R course but did not go as far in depth given the 

time limitation. 

Introduction to Advanced Scientific Computing

Contact: Janice Gordon (USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library)

Format: half-day training session

This training session provided an introduction to advanced computing paradigms, including high-performance computing, 

high-throughput computing, parallelism, OpenMP, and Message Passing Interface (MPI) and provided scientific use cases for 

each type of technology. Hands-on labs taught participants how to access and run jobs on USGS in-house advanced computing resources, such as the “Yeti” supercomputing cluster and the HTCondor high-throughput computing systems.
34 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

DataBlast

The DataBlast is an informal poster and live-demonstration session designed to ignite creative discussions and build community. All workshop attendees were invited to participate and share the projects they were working on. The abstracts below 

were submitted by attendees prior to the DataBlast. Each abstract identifies in brackets the CDI Science Support Framework 

category (appendix 3) that it is most aligned with.

The 2017 DataBlast poster and live demonstration session was held on Thursday, May 18, in the U.S. Geological Survey Library and the 

Remington Arms Room, Denver Federal Center. Many of the posters are available as PDF files at https://my.usgs.gov/confluence/x/Z5POIQ. 

People in foreground are, from left to right, Colin Talbert, Cheryl Morris, Bill Werkheiser, and Mark Hannon. 

Photograph by Daniel Wieferich.

U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Geology Data Catalog—A Demonstration of the 

Prototype for the U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration

By Alan Allwardt (USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Program), Lisa Zolly (USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and 

Libraries), Peter N. Schweitzer (USGS Eastern Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center), and Fran Lightsom (USGS 

Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Geology Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Semantics]

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP) has developed the prototype for a 

USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Data Catalog, based on the same software that powers the USGS Science Data Catalog 

(SDC). The CMGP prototype differs from the SDC in one important respect: keyword browsing in the prototype is organized 

around the USGS Thesaurus and two other controlled vocabularies. This feature of the prototype requires that CMGP metadata 

records include keywords from these vocabularies, a task we are accomplishing by (1) revising the keyword sections of existing 

CMGP metadata records in the web-accessible folders harvested by the catalogs and (2) asking metadata producers in the three 

CMGP science centers to incorporate keywords from these vocabularies in all new metadata records. This process has worked 

for the CMGP because its metadata collection is relatively small (about 3,000 records) and its metadata community is fairly 

close-knit. The feasibility of scaling the process to a larger metadata collection, such as the one managed by the SDC, is an open 

question. At our demonstration at the 2017 Community for Data Integration DataBlast, we compared and contrasted the CMGP 

prototype with the SDC. We welcomed suggestions for improvements. 
DataBlast 35

Being Charlotte—Weaving Together Information Assets at the Great Lakes Science Center

By Tara Bell and Sofia Dabrowski (both from USGS Great Lakes Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Knowledge Management]

With approximately 160 contract and Federal employees and 138 concurrent studies, the Great Lakes Science Center produces a lot of information. Along with the 70–100 journal articles and reports we produce each year are a deluge of photographs, 

videos, books, archival materials, and (of course) data. Besides our current products, we have legacy products dating back to 

1921. Presently, the catalogs for these products are distributed among ProCite databases and Excel spreadsheets. By cataloging 

these products in one place, we hope to create a system that has the following capabilities: 

• answers annual data calls, 

• allows us to analyze trends in research,

• manages media for communication purposes,

• establishes intellectual control over products,

• accommodates changes in formats,

• stores metadata for digital and physical products,

• contributes to the center’s publication review and award process,

• is easily searchable by and accessible to center staff, and

• links products to the study or center activity that created them.

Not all of these information types are considered official records of the U.S. Geological Survey, but nonetheless they are an 

important piece of our institutional history. This poster will specifically discuss the publications catalog within the broader context 

of our goal to move beyond a network of outdated, disparate tools into a comprehensive information-management system.

Automating the Use of Citizen Scientists’ Biodiversity Surveys in iNaturalist to Facilitate Early 

Detection of Species’ Responses to Climate Change

By Erin Boydston (USGS Western Ecological Research Center), Jenny Briggs (USGS Geosciences and Environmental Change 

Science Center), Vijay Barve (Florida Museum of Natural History), Lena Lee (National Park Service Mediterranean Coast Network 

Inventory and Monitoring Program), and Toni Lyn Morelli (USGS Northeast Climate Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Data Lifecycle—Processing]

With changing climate and land use, plants and animals may respond by moving into new areas. Early detection of these 

shifts is a challenge for resource managers, but citizen scientists and new technology can help. In 2016, the National Park Service (NPS) hosted BioBlitz surveys in which visitors and staff used the iNaturalist smartphone application (app) to document 

species, yielding over 100,000 observations in a spatially explicit database of verifiable records. For a subset of participating 

parks, we examined what percent of biodiversity was recorded, how percentages varied across taxa and parks, and if new species 

were documented. We identified several species not on current NPS species lists, indicating the potential of iNaturalist data for 

monitoring and conserving biodiversity. Our Community for Data Integration project will build on this pilot effort to leverage 

existing capabilities, code, resources, and diverse collaborative expertise (U.S. Geological Survey ecologists, NPS resource 

stewards, university biologists, computer scientists) to translate iNaturalist information into actionable knowledge across parks. 

We will automate the integration and cross-referencing of the NPS and iNaturalist databases and test the app with park partners. 

The resulting tools will support early detection of native and non-native species’ range shifts, giving Department of the Interior 

agencies a head start in managing threats to biodiversity.
36 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Alaska Data Integration Working Group Metadata Toolkit—International Organization for 

Standards Metadata Editor

By Josh Bradley (Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative), Stan Smith (Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative), and 

Dennis Walworth (USGS Alaska Integrated Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Applications]

The mdEditor is an end-user web application designed for authoring International Organization for Standards (ISO)-compliant 

metadata. mdEditor is a part of an integrated suite of applications for authoring and editing metadata called the Metadata Toolkit. 

The toolkit is being developed by the Alaska Data Integration working group as an open-source project. The intent of the toolkit 

is to promote the creation and use of ISO-compliant metadata by lowering the level of technical expertise required to produce 

archival-quality metadata. 

At the heart of the toolkit is mdJSON, an intermediate metadata format based on JavaScript Object Notation. mdJSON is 

capable of capturing 95 percent of ISO 19115–1 and 100 percent of Federal Geographic Data Committee content standard for 

digital geospatial metadata-compliant content. 

The mdEditor application is used to author metadata content for projects, data products, collections, and more in the mdJSON 

format. The editor interfaces with mdTranslator to produce metadata in a supported output format, such as ISO 19115–2 

Extensible Markup Language (XML). 

This poster session provided an opportunity to learn about the toolkit and try out a beta version of the mdEditor application. 

Team Metadata Creation for Longitudinal Data—Case Study with the Great Lake Science Center 

Research Vessel Catch Database

By Sofia Dabrowski (USGS Great Lakes Science Center) 

[Science Support Framework category: Data Management]

The simple question facing the Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) was, how can we publish the entirety of our Research 

Vessel Catch (RVCAT) database? The question became more complex as we considered the time span of data collection, varying 

history of data collection, different needs of each geographic location, and changes in methodology over space and time. How do 

we engage users to write meaningful metadata and curate this data? 

Many years and miles both connect and separate the numerous hands that have added data to the GLSC’s RVCAT. The 

RVCAT contains data from multiple operations conducted on all of the Great Lakes from 1958 to present (with some 1930s 

data in the works), which represents a total of 36 different vessels used over time. Operations data represented in RVCAT are 

collected and used in connection with numerous research projects, reports to various organizations on Great Lakes’ ecosystem 

health, and for longitudinal data about environmental conditions and species inhabiting the Great Lakes. 

The GLSC information services team has taken on the task of writing metadata for the dataset and coordinating its release with 

multiple primary investigators. This poster described that process and illustrated how a simple question can have complex answers. 

Flocks of a Feather Dock Together—Using Docker and HTCondor to Link High-Throughput 

Computing Across the U.S. Geological Survey

By Richard Erickson (USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center), Sunnie McCalla (USGS Upper Midwest Environmental 

Sciences Center), and Michael Fienen (USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Communities of Practice]

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists often face computationally intensive tasks. Examples include calibrating 

groundwater models, monitoring invasive species using genetic methods, and processing geospatial data. Several USGS science centers have developed high-throughput computing facilities that address these needs, and most of these facilities use 

HTCondor to run their computational pools. Our project will help science centers by documenting how to connect HTCondor 

pools by a process called “flocking” within the USGS. Additionally, we will help USGS scientists use HTCondor by developing tutorials on how to sandbox code using Docker within the USGS for use with high-throughput computing. To date, we 

have posted our tutorials on the Community for Data Integration Bitbucket page (https://my.usgs.gov/bitbucket/projects/CDI/

repos/hunting_invasive_species_with_htcondor/) and have flocked three USGS science centers.
DataBlast 37

U.S. Geological Survey Data at Risk—Expanding Legacy Data Inventory and 

Preservation Strategies

By Cristiana Falvo (USGS Fort Collins Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Data Lifecycle—Preservation]

As one of the largest and oldest science organizations in the world, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has produced more 

than a century of Earth-science data that is currently unavailable to the greater scientific community because of inaccessible or 

obsolete media, formats, or technology. These innumerable legacy data sets would be invaluable for extending our historical 

understanding of the world’s natural resources, landscapes, and hazards if preserved and released. The challenge of legacy data 

preservation is not the preservation work itself but rather the act of finding the needles in the monstrous haystack. Choosing the 

“needles,” or the highest priority datasets, requires methods and tools to evaluate and prioritize legacy data. 

