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e-Research Enablement Focus Area

Drs H Pienaar (UP) & M van Deventer (CSIR)

Purpose • Embedding

eResearch concepts

• Inclusive development of strategic framework for SA e-Research.

• Monitor, evaluate & recommend linked initiatives

• Identify opportunities for skill, practice and tool development

Goals • Encourage the use

of e-Research tools • Facilitate the

sharing of eResearch knowledge

• Identify eResearch enabling skill requirements

• Establish appropriate networks across boundaries

• Promote the establishment of an e-Research Centre

• Achievements to date• Well established eResearch support network (UK, USA, Australia but also

contacts in Netherlands, Botswana, Ethiopia, Uganda)

• Collaborated on the establishment of institutional repositories & through training assisted several others

• Research conducted … VREs; eResearch Centres, data curation• Established NeDICC• Initiated a digital curation (and eScholarship) conference for Africa

• 3rd eScholarship & Curation Conference – Botswana (May 2010)

• Going forward• Investigating data management practices & mobile technology service

delivery• VLDB initiative of the CHPC• WDCBHH • 4th eScholarship & Curation Conference Kampala, Uganda (May 2011)• ACP Pol-SABINA VRE (natural products) … with ACGT • eResearch Centre proposal• Skills development and experiential learning collaboration (with Australia

(USQ) as a possible option)

e-Research

Objective: to do faster, better and different interdisciplinary research

• e-Research advocacy• Virtual Research Environment (VRE) projects• Research data management initiatives

e-Research Advocacy

•Digital Curation Conference: 2008 (Pretoria)•e-Research Seminar: 2009 (Pretoria)•Digital Scholarship & Curation Conference: 2009 (Pretoria)•Digital Scholarship & Curation Conference: 2010 (Gaberone)

•Van Deventer, M., Pienaar, H. 2009. Report on the 2nd African Digital Scholarship and Curation Conference. D-Lib Magazine, 15 (7/8), July / August 2009. http://www.dlib.org/dlib/july09/vandeventer/07vandeventer.html

•SA Malaria researchers’ VRE components

•Project management

•Project management system

•Proposal writing

• Document management system

•Generic software e.g. MS / Open Office

•Real time communication

•Skype, smart board, video conferences

•Training / mentoring etc•E-learning

system for researchers

•Identification of funding sources

•Identification of research area

•Literature review & indexing

•Identification of collaborators

•Internal shared database of indexed articles

•Dissemination & artifacts

•Web/wiki/blog: search engines, databases; researchers & topics; funders, portals, communication, projects

•Repositories: research results; experiments; literature & documents

•Red: noneOrange: someYellow: all

•Scientific workflow

•(Collaborative) Electronic Lab book

•Sophisticated instruments that generate digital information and data

•Servers with data files

•(Free) Data analysis software

•Integrated data management system

•Access to research networks & super computers; access to labs with in silico screening +

•Mathematical modelling tools; numerical algorithm tools; simulation software; in silico experiments

•Pienaar, H., Van Deventer, M. 2009. To VRE or not to VRE? Do South African malaria researchers need a virtual research environment? Ariadne, 59, April 2009. http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue59/pienaar-vandeventer/

•BL / MS RIC: Manage-ment of published info

•ResearchGate: research collaboration

•OPENWETWARE: Lab Notebook on Blog

•myexperiment: scientific workflows

•archer e-Research toolkit: data management

•nanoHUB: subject gateway built on

HUBzero platform

•HUBzero: access to interactive simulation

tools

Research data management

• Survey of research data management practices at the University of Pretoria and CSIR

• Very Large Database initiative (CSIR)

• World Data Centre for Biodiversity and Human Health in Africa (NeDICC)

IT infrastructure Digital content

Access to High Performance Computing (HPC)Access to the National Research Network Research data storeCreate essential e-InfrastructureEase of use systems and customized solutions for specific research disciplinesEducation and training of students and researchers in the use of advanced computing and information technologies

Management, curation and re-use of digital multi-media content (data, information, knowledge / research products)Digitization servicesRepository servicesCollaboration tools (e.g. blogs, wikis) and supportTraining in digital content / asset managementEnable open access publicationsData visualization

Development and implementation of VRE’s (Virtual Research Environments)Consultation on Intellectual Property (IP) issues Build collaboration across research disciplines, nationally & internationallyApply e-Research techniques and services to key research groups

e-Research Centre services