Klump J1, Wyborn L2, Martin J2, McCafferty S3
1CSIRO, Perth, Australia, 2ARDC, Canberra, Australia, 3ARDC, Brisbane, Australia
Biography:
Jens Klump is a geochemist with more than two decades of experience working at the intersection of geoscience and data science. His research focuses on data‑driven approaches to minerals exploration, earth science informatics, and digital research infrastructures. He has contributed to the development of data and software citation practices, global identifier systems for data and geological samples, and the design of virtual research environments supporting large‑scale geoscience analysis.
Dr Lesley Wyborn is a geoscientist, geoinformatics specialist and Research Data Strategist with the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), the National Computational Infrastructure (NCI), and the Australian National University. She has more than four decades of experience developing research data infrastructure, standards, and interoperability frameworks for the Earth and environmental sciences. Lesley has played a leading role in international initiatives including IGSN, GeoSciML, OneGeology, RDA and ESIP, and is a recognised advocate for FAIR and CARE data practices. Her work focuses on connecting data, samples, software and research activities through persistent identifiers and sustainable digital infrastructure.
Julia Martin is a research data specialist with the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), where she supports the adoption of persistent identifiers and connected research infrastructure across the Australian research sector. She has been closely involved in the implementation and promotion of the International Generic Sample Number (IGSN) service in Australia, helping researchers and facilities improve the management, discovery and reuse of physical sample information. Julia works at the intersection of data stewardship, identifier services and FAIR data practices, with a focus on strengthening connections between research samples, data, people and organisations.
Siobhann McCafferty is Product Manager for Persistent Identifier Services at the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), where she leads initiatives that advance the adoption and integration of persistent identifiers across the Australian research ecosystem. She is a driving force behind national PID strategy activities, the Identifiers for Instruments in Australasia (i4iOZ) community, and the implementation of identifiers for research projects, instruments and physical samples. Siobhann works closely with research organisations and international partners to improve interoperability, traceability and FAIR data practices through connected research infrastructure and persistent identifier services.
Abstract:
The Australian PID Strategy recognised five priority PIDs and recommended the International Generic Sample Number (IGSN) for identifying research samples across disciplines. Managed by IGSN e.V. and strengthened through a strategic partnership with DataCite, IGSN IDs have grown rapidly, surpassing 14.9 million registered samples (June 2026) from geoscience, environment, archaeology, materials science and other disciplines.
IGSNs are more than an ID for a sample in a box on a shelf in a repository. By definition, “an IGSN ID can be applied to an individual sample, an aggregation of samples, or to a feature-of-interest (the real-world feature that the sample is taken from). An IGSN ID cannot be used for an image of a sample or for digital data.”
IGSN metadata are based on ISO 19156:2023 (Observations, Measurements and Samples) and the W3C Semantic Sensor Network Ontology. IGSN e.V. provides crosswalks from community metadata profiles to DataCite metadata.
IGSN is evolving to meet today’s research needs, including FAIR and CARE compliance. It integrates with the global PID Graph, linking to DOIs for data and publications, ORCiDs, and RORs to enhance data connectivity and machine-readability. Aligning IGSN with international standards and ontologies improves interoperability across disciplines. Together, these advances position IGSN as a vital backbone for FAIR, connected, and future-ready scientific data ecosystems worldwide.
This BoF will outline the usage of IGSNs and provide opportunities for participants to express their needs for sample IDs in specific disciplines and to progress an Australian Community of Practice on Sample IDs.