The 2016 Data at Risk project used the Legacy Data Inventory Reporting System application to implement methods for 

evaluating and prioritizing USGS legacy datasets. By scoring datasets based on their geospatial and temporal extents, loss and 

damage risk factors, and relevance to current USGS mission areas and programs, users are able to easily identify which legacy 

data should be preserved and released. These methods were used to select and preserve five USGS legacy datasets in FY16 (see 

more details at https://my.usgs.gov/confluence/x/xovHI). Those data releases were used as case studies to investigate the time 

and resources required to preserve various types of legacy data. The 2017 Data at Risk project will build on these efforts by 

refining Legacy Data Inventory Reporting System prioritization parameters, expanding USGS legacy data inventory, and continuing to preserve legacy data with greatest potential effects to society.

Trusted Digital Repositories—What Are They and How Do You Become One?

By John Faundeen (USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center), Clara Brown (USGS Core Science Systems), and 

Keith Kirk (USGS Office of Science Quality and Integrity)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Data Lifecycle—Preservation]

Trusted digital repositories ensure long-term preservation of and access to digital assets. To address multiple Federal mandates, the U.S. Geological Survey aspires to include the trusted digital repositories concept as part of its adoption of life-cycle 

management practices for Bureau science records. This poster details the Fundamental Science Practices Advisory Committee 

Data Preservation Sub-Committee’s review process, lists the specific topical areas to be addressed, details the team members 

involved, and includes the sources reviewed that led to this U.S. Geological Survey process. 

Data-First Architecture

By Jeremy Fee (USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Web Services]

Data-first architectures separate data access and presentation using well-defined interfaces and formats. Loose coupling 

between data access and presentation allows data services and applications to be developed, maintained, and scaled independently. A separate data service also ensures data can be accessed programmatically, rather than requiring human interaction, 

making it easier to use the data in new ways in the future. Separate data services also provide access to the data sooner, before 

additional application development is complete. Finally, a data service may be all that is required to make new data available to 

existing applications. 

The Geologic Hazards Science Center hazards development team uses a data-first approach when developing applications 

for the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards, Geomagnetism, and Landslide Hazards Programs. The earthquake event 

web service, map and list, and event page applications are example components of a data-first architecture. 

Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center and Central Mineral and Environmental 

Resources Science Center Field Collection with ArcGIS Online Tools—Collector and Survey123

By Maggie Goldman and Michaela Johnson (both from USGS Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Data Lifecycle—Acquisition]

As part of data-management responsibilities, migrating scientists from paper to tablet collection in the field will aid 

in managing data throughout the U.S. Geological Survey data life cycle and tailoring it to the needs of the science center. 

Mobile data collection allows for standardized data collection; picklists; advance preparation for field work; no paper maps; 

no transcription errors; and the ability to keep photos, location, and field notes together. We present examples of mobile 
38 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

geographic information system (GIS) data collection using Esri’s Collector for ArcGIS and Survey123 for ArcGIS in reconnaissance surveys, magnetotelluric surveys, and geochemical sample collection in the Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry 

Science Center and Central Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center projects. Our experience demonstrates that 

through successive testing with incorporation of feedback from scientists, these applications can be successfully integrated 

into field operations. ArcGIS mobile applications can be used on multiple platforms (Android, Windows, iOS) to streamline 

data collection, analysis, and storage.

Software Release Guidelines

By Michelle Guy, Eric Martinez, and Lynda Lastowka (all from USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Data Lifecycle—Publishing and Sharing]

At the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), software often supports our science and data. Just as the science and data are 

reviewed and made publicly available, our software should be as well. In October 2016, the USGS issued an instructional 

memorandum on software releases. Although the instructional memorandum is an interim document and subject to change, 

it outlines some best practices that can be described in an example workflow of a software release. Software spans a wide 

spectrum of applications and environments as represented in the Community for Data Integration’s Computational Tools and 

Services element. Because of such diversity, each project may need special or additional considerations when going through a 

release process to publish software. However, in general, software should be well documented, able to cite licenses and dependencies, well tested, version controlled, reviewed, and assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). The release process is intended 

to ensure the quality and integrity of the software the USGS produces. 

Presenting Complex Analytical Datasets to the Public with Accessible Cloud-Based Visualizations

By Kevin Henry, Jeanne Jones, Nathan Wood, Peter Ng, Jeff Peters, and Jamie Jones, (all from USGS Western Geographic 

Science Center) 

[Science Support Framework category: Applications]

Prior U.S. Geological Survey research on vulnerability to natural hazards has resulted in a large amount of analytical 

geospatial data, which provides actionable information for developing risk-reduction efforts that can save lives or reduce damages from natural hazards. However, these data are not easily accessible by internal or external sources and frequently requires 

presentation within the context of other data and information for useful interpretation. To address this, browser-based applications can be created to share information in an illustrative manner. Various technologies exist to visualize data in widely accessible formats through a web browser, yet their capacity to display the large analytical datasets from vulnerability-assessment projects 

is unknown. We present two separate projects that involved the visualization of natural hazard exposure information in webmapping technologies. The first project uses a cloud-based server stack combined with vector tiles to present analytical 

information for 9 indicators across 36 sea-level rise scenarios. The second project presents a lightweight application using 

ScienceBase as a data host to present geospatial data in the Cesium three-dimensional viewer. Affordances and constraints of 

each application approach were discovered and can be useful to inform future projects that aim to present complex geospatial 

analytical information to a wide audience.

Improving the Data Management Training Clearinghouse

By Sophie Hou (National Center for Atmospheric Research) and Nancy Hoebelheinrich (Knowledge Motifs, LLC)

[Science Support Framework category: Applications]

The Data Management Training Clearinghouse was developed with seed money received in 2016 from the U.S. Geological 

Survey’s Community for Data Integration. The implementation phase of the collaboratively developed clearinghouse allowed 

the clearinghouse to become operational and ready for people to search for, browse, and submit learning resources related to 

research data management. Although the clearinghouse team was able to complete some informal usability testing of the clearinghouse’s interface during the initial six months of its funding, the team aims to improve and enhance the ease of use for all of 

the clearinghouse functions. At this session, the clearinghouse team provided a brief introduction to the clearinghouse’s current 

design and implementation and invited the session attendees to try out several key functions of the clearinghouse in order to 

provide feedback and suggest priorities for its future development.
DataBlast 39

ScienceBase as a Platform for Data Release

By Drew A. Ignizio, Tamar Norkin, Michelle Y. Chang, Madison L. Langseth, and Vivian B. Hutchison (all from USGS Core Science 

Analytics, Synthesis, and Libraries) 

[Science Support Framework category: Data Management]

Originally developed as a catalog and collaborative data-management platform, ScienceBase (www.sciencebase.gov) is 

being leveraged to serve as a robust data-hosting solution for U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists. With the goal of maintaining persistent access to formal data products and supporting a management approach for stable data citation, the ScienceBase 

data-release team was established in 2015 to help ensure quality, consistency, and the meaningful organization of USGS data in 

ScienceBase through a standardized workflow and best practices.

The ScienceBase data release workflow (https://www.sciencebase.gov/about/content/data-release) provides a clear, step-by-step 

path for scientists to publish citable USGS data products in adherence with the requirements of the USGS data-release policies. 

USGS personnel can log in to ScienceBase to add content and have the ability to manage access to resources and data while 

finalizing a data release. The ScienceBase data-release team assists authors with steps such as the creation of new landing pages 

and obtaining Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs). The team also provides guidance on policy considerations, open file formats, 

best practices for metadata, and strategies for organizing content in ScienceBase in a meaningful, logical way. As part of their 

process, the team lastly runs a quality-control check on ScienceBase data-release pages before making them public.

ScienceBase has recently built out new features to support data release, including adding in the ability to send the metadata 

records associated with data-release products directly from ScienceBase to the USGS Science Data Catalog (https://data.usgs.gov), 

temporary access links to facilitate review, and metrics to allow data authors to track site visits and file downloads. There is also 

ongoing work to automate the process of creating new landing pages, as well as planned updates for the user interface to help 

provide a more efficient, intuitive interaction with the system.

By facilitating data publication and employing a dedicated team to help USGS scientists publish their data, ScienceBase is 

helping to meet data-management challenges and ensure that reliable USGS data are accessible to and reusable by the public.

