Harnessing the Power of Digital Data for Science and Society; Report of the Interagency Working Group on Digital Data to the Committee on Science of the National Science and Technology Council

Various paginations (approximately 60 pages. Illustrations. Related Documents. Cover has some wear and soiling. Digital technologies are reshaping the practice of science. Digital imaging, sensors, analytical instrumentation and other technologies are becoming increasingly central to experimental and observational research in all areas of science. Increases in computational capacity and capability drive more powerful modeling, simulation, and analysis to link theory and experimentation and extend the reach of science. Digital data are the common thread linking these powerful trends in science. Our Nation's continuing leadership in science relies increasingly on effective and reliable access to digital scientific data. Researchers and students who can find and re-use digital data are able to apply them in innovative ways and novel combinations for discovery and understanding. This report provides a strategy to ensure that digital scientific data can be reliably preserved for maximum use in catalyzing progress in science and society. Empowered by an array of new digital technologies, science in the 21st century will be conducted in a fully digital world. The power of digital information to catalyze progress is limited only by the power of the human mind. Data are not consumed but are an endless fuel for creativity. The power of a data set is amplified by ingenuity through applications unimagined and distant from the original field. Key characteristics of the digital data landscape are: the products of science and the starting point for new research are increasingly "born-digital"; exploding volumes and demand for data use are driven by the rapid pace of digital technology innovations; all sectors of society are stakeholders in digital preservation and access; and a comprehensive framework of cooperation and coordination to manage the risks to preservation of digital data is missing.…