Ms Helen Glaves1, Joan Maso2, Leo Chiloane3, Paola de Salvo4
1British Geological Survey, Nottingham, United Kingdom, 2Centro de Investigación Ecológica y Aplicaciones Forestales (CREAF), Barcelona, Spain, 3South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), Cape Town, South Africa, 4Group on Earth Observations (GEO), Geneva, Switzerland
Biography:
Helen Glaves is a Senior Data Scientist at the British Geological Survey (BGS), with more than 30 years’ experience in marine geoscience and geoinformatics. Her current role focuses on the development and implementation of research infrastructures, which includes acting as Director of the Integrated Core Services (ICS-C) for the European Plate Observing System (EPOS).
Helen Glaves is actively involved in a number of national and international initiatives addressing various aspects of open science and data stewardship, including acting as co-chair for the In Situ Data subgroup and a member of the Data and Knowledge Working Group within the Group on Earth Observations (GEO). She is also an editor for the American Geophysical Union (AGU) journal Earth & Space Science and chair of the AGU Charles S. Falkenberg Award committee.
Helen has previously served as President of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) and as Division President for Earth and Space Science Informatics (ESSI). In 2016, she received EGU's Ian McHarg medal in recognition of her distinguished research in information technology applied to marine geoscience and, in particular, her contribution to advancing data sharing across different disciplines and organizational boundaries.
Abstract:
In situ data is vital for a range of applications such as calibration / validation of satellite-based Earth observations (EO), scientific research, and disaster response efforts. These data are usually direct, ground-based measurements made in specific and often fixed locations, which are likely to be more precise and therefore considered the “ground truth”. In contrast, satellite-based observations generally provide larger scale systematic coverage of the Earth’s surface. Together, in situ and remote sensing data form a complementary suite of observations and measurements that provide a comprehensive and detailed overview of the state of our planet.
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO), an intergovernmental organization addressing open sharing of data, information and knowledge, has for many years recognized the importance of in situ observations despite the widely held misconception that GEO only handles satellite-based EO data!
To emphasize the value of in situ data and address the challenges associated with the highly heterogeneous landscape of ground-based measurements, GEO is launching its Strategy for In Situ Data. This strategy aims to provide a framework for enhancing the sharing and reuse of in situ data, focusing on the full life cycle from acquisition to archiving. It underscores the need for collaboration from the local to the global scale alongside the adoption of common approaches, standards and best practices that are essential for integration, interoperability and reuse of in situ data across different scales, disciplines and domains. Through its In Situ Data Strategy, GEO aims to foster an approach delivering “Earth Intelligence for All!”