Presentation to BRDI January 31, 2012 Kathie Bailey Mathae

 International Council for Science ◦ Membership  National scientific bodies (120, representing 140 countries)  International scientific unions (31)  Interdisciplinary ICSU bodies (15, includes CODATA and WDS)  Scientific Associates (22, includes IIASA and TWAS)  NAS is the official U.S. adhering member.

 Initiatives and Reports Approved ◦ Strategic Plan, ◦ Earth System Sustainability Initiative (ESSI) ◦ Urban Health and Well-Being ◦ Integrated Research on Disaster Reduction ◦ Strategic Coordination for Information and Data ◦ World Data System  Actions Approved ◦ Review of ICSU ◦ Review of CODATA

 Components ◦ International research collaborations ◦ Science for Policy ◦ Universality of Science  Principle of Universality  Data and Information  Outreach to all countries  Science education  Science and society ◦ Structure-function considerations

 “Over the next six years there is a need to significantly elevate the importance and role of scientific data and information management throughout the ICSU family and within the development of new ICSU initiatives.”  “CODATA has been actively engaged over the past six years in addressing issues of high priority to ICSU… CODATA has a central role to play over the next six years in taking forward the recommendations from SCID… In this context, a dedicated review of CODATA is planned in ”

 Partners ◦ Current: ICSU, ISSC, Belmont Forum ◦ Possible: WMO, UNESCO, IOC, and UNEP  Focus on Grand Challenges  Goals ◦ Deliver at global and regional scales the knowledge that societies need to effectively answer global change ◦ Coordinate and focus international research ◦ Encourage new generation of researchers

 Components ◦ Environmental, social, cultural, and economic  Characteristics of Projects ◦ Multi-disciplinary and collaborative ◦ Utilize systems analysis modelling methodology using feasibly-obtained data ◦ Address multiple aspects of urban health ◦ Generate understanding and products useful for policymakers  IIASA to be key partner

 International Program Office opened in 2010 ◦ Located at Center for Earth Observation and Digital earth at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing ◦ Jane Rovins, IRDR Director  Partners: ISSC and UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN-ISDR)  New Science Chair: Sálvano Briceño  National and regional committees encouraged  Limited number of IRDR International Centres for Excellence to be established ◦ Will provide regional and research foci

 Priority Area Assessment (PAA) commissioned by CSPR in 2003  SCID identified several priorities for ICSU ◦ “ICSU should assume an international leadership role in identifying and addressing critical policy and management issues related to scientific data and information.” ◦ 2008 – Establish an Ad Hoc Strategic Coordinating Committee for Information and Data (SCCID)

 SCCID established for 3 years ( ) ◦ Developed report with 14 recommendations reviews/strategic-coordinating-committee-on- information-and-data- report/SCCID_Report_April_2011.pdf reviews/strategic-coordinating-committee-on- information-and-data- report/SCCID_Report_April_2011.pdf  Action taken ◦ Report endorsed by CSPR, ICSU EB, and GA. ◦ Recommendations to be addressed by ICSU bodies. ◦ Ad hoc committee disbanded.

 Structure ◦ Incorporates 2 previous ICSU bodies: World Data Centres (WDC), and Federation of Astronomical and Geophysical data analysis Services (FAGS) ◦ In transition from stand-alone centers and services to a globally interoperable distributed data center  Incorporating emerging technologies and new scientific data activities  New International Program Office ◦ Host: National Institute of Communications Technologies in Japan

 Officers: ◦ President-Elect: Gordon McBean (atmospheric/climate sciences, Canada) ◦ VP, Strategic Planning and Review: Malegapuru William Makgoba (molecular immunology, South Africa) ◦ VP, External Relations: Sergio Pastrana (international coopperation in science, Cuba) ◦ Secretary-General: David Black (chemistry, Australia) ◦ Treasurer: Hans Rudolph Ott (condensed matter physics, Switzerland)

 Ordinary Members (Member Countries) ◦ John Ball (mathematics, United Kingdom) ◦ Luiz Davidovich (physics/quantum optics, Brazil) ◦ Nicole Moreau (chemistry, France) ◦ Guoxiong Wu (meteorology, China)  Ordinary Members (Unions) ◦ GEO: Orhan Altan (Turkey) ◦ MPS: Kennedy Reed (USA) ◦ BIO: Dov Jaron (USA) ◦ Social Sciences: Maria Carla Galavotti (Italy)

 Nominations Needed ◦ Committee in Urban Health and Well-Being ◦ Science Committee for IRDR