Epos

In November 2023, Nature Scientific Data published a scientific article presenting the data integration and computer science work that I carried out over the last 10 years together with a team of truly excellent colleagues. The article presents an initiative that is changing the way we approach Earth-science research in Europe: the EPOS Data Portal. In this post, I will explain in accessible terms what makes this multidisciplinary platform so special. The European Plate Observing System (EPOS) is not just an international initiative; it is a vision that is redefining Earth science in Europe. This pioneering research infrastructure has built a unique collaborative environment where the sharing and use of scientific data are encouraged, supported, and carefully managed. Open Data, in its purest spirit, allows everyone, scientists, policy makers, experts, and citizens, to access information freely. By adhering to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), EPOS is becoming a European reference point and a symbol of open and interoperable access to data. This approach not only opens new doors to knowledge, but is also a fundamental step toward more inclusive, collaborative, and innovative scientific research. ...

Nel mese di Novembre 2023 è stato pubblicato su Nature Scientific Data, un articolo scientifico che presenta il lavoro di Data Integration e Computer Science che, insieme ad un team di colleghi davvero bravi, ho effettuato negli ultimi 10 anni. L’articolo presenta un’iniziativa che sta cambiando il modo in cui affrontiamo la ricerca scientifica sulla Terra in Europa: il Portale Dati EPOS. In questo post, vi racconterò in modo accessibile cosa rende questa piattaforma multidisciplinare così speciale. ...

I have been often asked by people outside of my domain what is my job. As many jobs in the IT domain, it is a little bit difficult to explain what we do: it is quite technical and abstract. It has to do with structures that do not exist in reality. It has to do with planning, with considering sustainability of the envisaged activities. We work with bits, code, data structures, metadata, with management of huge IT objects and initiatives. ...

I have been often asked by people outside of my domain what is my job. As many jobs in the IT domain, it is a little bit difficult to explain what we do: it is quite technical and abstract. It has to do with structures that do not exist in reality. It has to do with planning, with considering sustainability of the envisaged activities. We work with bits, code, data structures, metadata, with management of huge IT objects and initiatives. ...

Facing reality There is a truth that we are all reluctant to admit: many EU funded initiatives in the research domain aim at producing software-related deliverables, but when coming to the real day-to-day work, releasing even small piece of working software is very challenging. Project partners have different approaches, different technical practices, different off-the-shelf software products that need to be harmonized or sometimes divergent ideas and different cultural backgrounds. That’s the beauty and the challenge of EU initiatives. COVID-19 made things even worse by hindering the possibility of having face to face meetings, where - everybody knows but just a few people say it – agreements and decisions are taken in “social” contexts (yes, I mean coffee breaks and working dinners). ...

Facing reality There is a truth that we are all reluctant to admit: many EU funded initiatives in the research domain aim at producing software-related deliverables, but when coming to the real day-to-day work, releasing even small piece of working software is very challenging. Project partners have different approaches, different technical practices, different off-the-shelf software products that need to be harmonized or sometimes divergent ideas and different cultural backgrounds. That’s the beauty and the challenge of EU initiatives. COVID-19 made things even worse by hindering the possibility of having face to face meetings, where - everybody knows but just a few people say it – agreements and decisions are taken in “social” contexts (yes, I mean coffee breaks and working dinners). ...

There are moments when, sometimes almost unexpectedly, you find yourself taking stock of all the work done in previous years. That kind of meticulous work, made of small daily refinements and microscopic steps forward that you may not even notice. In fact, sometimes it feels as if you are standing still. Then opportunities arrive when… BOOM… everything is illuminated by a new light and the puzzle comes together. What emerges is a beautiful mosaic, with thousands of tiny tiles placed with patience and consistency. ...

Arrivano dei momenti in cui, magari in maniera quasi inaspettata, ci si ritrova a tirare le somme di tutto il lavoro fatto negli anni precedenti. Quel tipo di lavoro certosino, fatto di piccole limature quotidiane, di microscopici avanzamenti di cui forse nemmeno ci si rende conto. Anzi, a volte sembra di rimanere fermi. Poi arrivano queste occasioni in cui…. BUMM…. tutto viene illuminato da una nuova luce e il puzzle si ricompone. ...

Interview with Daniele Bailo, Zhiming Zhao, and Ari Asmi, who explain the key components forming the ENVRI-hub: the ENVRI Catalogue of Services, the ENVRI Knowledge Base, and the ENVRI Use Cases. Daniele, can you explain in more detail why these three components are crucial to the ENVRI-hub? Daniele: These are three distinct but complementary elements used as containers to support the provision of heterogeneous datasets, services, and software within ENVRI. ...

Interview with Daniele Bailo, Zhiming Zhao, and Ari Asmi who explain to you the key components forming the ENVRI-hub – the ENVRI Catalogue of Services, ENVRI Knowledge Base and ENVRI Use Cases. Daniele, can you explain a little bit more in detail what are these three components crucial to ENVRI-hub? Daniele: These are three distinct but complementary elements used as containers to convey the provision of heterogeneous datasets, services, and software in ENVRI. ...