An Information Ecosystem to Meet the Data-Management Requirements of the Long-Term 

Agrocecosystem Research Network

By Nicole E. Kaplan, Gerardo A. Armendariz, Dan K. Arthur, Jennifer Carter, Justin D. Derner, Philip Heilman, Peter J.A. Kleinman, 

Pat Nash, E. John Sadler, and Bruce Vandenberg (all from USDA Agricultural Research Service)

[Science Support Framework category: Data Management]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network consists of 18 locations 

across the continental United States and comprises sites supported by government agencies, universities, and nongovernment 

organizations. The Network’s research on the sustainability of agricultural production and associated provision of ecosystem 

services relies upon historical data and insights, as well as on new findings from network-wide common experiments.

Traditionally, researchers at LTAR sites have managed data within their own local systems, most without a systematic 

approach to enabling data and information sharing. However, LTAR scientists need timely access to various data in useable 

formats to conduct cross-site analysis and perform simulation modelling. It is therefore critical to implement interoperability of 

data and systems for efficient analyses of complex questions within and across spatio-temporal scales.

As the LTAR Network designs and develops its data-management systems, an LTAR “Information Ecosystem” 

(Nardi and O’Day, 1999) is envisioned to enable effective communication and collaboration, data-sharing policies, standardization 

of exchange formats for data and metadata, integration of various types of data, and quality assurance and quality control. We 

present how LTAR sites, emerging centers for data management, such as the National Agricultural Library; the Center for 

Agricultural Resources Research; Sustaining the Earth’s Watersheds, Agricultural Research Data System (STEWARDS); Greenhouse 

gas Reduction through Agricultural Carbon Enhancement Network (GRACEnet); and the new National Wind Erosion Research 

Network, are identifying existing capacity that can be expanded to meet data-management requirements for LTAR.

U.S. Geological Survey StreamStats—Hydrologic and Geospatial Data Integrated to Support Water 

Science and Management

By Katharine Kolb (USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Applications]

StreamStats (http://streamstats.usgs.gov) is a U.S. Geological Survey web-service-based geographic information services 

(GIS) application that provides information used by engineers, hydrologists, managers, planners, and others to make informed 

decisions on water-related activities. It integrates multiple datasets, such as the National Hydrography Dataset, the Watershed 
40 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Boundary Dataset, and the 3D Elevation Program, to allow users to delineate a watershed for a stream point of interest. The 

principal benefit of StreamStats is that the delineation process that used to take hours now can be accomplished in a matter of 

minutes and is replicable between users. StreamStats users can also calculate flow statistics for the watershed of interest and 

compute basin characteristics such as National Land Cover Dataset land use and land cover values and average precipitation. 

Future enhancements will include network navigation tools to trace up and downstream on the National Hydrography Dataset 

flowlines, as well as time of travel. 

The Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard, a Common Language That Facilitates 

Integrating Data About Marine Ecosystems

By Fran Lightsom (USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Semantics]

The Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) is a Federal Geographic Data Committee standard 

for use in federally funded research. In it, the geological, physical, biological, and chemical components of ecosystems are 

classified separately. If used consistently, CMECS data can be integrated to compare sites, identify change, or assemble 

regional assessments. 

The CMECS works for the whole ocean, from the coastline’s intertidal zone to the deep ocean, even up river channels to 

the limit of tidal influence. CMECS data are considered a snapshot in time, explicitly including ephemeral habitats and features. 

The standard provides a language for describing 6 aspects of the ecosystem: 

1. biogeographic setting—Ecoregions defined by climate, geology, and evolutionary history; 

2. aquatic setting—Zones defined by salinity, coastal proximity, and tidal regime; 

3. water-column component—Structure and characteristics of the water column; 

4. geoform component—Geomorphic structural character of the coast or seafloor; 

5. substrate component—Character and composition of the surface and near-surface of the solid Earth; and

6. biotic component—Assemblages of living organisms. 

Terms defined in the CMECS can be used as metadata keywords, the distinctions expressed by the CMECS can be 

used in data dictionaries and map legends, or crosswalks to CMECS categories can provide for data that is measured in 

more precise units. 

Fundamental Science Practice Advisory Committee Scientific Data Guidance Subcommittee

By Fran Lightsom (USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center), Viv Hutchinson (USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Libraries), and Keith Kirk (USGS Office of Science Quality and Integrity)

[Science Support Framework category: Policy and Guidance]

The new (formed March 17, 2017) Fundamental Science Practices Advisory Committee Scientific Data Guidance Subcommittee 

concentrates broadly on the development and revision of U.S. Geological Survey agencywide policies related to scientific data 

and develops guidance materials associated with these policies.

The Benefits of Microservice Architectures

By Eric Martinez (USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Web Services]

A microservice architecture decomposes the traditional monolithic web service into several component, single-purpose web 

services, loosely coupled together in order to achieve the same result. In doing so, multiple benefits are realized: development is 

accelerated, maintenance is simplified, and operations are necessarily fully automated. Additionally, the architecture scales more 

efficiently both vertically and horizontally in order to achieve an appropriately sized solution in all cases.
DataBlast 41

A Technique for Converting Time-Series Network Common Data Form (NetCDF) Files to a Different 

Convention and Two Options for Discovery and Display

By Ellyn Montgomery (USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Applications]

U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Geology Program oceanographic time-series data are released as Equatorial Pacific 

Information Collection (EPIC)-compliant Network Common Data Form (NetCDF) files. In the last decade, climate and forecast (CF) 

convention has supplanted the EPIC convention. To enhance usability or our data holdings, we worked with Axiom Data Science, 

LLC and the U.S. Geological Survey Center for Integrated Data Analytics to develop open-source Python software on GitHub that 

converts EPIC-compliant files to conform to the CF convention. Since we had consistently used the same dimension structure and 

EPIC variable names, the necessary transformations were straightforward. After conversion, the CF-compliant data were harvested 

by the Coastal and Marine Geology Program Oceanographic Model and Data Portal and now are available for browsing and display at 

http://cmgdata.usgsportals.net/#module-metadata/590b5a22-b61e-11e4-b2db-00265529168c/6878f136-b61e-11e4-a8f5-00265529168c.

Similar to the portal, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Earth Research Division Data Access 

Program (ERDDAP) (https://coastwatch.pfeg.noaa.gov/erddap/index.html) provides web-based data discovery and display. In 

addition, ERDDAP has the amazingly useful capacity to read a wide range of data formats, then output the data in a different 

format or convention.

Web Map Application for a Historical Geologic Field Photo Collection

By Sarah Nagorsen (USGS Science Publishing Network), Jason Sherba (USGS Western Geographic Science Center), Christopher Soulard (USGS Western Geographic Science Center), and Drew Ignizio (USGS Core Science Analysis, 

Synthesis, and Libraries)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Data Lifecycle—Publishing and Sharing]

The quantity and quality of digital, geotagged field photos is increasing as more U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists 

use geographic information systems for geologic mapping and field studies. However, many field photos remain undocumented, 

or unpublished, because traditional USGS information products cannot display large numbers of photos in a spatial context. 

Funds from the USGS Community for Data Integration will support efforts to (1) repurpose an existing photo map application 

(Land Cover Trends Field Photo Map) to fit 1,500 historical (1967–2010) Grand Canyon field photos that were collected by 

George Billingsley during 43 years of geologic mapping and (2) produce open-source tools that will allow users to build and 

publish their own photo map applications. We will accomplish these objectives by developing JavaScript and Python tools that 

will import metadata into field photos of the Grand Canyon, upload the field photos to ScienceBase, and then pull these field 

photos and their metadata from ScienceBase for display in an interactive online map. The outcomes of this project will improve 

access to a USGS Grand Canyon field photo collection and will provide a replicable process for building and publishing a photo 

mapping application as a USGS general information product.

An Enterprise-Level Problem—Big Data, Small Science Staff

By Shad O’Neel (USGS Alaska Science Center), Emily Baker (USGS Alaska Science Center), Anthony Arendt (University of Washington), and Landung (Don) Setiawan (University of Washington)

[Science Support Framework category: Data Management]

Advances in data-driven Earth science must span large spatial and temporal scales and administrative and political boundaries. 

Generating high-quality science from such datasets requires reproducible, transparent workflows, but this is difficult to achieve 

with existing data-management practices, especially in small research groups with limited resources. Structured, automated 

approaches to data and metadata management are key to research efficiency and productivity. 

