8th Metadata and Semantics Research Conference

Aim and Scope

The sharing and re-use of research information is becoming an increasingly important aspect of scientific activity. Text publications are traditionally the main way of publishing research output and challenges still exist for their optimal recording and dissemination. Scientific communities increasingly recognise the immense significance of storing, discovering, processing, preserving and re-using data sets as well as other types of research objects like workflows and software. Furthermore, Public Sector Information, potentially valuable for research purposes, is provided openly by governments although not always in forms that enable re-use.

Metadata is a critical factor in this area, actually providing the means to promote black-box digital files to discoverable and re-usable objects. Rich metadata about research output needs to be recorded and disseminated, including contextual and provenance information (for example, relationships of publications and data sets with people, organisations, funding information, facilities and equipment). For certain use cases, metadata needs to be uniformly accessed across research domains, to foster collaboration and re-use of data sets among different disciplines and vertical communities. However, the recording and utilisation of domain-specific information is also significant in many circumstances. A range of open research and technical issues have to be addressed towards these goals, while it is also recognised that international harmonisation on standards and technologies is of critical importance.

The aim of this Special Track is to serve as a forum for experts to present recent results and experiences, establish liaisons with other groups and reflect on the state-of-the-art of metadata and semantic aspects of open repositories, research information systems and data infrastructures.