1. Joseph LaForest University of Georgia
20 Minute Talk (18 presentation and 2 questions)
Political boundaries have no bearing on the activity of pests or diseases and frequently require extension personnel to find solutions to pull together information from multiple partners.  This task becomes challenging when the needed information is not readily available, requires significant processing for consumption or has been lost.  This talk covers lessons learned in facilitating exchange of data. We will also discuss current tools for aggregating information, verifying data, delivering compiled information in real-time to diverse audiences, and providing a source of preserved knowledge for future extension personnel.
Sharing information across boundaries to deliver a common message & preserve knowledge
Joseph LaForest
University of Georgia

2. One size does NOT fit all
Silos happen…
Political Boundaries & Jurisdictions
Organizations & Companies
Platforms & Formats
Different systems for different purposes:
One size does NOT fit all

3. Scientists losing data at a rapid rate
THE AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH DATA DECLINES RAPIDLY WITH ARTICLE AGE
Scientists losing data at a rapid rate
Melvin McCarty – recording life cycles of plants and grasses near Lincoln, NE
Died and no data could be found when later ecologists went searching
Otto Solbrig – 1980s data on violet species populations and growth in New England
“20 big folders” thrown out because “nobody was interested in them”
This data cannot be replicated
Gibney, E. & Van Noorden, R. Nature. doi: /nature (2013)
Vines, T. H. et al. Curr. Biol. 

4. Challenges for Extension
Some of the usual questions…
Where is the pest now?
Where has it been historically?
Where will it be in the future?
How can I reduce my risk of loss?
… but with more information than ever before
Can we pull information together?
Can we shift where people in extension spend time from gathering to analysis?
Can we prevent the loss of knowledge in extension?

5. What have we been up to?

6. We need a common System for invasive species and pest data…
…and simple ways to use it

7. National/International Focus All Taxa
Aggregate data (not replace) from other systems
Distribution data already exist at varying scales, resolutions, availability, and completeness
Work through existing Organizations and Networks
“If you have to enter data twice, there is a better way!”
“Data should be used. Take it where you need it!”

8. What did we gain? 3,134,309 County Reports 2,044,196 Point Reports
5,204
Species
14,090
Reporters
What did we gain?

9. Data Access for All Download: CSV, KML, GPX, Shapefile API Access:
JSON

10. Ability to dive into the Data
All of the information from the records – including images if provided.

11. Additional Eyes on the data
Nothing is perfect!
Let’s make identifying issues easy.

12. Embeddable Maps that update automatically
Occurrence of Solenopsis spp. by county

13. Easy customization to target many audiences with same base map
If the data supports it, we can setup a map or graph to show it

14. Ability to play with data and see what it shows
No Data
Red
Black
Hybrid
Red & Black
Red & Hybrid
Black & Hybrid
All Species
Ability to play with data and see what it shows
If the data supports it, we can setup a map or graph to show it

15. routes for new data Web Reports on EDDMapS Embedded Reporting Forms
Bulk Data
Smartphones

16. Alerts for new data
Why go to a site hoping that there is something new?

17. Success!

18. One Data set… Many Sources, views, and locations

23. Alaska
Hawaii
500 Miles
500 Km
100 Miles
100 Km

24. 1,787 reports were received from 1,499 reporters in 36 states and 91 counties.
468 of the reports were reviewed with 441 positive reports resulting in new 12 new counties being added to the BMSB map. 
1,787 reports were received from 1,499 reporters in 36 states and 91 counties.
468 of the reports were reviewed with 441 positive reports resulting in new 12 new counties added.

25. What we have learned

26. Good data requires moderation

27. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but samples are vital!
How do we get people to give us what we want?
How do we only enter the data once?
What level of confirmation is needed?

28. Data Standards Matter! Before you make your own – talk to someone!
(You never know what can happen)
Data Standards Matter!

29. Keep it simple (at least the part people see)
Build integration into the background
Steven Lefcourt, -

30. Technology alone is not enough
People and relationships are vital to getting technology working!

31. Future work More partners More usage Hybrid applications
More feedback to all partners

32. Got Data? Need Help using it?
After you have published, where did the data go?
Any data that is not destined for publication?
Can we say more by pooling data?
Got Data? Need Help using it?

33. Questions? What do you need? What do you want? What’s missing?
Photo credit: Alex Wild, Insects Unlocked
Michael McClure, University of Arizona, Bugwood.org
Questions?
What do you need?
What do you want?
What’s missing?