Here, we show progress on a concentrated effort to implement a cloud-based, data and metadata management framework 

within an agency-academic working group. Our framework is built around several independent science efforts, which inherently 

require flexibility and a generalized approach. Using relational databases accessed using object-relational mapping techniques 

and simple input spreadsheets of metadata with each additional dataset uploaded, we are able to automate generation of Federal 

Geographic Data Commission-compliant Extensible Markup Language (XML) metadata. Future iterations will use the objectrelational mapping implicit in Django web framework, thus allowing management of the relational database to occur fully within a 

Python-based open-source environment. Collaboration is currently occurring on GitHub at https://github.com/ehbaker/ice2O.
42 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Visualizing Community Exposure and Evacuation Potential to Tsunami Hazards Using an Interactive 

Tableau Dashboard

By Jeff Peters, Kevin Henry, and Nathan Wood (all from USGS Western Geographic Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Data Lifecycle—Publishing and Sharing]

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research on community exposure and evacuation potential to natural hazards is being used 

for risk-reduction planning at all levels of government across the United States. USGS researchers currently disseminate this 

work through published reports and journal articles that contain static maps, figures, and tables. As these projects grow in scope, 

with many communities and multiple hazard zones, static graphics become difficult to create, publish, and interpret. Interactive 

graphics would allow users to more easily visualize multidimensional data and would allow partner agencies to tailor the content, 

form, and appearance of a vulnerability analysis to best suit their specific planning needs. We will create a new workflow for 

disseminating hazard-exposure data using third-party software (Tableau) technologies to provide interactive interpretation of 

results through an online dashboard. To prototype this approach, we will use results from a case study of community exposure 

and pedestrian evacuation for tsunami hazards on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaii. Results of this project will directly benefit State 

and county emergency managers in Hawaii and lay the foundation for a new way to serve USGS partners in communicating 

community vulnerability to hazards.

Developing Application Programming Interfaces to Support Enterprise-Level Monitoring 

Using Existing Tools

By Brian Reichert (USGS Fort Collins Science Center), Jen Bayer (USGS Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership), 

Rebecca Scully (USGS Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership), Jake Weltzin (USGS National Phenology Network), 

and Patricia Stevens (USGS Fort Collins Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Data Lifecycle—Publishing and Sharing]

In this age of rapidly developing technology, scientific information is constantly being gathered across large spatial scales, 

yet our ability to coordinate large-scale monitoring efforts and to share knowledge depends on further development of tools that 

leverage and integrate multiple sources of data. 

North American bats are experiencing unparalleled population declines. The North American Bat Monitoring Program 

(NABat), a multinational, multiagency coordinated bat-monitoring program, was developed to better understand the status and 

trends of North American bats. Similar to other large-scale monitoring programs, the ultimate success of NABat relies on a unified 

web-based system to help ensure data are collected and managed in a consistent manner. The proposed project will advance current 

efforts to better share documentation and design of data-collection efforts that help organize, curate, and facilitate access to NABat 

data. NABat recognized the benefits of using a suite of web tools at Monitoring Resources (https://www.monitoringresources.org), 

which was developed to support sharing of documentation and design of monitoring. This project will expand on the current capacity 

of Monitoring Resources to enable support of NABat; however, these additions to Monitoring Resources will be extensible and 

replicable and therefore will play a critical role in the implementation of other large-scale monitoring programs in the future.

An Interactive Web-Based Application for Earthquake-Triggered Ground-Failure Inventories

By Robert Schmitt (USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center), Kate Allstadt (USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center), 

Eric Thompson (USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center), Anna Nowicki Jessee (Indiana University Bloomington, Department 

of Geological Sciences), Hakan Tanyas (Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente), Eric 

Thompson (USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center), and Jing Zhu (Tufts University)

[Science Support Framework category: Applications]

Ground-failure inventories are often created after major earthquakes and are a key research tool that can be used to develop, 

train, and test hazard models. However, pulling together the inventory datasets needed for research requires significant effort 

because there is no centralized database and many inventories have not been made openly available. To eliminate redundant 

efforts among scientists who study seismically triggered landsliding and liquefaction, and to encourage an attitude shift toward 

open-data in this community, our goal is to make inventories of earthquake-triggered ground-failures openly available and easily 

accessible. To accomplish this goal, we have created a ScienceBase community and are developing an interactive web application. 

To support this effort, we have formed a working group of researchers who have created inventories and given permission to share 

their inventories openly with the community. Currently, we have accumulated 41 inventories and have started to build the ScienceBase 

database and web application. The core of the database will be the ScienceBase community web page, where data will be available 

in consistent formats with complete metadata. Eventually, this database will be tied to an interactive, searchable Esri ArcGIS Online 

web application that will allow users to easily browse, interact with, and download the available datasets. 
DataBlast 43

Secondary Validation of Geospatial Metadata

By Peter N. Schweitzer (USGS Eastern Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Data Management]

The formal structure of geospatial metadata allows metadata records to be evaluated to determine how well they conform to 

the syntactical and semantic rules set forth in a standard. However, minimal conformance to a standard cannot ensure that the metadata 

will make the data easier to find, understand, and use. The effectiveness of a metadata record also is affected by characteristics that 

are not specified in the standard. Word choice and clarity of writing must be assessed by a human reviewer, but other features can 

be evaluated automatically using software procedures, a secondary validation process. Secondary validation checks network links 

and the terms attributed to specific controlled vocabularies. Controlled vocabularies certainly can be used for keywords but also 

may improve the consistency of other metadata fields such as data formats and publication series names. In addition, secondary 

validation may re-express sections of the metadata in useful ways, such as rendering the data dictionary as a table or as a thesaurus 

and replacing noncontrolled category keywords with terms from controlled vocabularies to help software carry out further processing 

of the metadata. Secondary validation is available in the online Geospatial Metadata Validation Service.

How Can Cloud Hosting Solutions Help You?

By Kimberly Scott (USGS Director’s Office), Nancy Hornewer (USGS Arizona Water Science Center), Jennifer Erxleben 

(USGS Cloud Hosting Solutions), Courtney Owens (USGS Office of Enterprise Information), and Harold House (USGS Office of 

the Director)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Project Support]

In this session, participants learned about Cloud Hosting Solutions (CHS), the secure cloud offering for U.S. Geological 

Survey (USGS) science centers and mission areas. The presentations covered an overview of the CHS program, its strategic 

vision, and its current (and brand new) service offerings. Participants also learned about USGS programs that are currently 

operating in the CHS cloud environment.

A Framework for Managing, Sharing, and Visualizing Land-Use Scenario Data

By Jason T. Sherba and Benjamin M. Sleeter (both from USGS Western Geographic Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Applications]

The adoption of land-change simulation models such as the Land-Use and Carbon Scenario Simulator (LUCAS) has led to 

the rapid development of multidimensional land-use-change datasets. These datasets are often distributed as large tabular and 

spatial files in formats that may not be ideal for interacting with and sharing data. Land-use researchers want to quickly compare 

land-use data over multiple scenarios, spatial and temporal scales, and model iterations. They also need tools for sharing land-use 

datasets with the public. We developed a framework for managing, sharing, and visualizing land-use-scenario datasets. This builds 

on an existing scenario-management framework called SyncroSim. SyncroSim relies on a database structure and naming convention 

to accommodate any land-use-scenario dataset within a SQLite database. We built three tools to improve accessibility to, and 

interaction with, this database: (1) a Python-based application programming interface to add data and query data within the SyncroSim database, (2) a Django-based setup console for connecting to a database and deploying a Representational State Transfer application programming interface, and (3) a web application for visualizing both tabular and spatially explicit land-use-scenario data. 

Together, these tools provide a workflow for efficient management, distribution, and visualization of land-use-scenario datasets.

Dynamic Workflows to Advance Data Interoperability

By Rich Signell (USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Data Lifecycle—Processing]

The growth of catalog services like Open Geospatial Consortium Catalog Service for the Web (CSW) and OpenSearch are 

enabling dynamic workflows that exercise the full stack of interoperability issues: search, access, and use. With these workflows, 

queries are constructed based on bounding box, time extent, and type of service desired (Web Mapping Services, Open-source 

Project for a Network Data Access Protocol [OPeNDAP], Esri REST [Representational State Transfer]), and data is then 

extracted from the service endpoints in the discovered records. There are a lot of moving parts to make these workflows function 

correctly, but when we fix a problem in a specific workflow, there are usually broad benefits. Thus, dynamic workflows offer a 

means to make tangible progress in a complex environment. We have developed examples using Jupyter Notebooks and creation 

of dynamic web portals with TerriaJS. 
44 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

U.S. Geological Survey Near Real-Time Significant Earthquake and Earthquake Scenario 

Geographic Information System Feeds

By Greg Smoczyk, David Wald, Bruce Worden, Eric Thompson, Vince Quitoriano, and Mike Hearne (all from USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Web Services]

Many consumers have requested the ability to view and analyze data for earthquakes in a more flexible and systematic manner 

using Esri ArcGIS, web-based geographic information system (GIS) viewers, and web mapping services (WMS). Until recently, 

GIS accessibility to many U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) earthquake products has been limited to downloadable shapefiles for 

individual events. In response, the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program now provides GIS feeds that contain event, ShakeMap, 

and Did You Feel It? (DYFI) data for significant earthquakes that have occurred within the last month. These feeds are updated 

every 15 minutes in near realtime. These services are accompanied by an aggregated map in Esri ArcGIS Online, which allows all 

users to reference, query, and display feed data in customized formats using the browser. The event GIS service displays attributes 

associated with a given significant earthquake. The ShakeMap GIS service contains station and shaking data layers (intensity, peak 

acceleration, velocity, and spectral accelerations), as well as ShakeMap event metadata. The DYFI GIS service contains geocoded 

DYFI responses that are geographically aggregated into 1-kilometer and 10-kilometer boxes. The USGS has begun to create similar 

data for earthquake scenarios, so a GIS service feed is currently in development to support scenario users.

