Program at a Glance

Keynote: "Connecting the Dots: Using Computational Social Science and Social Network Data to Map and Foster Scientific Collaboration"
Raffaele Vacca, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Co-leader of the Network Science Module at University of Florida Clinical and Translational Science Institute

In the last few years, science and academia have witnessed an extraordinary expansion of bibliographic databases, expertise systems, and different types of online footprints of scientific production. As large bodies of data on scientific activities have become increasingly available, computer and social scientists have developed new and powerful

Vacca will present some of the research projects currently conducted by the University of Florida BEBR/CTSI Network Science Lab, an interdisciplinary team of social scientists who apply computational methods to the study of scientific activity and collaboration. He’ll focus on projects based on social network analysis and topic modeling, highlighting three major aims of this type of research: describe how science and collaboration happen, explain why they happen that way, and intervene to foster them. Some of the specific questions addressed by these projects are how to define and identify professional communities at a research university, what are the determinants of scientific collaboration between individuals and organizations, and how to best design and implement "network interventions" for team science.

Keynote: "Research Information Management in the United States"
Rebecca Bryant, Senior Program Officer, OCLC Research

Research information management is the aggregation, curation, and utilization of information about research. It is emerging as an important new service category in American universities.

Bryant will share highlights of her research into this topic and particularly describe primary U.S. cases, how American practices are distinctive from European—and indeed—global practices, and the importance of cross-institutional collaboration to ensure quality data and reduce workflow duplication.

Lightning Talks: What’s Happening at Your University?
Find out what Florida universities are doing to collect their research information and promote their expertise. Each speaker will present a brief overview of their institution's current systems and future plans. This is a great way to get a snapshot of what’s happening in this domain.

The Art and Science of Data Curation
Being able to curate and load high-quality data is arguably the most critical component of a successful implementation of a discovery system. Creative data modeling and innovative integration also define successful curation. This session will provide perspectives across two Florida institutions, as well as within two areas of one institution. We will share lessons learned from our implementation related to data curation, including a variety of partnerships and skillsets solicited and leveraged. We also will share examples of data elements curated at our institutions to reinforce the key principles and process of effective data curation.

Creating a Compelling Case for an Expertise System at Your University

Scholars@FIU: Data Elements and Stakeholder Analysis

Challenges and Successes in Building an Expertise System: Human and Financial Cost

Marketing, Outreach, and Customer Support

Brainstorming, Wrap-up, and Planning for the Future