Second Generation Metadata Wizard

By Colin Talbert (USGS Fort Collins Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Data Management]

The U.S. Geological Survey Metadata Wizard is a popular metadata-creation tool that adheres to the Federal Geographic 

Data Committee’s Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata; it is intended for Esri users. It is based on design principles 

of autocapturing content from the dataset being documented, prepopulating a record with reasonable defaults, and lowering the 

expertise level needed to make a high-quality metadata record. In an effort to further extend this functionality and provide this 

interface to a larger audience, the U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center is currently undertaking a major update 

to the tool. It is now possible to run the tool outside of ArcCatalog as a standalone desktop application. The semiautomated 

entity and attribute builder is now integrated directly into the main form in a more intuitive format and works directly from 

comma-separated-values or Microsoft Excel datasets. Additionally, we have added functionality to highlight schema errors directly 

on the application so that they are easy to find and correct. The bounding coordinates are visualized on a dynamic map that allows 

for intuitive editing, and the tool now integrates with the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (https://itis.gov/) to facilitate 

capture of taxonomic information. Finally, we have added the ability to easily copy and paste complete sections between 

records. We hope this update provides an efficient metadata experience for a wide range of scientists and data managers.

Bridging the Gap Between Water and Elevation—A U.S. Geological Survey Pilot Project

By Silvia Terziotti (USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center), Karen Adkins (ATA Services Contractor in support of USGS), 

Christy-Ann Archuleta (USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center), H. Karl Heidemann (USGS Earth Resources 

Observation and Science Center Data Center), Kristina Yamamoto (USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center), 

Robert Wheelwright, (USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center), and David Anderson (USGS National Geospatial 

Technical Operations Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Science Data Lifecycle—Analysis]

With the advent of increased light detection and ranging (lidar) collection and the pressing need for better-matched elevation 

and hydrography data, the U.S. Geological Survey is investigating methods to improve the integration of these datasets. The 

vertical integration of elevation data with hydrographic data is important both for hydrographic analysis and cartographic 

depiction of data. Incorporating information from the breakline datasets delivered by the data providers for the 3D Elevation 

Program (3DEP) into the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) would allow for more seamless spatial and temporal integration, 

especially when combined with attribution following a common data dictionary. Having common collection specifications for 

all breakline data, whether collected originally for 3DEP or NHD, reduces integration costs and allows immediate cross-project 

use of the data. This poster discussed the need for this breakline data dictionary and outlined what it entails, as well as presented 

preliminary findings from pilot studies to test the applicability and suitability of such methods.
DataBlast 45

A Semantic Architecture for Multidisciplinary Modeling

By Ferdinando Villa (Basque Centre for Climate Change), Stefano Balbi (Basque Centre for Climate Change), Ioannis Athanasiadis 

(Wageningen University), Caterina Caracciolo (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), and Ken Bagstad (USGS 

Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Semantics]

We discussed the first results of an investigation into the conceptual and methodological aspects of semantic annotation of 

data and models, aimed to enable a high standard of interoperability of information. The results, operationalized in the context 

of a long-term, active, large-scale project on ecosystem-services assessment, include (1) a definition of interoperability based on 

semantics and scale; (2) a conceptual foundation for the phenomenology underlying scientific observations, aimed to guiding the 

practice of semantic annotation in domain communities; and (3) a dedicated language and software infrastructure that operationalizes 

the findings and allows practitioners to reap the benefits of data and model interoperability. The work presented is the first 

detailed description of almost a decade of work with communities active in socioecological system modeling. After defining 

the boundaries of possible interoperability based on the understanding of scale, we discussed examples of the practical use of 

the findings to obtain consistent, interoperable, and machine-ready semantic specifications that can integrate semantics across 

diverse domains and disciplines.

Extending ScienceCache to Accommodate Broader Use within the U.S. Geological Survey—

Project Overview

By Mark Wiltermuth (USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center), Tim Kern (USGS Fort Collins Science Center), and Dell 

Long (USGS Fort Collins Science Center)

[Science Support Framework category: Applications]

Our 2017 Community for Data Integration-funded project will extend the existing ScienceCache mobile application 

to become a more universal mobile data-collection framework that meets minimum needs for systematic or opportunistic 

data collection to support internal research studies as well as citizen science projects. A primary goal of this project is to keep 

creation and deployment of new data-collection surveys simple enough that research teams can independently manage surveys. 

We plan to continue development of a web interface to enable U.S. Geological Survey users to create and deploy data-collection 

surveys to mobile devices. In this poster presentation, we outlined the planned improvements to the technology behind ScienceCache, 

identified planned user interaction improvements, and requested input from potential users of what features will make this 

application more useful in the future.

Evaluation and Testing of Standardized Forest Vegetation Metrics Derived from Light Detection and 

Ranging (Lidar) Data—Informing Geospatial Data Products for 3D Elevation Program, LANDFIRE, 

and the National Park Service Vegetation Inventory Programs

By John Young (USGS Leetown Science Center), Jason Stoker (USGS National Geospatial Program), Nick Kruskamp 

(North Carolina State University), Birgit Peterson (USGS LANDFIRE Program), Cindy Thatcher (USGS 3D Elevation Program), Monica 

Palseanu-Lovejoy (USGS Eastern Geographic Science Center), Kurtis Nelson (USGS LANDFIRE Program), Jeff Danielson 

(USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center) Dean Gesch (USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center), Karl Heidemann (USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center), Dan Hurlbert (National Park Service, Shenandoah 

National Park), and Casey Teske (National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park)

[Science Support Framework category: Data]

The U.S. Geological Survey 3D Elevation Program is managing the acquisition of light detection and ranging (lidar) data across the 

Nation for high-resolution mapping of the land surface for multiple applications. Lidar data are initially collected as three-dimensional 

point clouds that map the interaction of the airborne laser with the Earth’s surface, including vegetation, buildings, and ground features. 

The product of interest is typically high-resolution digital elevation models generated by focusing only on the laser returns that come 

from the ground surface and removing returns from vegetation, buildings, powerlines, and other above-ground features. However, there 

is a wealth of information in the full point cloud that is currently being underutilized. Characterizing the three-dimensional nature of 

vegetation with lidar data enables mapping vegetation height, structure, and volume over large areas. These mapped attributes are useful 

for habitat studies, vegetation-biomass and biomass-change studies, and wildfire-behavior models. We are working to better utilize 

these data and to formalize procedures for automated generation of vegetation attributes from lidar data. This includes pre-processing 

of 3D Elevation Program lidar point clouds into a standardized set of vegetation products and development of real-time, on-the-fly 

processing of data stored in the cloud for individualized product delivery.
46 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library—Facilitating Lifecycle Management of U.S. 

Geological Survey Data and Information Assets

By Lisa Zolly, Cate Canevari, Vivian Hutchison, Drew Ignizio, Madison Langseth, Tamar Norkin, Brandon Serna, and Ben Wheeler 

(all from USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Libraries)

[Science Support Framework category: Data Management]

Planning for, managing, describing, exposing, and providing persistent and timely public access to U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS) data and publications ensure that these resources are available to, and useable by, stakeholders when they are needed. 

The Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Libraries program brings decades of expertise in information, library, and geospatial 

sciences to the lifecycle management of scientific data and the resources that support and describe research outcomes. Through 

its Science Data Management Branch and the USGS Library, the Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Libraries program develops 

and supports a wide range of systems, services, tools, and best practices to facilitate data and information management across the 

USGS. These products include the USGS Data Management website, the Data-Management Planning Tool (DMPTool), the Data 

Release Workbench, myUSGS JIRA, myUSGS Confluence, the Metadata Wizard, the Online Metadata Editor, support for USGS 

author Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID), the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) Creation Tool, ScienceBase, the USGS 

Science Data Catalog, and the USGS Publications Warehouse. These tools will be demonstrated at the 2017 USGS Community for 

Data Integration DataBlast. Questions and feedback regarding their utility and usability are welcome and encouraged. 

Summary of Workshop Outcomes

The 2017 Community for Data Integration (CDI) workshop provided an opportunity for colleagues to meet together for 

indepth planning on their shared areas of interest, and it also produced new connections for future collaborations. There were 

five major outcomes of the workshop. 

1. A summary with recommendations from the Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science was distributed to 

the CDI’s executive sponsors. These proceedings outline the motivations and details of 34 thematic recommendations 

and 7 pilot projects for advancing integrated science that arose during the workshop discussions.

2. New projects, tools, and resources supported by the CDI were presented to the CDI community for feedback. An important role of 

the CDI is to communicate about relevant resources to its membership and facilitate discussions to improve projects and increase 

usage. A summary of this information is documented in these proceedings for those that were not able to attend the workshop.

3. Workshop attendees identified several topics and questions that they wished to follow up on and learn more about, including 

User Needs and Experience, discovery and knowledge transfer for scientific modeling, and data science. Other actions 

were identified in the topical sessions described in these proceedings. This outcome will guide future CDI activities, 

events, and funding opportunities. 

4. New groups of people who met at the workshop decided to consider new CDI groups or resources around the topics of 

data science, software development, legacy data, science on a screen, and software development and information technology 

operations (DevOps). This brings a richer set of topics to the CDI.

5. Trainings were provided on topics of interest to the community, including R Workshop for Beginners and Introduction to 

Advanced Scientific Computing.
References 47

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all of the members of the Community for Data Integration (CDI), who drive the direction 

of the community. This includes the workshop attendees, who generated all of the ideas in this report; the CDI coordinators, 

who wisely advised about the workshop amid evolving agendas; and the executive sponsors of the CDI, Kevin T. Gallagher, Tim 

Quinn, and Cheryl Morris, for their support and guidance. The Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science section 

had contributions from Rich Signell, Roland Viger, Mike Frame, Paul Exter, Jeff Falgout, Fran Lightsom, Rex Sanders, and John 

Faundeen. Thank you to Viv Hutchison and Daniel Wieferich for taking the photographs in this report. Finally, thank you to the 

two reviewers, Heather Henkel and Alan Allwardt, for comments that improved the text.

References

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Markstrom, S.L., O’Donnell, M., Schei, J.L., Schmid, L.A., Schoephoester, K.M., Schweitzer, P.N., Skagen, S.K., Sullivan, 

D.J., Talbert, C., and Warren, M.P., 2015, Community for Data Integration 2013 annual report: U.S. Geological Survey 

Open-File Report 2015–1005, 36 p., accessed March 07, 2018, at https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151005.

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E.T., Ladino, C.C., Tessler, S., and Zolly, L.S., 2013, The United States Geological Survey science data lifecycle model: U.S. 

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Hay, L.E., Hsu, L., Labson, V.F., Lafferty, K.D., Ludwig, K.A., Milly, P.C., Morelli, T.L., Morman, S.A., Nassar, N.T., Newman, T.R., Ostroff, A.C., Read, J.S., Reed, S.C., Shapiro, C.D., Smith, R.A., Sanford, W.E., Sohl, T.L., Stets, E.G., Terando, 

A.J., Tillitt, D.E., Tischler, M.A., Toccalino, P.L., Wald, D.J., Waldrop, M.P., Wein, A., Weltzin, J.F., and Zimmerman, C.E., 

2017, Grand challenges for integrated USGS science—A workshop report: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2017–

1076, 94 p., accessed March 07, 2018, at https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20171076.

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Geological Survey Circular 1309.

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Publications and Digital Data: U.S. Geological Survey, 22 p., accessed March 18, 2018, at https://www2.usgs.gov/quality_

integrity/open_access/downloads/USGS-PublicAccessPlan-APPROVED-v1.03.pdf.

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48 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Appendix 1. Interactive Session Questions and Comments

At the workshop, audience feedback was collected and displayed in realtime using the sli.do application (app). Participants 

used their mobile phones or laptops to submit questions or comments relevant to the current speaker or session. These questions 

and comments then were displayed on the user interface so that others using the app could upvote posts that they agreed with. In 

total, about 100 ideas were submitted through the sli.do app.

Themes from the Submissions

• There is need for support of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data-management activities (implementation teams, on-site

support, data management as a service), including acknowledgement of good data management and data release in the

USGS Research Grade Evaluation (RGE) process and making it easier to create useful data-management plans.

• There is need for enterprise support for adopting open-source software. It may be useful to create a team to evaluate

open-source solutions and work with the USGS Office of Enterprise Information.

• There is a desire to better track user needs and experience, such as having a way to poll our users and see how products

meet user needs. When tracking user needs, we should make sure to include the scientists supplying data as users.

• Strategies for communication and delivery of USGS data products are important. Good strategies will improve the ways

we share information with decision makers, allow us to communicate digestible yet exciting information, and allow us to

share tools for collaborating across the USGS and with external partners.

• Both agency and interagency support is necessary for integrated science activities. We need strategies to address conflicting datarelease standards across different agencies during partnerships and to incorporate partner-funded data into the USGS assets.

• Training opportunities and human resources are important, as they will help us prepare for the next generation of scientists and also help with effective hiring of personnel with necessary skills for integrated science at the USGS.

• We should clarify the role of the Community for Data Integration (CDI) in enabling USGS integrated science. It is

important to know the breakdown of the CDI membership and their roles in the USGS.

• Governance for integrated science activities is needed. Integrated science happens at a level higher than the individual

project level, and thus coordination is needed. After the development of a roadmap, an implementation team is necessary.

• Standards and vocabularies are important for achieving integrated science. The following activities will help the USGS

to work across disciplines: developing and using shared units, identifiers, and methods; using shared data dictionaries;

automating data-dictionary creation; and developing data schemas and standards.

• Moving projects from research to operations remains challenging.

• USGS research will advance further if we improve connections between information technology and scientific research.

• We should consider following the Earth Science Information Partners model for idea sharing and virtual collaboration.

• There is opportunity to improve data collection and sample tracking.

List of Pilot Projects from sli.do

On the last day of the workshop, we held a plenary session where participants could suggest and discuss pilot project ideas 

that built on the “Enabling Integrated Science” theme (table 1). 

Recommendation Polls from Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science 

Polls were administered using the sli.do app to gauge interest in recommendations drawn from the previous Roadmap Discussions on Enabling Integrated Science. Participants could choose their top two choices in each of the four categories: Data and Data 

Integration, Modeling, Computing Capacity—Training, Outreach, and Education, and Science Data Infrastructure (tables 2–5). 

Participants voted based on the question “Which two of the following recommendations do you think would have the most impact 

on enabling integrated science?”
Appendix 1 49

Table 1. Ideas for pilot projects that came out of the plenary session on the last day of the conference, listed in order of support 

expressed through upvotes on the sli.do application.

[DMP, data-management plan; 3DEP, 3D Elevation Program; CDI, Community for Data Integration; ESIP, Earth Science Information Partners; OEI, Office of 

Enterprise Information]

Pilot project Votes

Possible action: Data about USGS employees—crowdsource an inventory of our skillsets and active projects; would help us collaborate and plan25

Create a DMP format and content structure where content from the DMP can be used to populate metadata records 22

Jupyter or R Markdown notebooks showing interoperability: accessing, analyzing and visualizing data from two or more web 

services from different disciplines

18

A data-management strategy development and DMP implementation team that evaluates use cases and designs an enterprise 

documentation management system

17

Pilot project: landslide risk forecasting from 3DEP and water data 13

What if the CDI set aside $10,000 per year and evaluated data release per fiscal year and selected the 3 with the most ideal or 

most complete data package for an award?

7

Pilot ESIP model for idea sharing and virtual collaboration within the USGS 7

A group to evaluate common open source software packages and works with OEI to integrate the most valued packages into our 

supported software suite

6

The CDI develops a catalog of data dictionaries that could be reused 6

Flexible data collection and sample tracking platform utilizing tablets with bar codes and following throughout sample lifecycle 

of analyses through publication

5

Heavier investing of prioritizing digitizing, delivery, and preservation of legacy data 4

Seed funding for grand challenge (pre-proposals) teams—include 3 or more mission areas scientists, 3 or more technologists, 

knowledge-sharing plan

4

One of the main aspects of data integration is understanding the data; that is done through a data dictionary. Automate the dictionary creation process3

Mine spill location and prevention utilizing historical locations, water-quality sampling, biota, geochemistry, and topographic 

indices

3

Developing data schemas and standards; possible first steps: (1) inventory USGS datasets and prioritize best candidates (2) earn 

scientist participation and buy-in

3

Analyze a current integrated-science project in which challenges presented themselves and improve on those first 3

Build out Monitoring Resources (https://www.monitoringresources.org) to handle new science themes, natural resources, stewardship, prevention of human loss3

Table 2. Recommendations under the Data and Data Integration category, listed in order of the number of upvotes received. 

Recommendation Votes

Establish expert cross-mission-area teams of scientists and data experts to address specific grand challenges 38

Promote use of standards to advance interoperability and usability of data 24

Increased training on exposing and using data services 19

Be open to new advances in technology while still using what is proven 13

Assess need for new or improved foundational datasets (national efforts that inform a good number of mission-area products) 11

More robust registry or registries of information products (Science Data Catalog, among others) 10

Increase use of semantic technologies to improve discovery and connectivity 9
50 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Table 3. Recommendations under the Modeling category, listed in order of the number of upvotes received.

[THREDDS, Thematic Real-Time Environmental Distributed Data Service; ERDDAP, Environmental Research Division’s Data Access Program; API, 

application programming interface]

Recommendation Votes

Provide shared remote workspace (for example, cloud) for modelers to help analyze and distribute model results (JupyterHub, 

THREDDS, ERDDAP, and others)

37

Develop an enterprise model API or toolkit that takes advantage of standards for model output (enables interoperability) 33

Support for the Advanced Computing Cooperative 24

Git training for modelers 15

Create modeling listserv or Slack channel 9

Table 4. Recommendations under the Computing Capacity—Training, Outreach, and Education category, listed in order of the number 

of upvotes received.

[HTC, high-throughput computing; HPC, high-performance computing; MOOC, massive open online course]

 Recommendation Votes

Sharing, leveraging of training activities across the USGS (for example, “R Workshop for Beginners’ and “Introduction to 

Advanced Scientific Computing”)

46

Develop Advanced Computing Cooperative website—communications, decision tree for services, pilot projects, re-use of models, possible single email—requires dedicated staffing for both coordination and facilitation.31

USGS computing scientific challenge—prize competition related to cloud, HTC, HPC driven by executive challenge statements 

(such as, USGS grand challenges, internal improvement of myScience, among others)

21

Partnering with universities to offer training courses (online and in-person - MOOC) for USGS scientists (in advanced computing, R, and so forth); offer things such as USGS data and use of USGS resources18

Table 5. Recommendations under the Science Data Infrastructure category, listed in order of the number of upvotes received.

 Recommendation Votes

Incentivization for scientists to employ shared science infrastructure, including more innovative distribution methods, including 

a standard model or architecture (technology, database, sensor, lab)

36

Establish criteria so foundational data is maintained in such a way that they can be interoperable 24

Executive support for cultural change (including the Center Director) 22

Implement a tiger team to look at USGS enterprises systems and architecture and how they can more efficiently integrate and 

(or) interoperate with the output of establishing integrated systems and support resources

14

The USGS should establish a community of practice to provide consistency for how we are approaching data collection and 

movement with standardized processes, new technology, software development and information technology operations, and 

so forth

13

Extend enterprise data-handling and distribution capabilities to help with transparency requirements and increase collaboration 

tools

12

Need a more efficient funding mechanism and governance to lessen internal competition and decrease stovepipe infrastructure 10
Appendix 2 51

Appendix 2. Attendees

Table 6. List of conference attendees.—Continued

[Affiliations follow naming formats at the time of the conference and may have changed by time of publication. In some cases, the affiliations have been 

updated to follow naming formats used at time of publication, which might differ from former naming formats. USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; n.d., no data; 

USDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture; DOI, Department of the Interior]

First name Last name Email address Affiliation

Seth Ackerman sackerman@usgs.gov USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Joe Adams jdadams@usgs.gov USGS Geosciences and Environmental Change Science 

Center

Karen Adkins kadkins@usgs.gov Ata Services, Inc., and National Geospatial Technical 

Operations Center

Sanjay Advani sadvani@usgs.gov USGS Fort Collins Science Center

Stephen Aichele saichele@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Program

Alan Allwardt aallwardt@usgs.gov USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Phyllis Altheide paltheide@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

Steve Aulenbach saulenbach@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Vijay Barve vbarve@flmnh.ufl.edu Florida Museum of Natural History

Jen Bayer jbayer@usgs.gov USGS Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership

Tara Bell tbell@usgs.gov USGS Great Lakes Science Center

Jesse Bellora jbellora@usgs.gov USGS

Abby Benson albenson@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Janelda Biagas biagasj@usgs.gov USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center 

Douglas Binnie binnie@usgs.gov USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center

Wade Bishop bbisho13@utk.edu University of Tennessee

Erin Boydston eboydston@usgs.gov USGS Western Ecological Research Center

John Brakebill jwbrakeb@usgs.gov USGS Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia Water Science Center

Jenny Briggs jsbriggs@usgs.gov USGS Geosciences and Environmental Change Science 

Center

Sky Bristol sbristol@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Meredith Burger mburger@usgs.gov USGS

Annie Burgess annieburgess@esipfed.org Earth Science Information Partners

Thomas Burley teburley@usgs.gov USGS Texas Water Science Center

Matt Cannister mcannister@usgs.gov USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center 

Jennifer Carlino jcarlino@usgs.gov USGS Federal Geographic Data Committee 

Bruce Caron brucecaron@esipfed.org Earth Science Information Partners

Lindsay Carr lcarr@usgs.gov USGS Office of Water Information

Joe Carroll jcarroll@usgs.gov USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Karen Courtot kcourtot@usgs.gov USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center

VeeAnn Cross vatnipp@usgs.gov USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Rose Cunningham rcunningham@usgs.gov USGS Alaska Science Center

Tod Dabolt thomas_dabolt@ios.doi.gov DOI Office of the Chief Information Officer

Sofia Dabrowski sdabrowski@usgs.gov USGS Great Lakes Science Center

Bob Davis lrdavis@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center
52 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Table 6. List of conference attendees.—Continued

[Affiliations follow naming formats at the time of the conference and may have changed by time of publication. In some cases, the affiliations have been 

updated to follow naming formats used at time of publication, which might differ from former naming formats. USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; n.d., no data; 

USDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture; DOI, Department of the Interior]

First name Last name Email address Affiliation

Cian Dawson cbdawson@usgs.gov USGS Office of Groundwater

Linda Debrewer lmdebrew@usgs.gov USGS Office of Groundwater

Ivan DeLoatch ideloatch@usgs.gov USGS Federal Geographic Data Committee

Connie Dicken cdicken@usgs.gov USGS Mineral Resources Science Center

Rhonda Dizol rhonda.dizol@onrr.gov DOI Office of Natural Resources Revenue

Rob Dollison rdollison@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

Ariel Doumbouya atdoumbouya@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

Blake Draper bdraper@usgs.gov USGS Web Informatics and Mapping 

Jessica Driscoll jdriscoll@usgs.gov USGS National Research Program

Steven Emmerson emmerson@ucar.edu University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Richard Erickson rerickson@usgs.gov USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Jennifer Erxleben jerxleben@usgs.gov USGS Cloud Hosting Solutions

Max Ethridge methridge@usgs.gov USGS

Lance Everette everettel@usgs.gov USGS Fort Collins Science Center

Paul Exter peexter@usgs.gov USGS Office of Enterprise Information

Jeff Falgout jfalgout@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Cristiana Falvo cfalvo@usgs.gov USGS Fort Collins Science Center

John Faundeen faundeen@usgs.gov USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center

Jeremy Fee jmfee@usgs.gov USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center

Mike Fienen mnfienen@usgs.gov USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center

Kristen Fishburn kafishburn@usgs.gov USGS

Leon Foks nfoks@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Emily Fort efort@usgs.gov National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center

Brian Fox bfox@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

Mike Frame mike_frame@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Eldrich Frazier efrazier@usgs.gov USGS Federal Geographic Data Committee

Aaron Freeman afreeman@usgs.gov USGS Fort Collins Science Center

Tracy Fuller tfuller@usgs.gov USGS

Kevin T. Gallagher kgallagher@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Systems

Stu Giles sgiles@usgs.gov USGS Mineral Resources Science Center

Nadine Golden ngolden@usgs.gov USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Martin Goldhaber mgold@usgs.gov USGS Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry 

Science Center

Maggie Goldman mgoldman@usgs.gov USGS Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry 

Science Center

Janice Gordon janicegordon@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Jeremiah Greif jgreif@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

Glenn Guempel gguempel@usgs.gov USGS

Gregory Gunther ggunther@usgs.gov USGS Central Energy Resources Science Center

Michelle Guy mguy@usgs.gov USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center
Appendix 2 53

Table 6. List of conference attendees.—Continued

[Affiliations follow naming formats at the time of the conference and may have changed by time of publication. In some cases, the affiliations have been 

updated to follow naming formats used at time of publication, which might differ from former naming formats. USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; n.d., no data; 

USDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture; DOI, Department of the Interior]

First name Last name Email address Affiliation

Mark Hannon mhannon@usgs.gov USGS Fort Collins Science Center

Jessica Hausman jessica.k.hausman@jpl.nasa.gov Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Physical Oceanographic 

Distributed Active Archive Center

Christine Hawkinson chawkins@blm.gov Bureau of Land Management

Chris Henke chenke@usgs.gov USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center

Kevin Henry khenry@usgs.gov USGS Western Geographic Science Center

Enrika Hlavacek ehlavacek@usgs.gov USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Dave Hockman-Wert dhockman-wert@usgs.gov USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Sophie Hou hou@ucar.edu National Center for Atmospheric Research

Harold House hrhouse@usgs.gov USGS Office of The Director

Leslie Hsu lhsu@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Viv Hutchison vhutchison@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library 

Terry Idol tidol@open600spotcel.org n.d.

Drew Ignizio dignizio@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Melissa James mjames@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

Michaela Johnson mrjohns@usgs.gov USGS Crustal Image and Characterization Team

Tyler Johnson tyjohns@usgs.gov USGS California Water Science Center

Eric Jones esjones@usgs.gov USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center

Nicole Kaplan nicole.kaplan@ars.usda.gov USDA Agricultural Research Service

Alex Katz aikatz@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

Jeremy Kenyon jkenyon@uidaho.edu University of Idaho

Tim Kern kernt@usgs.gov USGS Fort Collins Science Center

Keith Kirk kkirk@usgs.gov USGS Office of Science Quality and Integrity

Katharine Kolb kkolb@usgs.gov USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center

Cassandra Ladino ccladino@usgs.gov USGS Eastern Geographic Science Center

Andrew LaMotte alamotte@usgs.gov USGS Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia Water Science Center

Madison Langseth mlangseth@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Lynda Lastowka llastowka@usgs.gov USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center

Natalie Latysh nlatysh@usgs.gov USGS Data Preservation, Informatics, and Laboratory

Gary Latzke gdlatzke@usgs.gov USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center

Neda Ledoux nledoux@usgs.gov USGS Fort Collins Science Center

Chris Lett chris_lett@fws.gov U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Frances Lightsom flightsom@usgs.gov USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Sophia B. Liu sophialiu@usgs.gov USGS Energy and Minerals Mission Area 

Tim Mancuso tmancuso@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Heather Manley hbattlesmanley@usgs.gov Cherokee Nation Technologies, contractor to 

DOI and USGS

Kim Mantey kmantey@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

Eric Martinez emartinez@usgs.gov USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center
54 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Table 6. List of conference attendees.—Continued

[Affiliations follow naming formats at the time of the conference and may have changed by time of publication. In some cases, the affiliations have been 

updated to follow naming formats used at time of publication, which might differ from former naming formats. USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; n.d., no data; 

USDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture; DOI, Department of the Interior]

First name Last name Email address Affiliation

Greg Matthews gdmatthews@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Program

Elizabeth McCartney emccartney@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

Kevin McKinney kcmckinney@usgs.gov USGS Core Research Center

Marcia McNiff mmcniff@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Larry Meinert lmeinert@usgs.gov USGS Energy and Minerals Mission Area

Rob Miller rfmiller@usgs.gov USGS Central Energy Resources Science Center

Ellyn Montgomery emontgomery@usgs.gov USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program

Cheryl Morris cmorris@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

James Nagode jbnagode@usbr.gov Bureau of Reclamation

Sarah Nagorsen snagorsen@usgs.gov USGS Science Publishing Network

JC Nelson jcnelson@usgs.gov USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Jeremy Newson jknewson@usgs.gov USGS Web Informatics and Mapping

Tamar Norkin tnorkin@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Raymond Obuch obuch@usgs.gov USGS

Ed Olexa eolexa@usgs.gov USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center

Shad O’Neel soneel@usgs.gov USGS Alaska Science Center

Robert Osadetz rosadetz@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center

Andrea Ostroff aostroff@usgs.gov USGS Fisheries Program

Courtney Owens clowens@usgs.gov USGS Office of Enterprise Information

Daniel Pearson dpearson@usgs.gov USGS Texas Water Science Center

Jeff Peters jpeters@usgs.gov USGS Western Geographic Science Center

Brian Pfeiffer bpfeiffer@usgs.gov USGS The National Map, 3D Elevation Program

Lindsay Powers lpowers@usgs.gov USGS National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program

Julie Prior-Magee jpmagee@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Systems and Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Libraries

Tim Quinn tsquinn@usgs.gov USGS Office of Enterprise Information

Cynthia Rachol crachol@usgs.gov USGS Water Resources of Michigan Water 

Science Center

Al Rea ahrea@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Program

Brian Reichert breichert@usgs.gov USGS Fort Collins Science Center

Carol Reiss creiss@usgs.gov USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Erin Robinson erinrobinson@esipfed.org Earth Science Information Partners

Pete Ruhl pmruhl@usgs.gov USGS Office of Water Quality

Carma San Juan csanjuan@usgs.gov USGS Mineral Resources Science Center

Rex Sanders rsanders@usgs.gov USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Robert Schmitt rschmitt@usgs.gov USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center

Heather Schreppel hschreppel@usgs.gov USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Peter Schweitzer pschweitzer@usgs.gov USGS Eastern Mineral and Environmental Resources 

Science Center
Appendix 2 55

Table 6. List of conference attendees.—Continued

[Affiliations follow naming formats at the time of the conference and may have changed by time of publication. In some cases, the affiliations have been 

updated to follow naming formats used at time of publication, which might differ from former naming formats. USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; n.d., no data; 

USDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture; DOI, Department of the Interior]

First name Last name Email address Affiliation

Rebecca Scully rscully@usgs.gov USGS Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring 

Partnership

Brandon Serna bserna@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Jason Sherba jsherba@usgs.gov USGS Western Geographic Science Center

Richard Signell rsignell@usgs.gov USGS Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Chris Skinner cskinner@usgs.gov USGS Central Energy Resources Science Center

Jonathan Smith jhsmith@usgs.gov USGS 

Greg Smoczyk gsmoczyk@usgs.gov USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center

Julie Stahli julie_stahli@fws.gov U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services

Aaron Stephenson astephenson@usgs.gov USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center

Jason Stoker jstoker@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Program

Colin Talbert talbertc@usgs.gov USGS Fort Collins Science Center

Silvia Terziotti seterzio@usgs.gov USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center

Florence Thompson fethomps@usgs.gov USGS Texas Water Science Center

Robin Tillitt rtillitt@usgs.gov USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center

Matt Tricomi mtricomi@xentity.com Xentity Corporation

Shayne Urbanowski surbanowski@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Tom Van Dreser vandreser@usgs.gov USGS

Bruce Vandenberg bruce.vandenberg@ars.usda.gov USDA Agricultural Resources Research

Jamie Velkoverh jvelkoverh@usgs.gov USGS Web Informatics and Mapping

Roland Viger rviger@usgs.gov USGS National Research Program

Hans Vraga hvraga@usgs.gov USGS Web Informatics and Mapping

Dennis Walworth dwalworth@usgs.gov USGS Alaska Integrated Science Center

Tristan Wellman twellman@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Jake Weltzin jweltzin@usgs.gov USGS National Phenology Network

Bill Werkheiser whwerkhe@usgs.gov USGS

Rob Wertz rwertz@usgs.gov USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Ben Wheeler bwheeler@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Michael Wieczorek mewieczo@usgs.gov USGS Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia Water Science Center

Daniel Wieferich dwieferich@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Library

Paul Wiese pmwiese@usgs.gov USGS National Geospatial Program

Emily Wild ecwild@usgs.gov USGS Denver Library

Lei Ann Wilson wilsonl@usgs.gov USGS Fort Collins Science Center

Mark Wiltermuth mwiltermuth@usgs.gov USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Justin Wright justinwright@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Libraries

John Young jyoung@usgs.gov USGS Leetown Science Center

Stephen Zahniser szahniser@esri.com Esri

Lin Zhang lin_zhang@ios.doi.gov DOI Office of the Chief Information Officer

Lisa Zolly lisa_zolly@usgs.gov USGS Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Libraries
56 U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings

Appendix 3. Community for Data Integration Science Support Framework

[First published in Chang and others, 2015. Minor edits were made to fit the format of this report.]

In order to provide an overarching context and vision for Community for Data Integration (CDI) goals and activities, the 

CDI coordinators, consisting of working group leads and facilitators, developed the Science Support Framework (SSF) in 2012. 

The SSF categorizes the activities and processes through which research data flow and upon which the CDI operates. It is these 

categories that provide the operational foundation and conceptual architecture that illustrates how CDI activities contribute to 

Bureau-level data integration efforts.

The vertical elements in the SSF (fig. 3) represents the “how” of the CDI—processes, implementation of standards and best 

practices, and interactions among people, data, and technology necessary to achieve data integration. The activities of monitoring, assessment, and research flow through the Science Data Lifecycle Model (Faundeen and others, 2013) processes, with the 

aid of applications, web services, and semantics (that is, common frameworks and ontologies for sharing data across applications, communities, enterprises, and so forth). The assets are transformed into information products that increase knowledge and 

understanding of the Earth’s physical and biological systems. 

The horizontal elements in the SSF (fig. 3) represent the “what” of the CDI: products and tools and the mechanisms that 

mediate and contribute to the discovery and effective use of scientific data in systematic research. Data assets are managed 

within the context of the individual science projects, flowing horizontally from science project support through the Science Data 

Lifecycle Model processes, applications, and ultimately to data and knowledge management. Continue to explore the CDI 

Science Support Framework at http://www.usgs.gov/cdi. 

2015

CDI Workshop

Information

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Planning

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Preservation

Publishing and Sharing

Knowledge: Understanding of Earth Systems

Monitoring, Assessment, and Research

Science Data Lifecycle Model

Community for Data Integration (CDI)

Science Support Framework (SSF)

Figure 3. The Community for Data Integration Science Support Framework.

Hsu and others—U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration 2017 Workshop Proceedings—Open-File Report 2018–1081

ISSN 2331-1258 (online)

https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181081