IDigBio Working Groups

Overview

iDigBio supports a number of Working Groups and Interest Groups, which form and dissolve organically according to current needs. Working Groups and Interest Groups are small, enduring, topic-focused, collaborative groups of individuals (typically 10-15 participants). Members of these groups collaborate virtually via the iDigBio Forums, Listservs, Wiki, Tele/Video-Conferencing, and/or via onsite meetings to resolve issues and advance progress on the goals of the group. Group membership may change over time; however, the structure and objectives of the group are long-standing. Temporary Working/Interest Groups are typically focused on delivery of short-term objectives, while standing Working Groups are tasked with ongoing research, development, and improvement activities. This page provides an overview of iDigBio's current (active) and disbanded (inactive) Working Groups and Interest Groups. The section "Overlap with Other Working Groups" should be used to list subject areas that may duplicate some effort from another Working/Interest Group. When Working/Interest Group activities stray into these overlapping subject areas, then collaboration between working groups is warranted for those tasks or objectives.

Forming or Dissolving a Working/Interest Group

Working Groups and Interest Groups are allowed to form and dissolve organically according to current needs. No formal proposal to iDigBio is required to form or dissolve a Working/Interest Group; simply create and complete the basic information about the group on this page. The Working/Interest Group leader is responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the information on this page.

Active Working Groups

API User Group (R-based)

Background: This group originated based on conversations at the ADBC Summit 2019. You can link to this wiki section using the short link http://bit.ly/idigbio-api-wg.

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Erica Krimmel, iDigBio / Florida State University Shelly Gaynor, University of Florida Ron Canepa, iDigBio / University of Florida Cat Chapman, iDigBio / University of Florida Deb Paul, iDigBio / Florida State University
Mission & Scope	This group focuses on using tools such as the iDigBio API (Application Programming Interface) to work with biodiversity occurrence data in R for the purposes of both collections management, e.g. to review specimen data quality issues, and downstream research, e.g. to facilitate reproducible and reusable methods. Community members of all backgrounds (collections staff, researchers, IT, etc.) and levels of programming experience (including R novice) are encouraged to use this group as a place to discover and discuss API data access, issues, and solutions, as well as to build a dispersed network of API power users. This group will maintain a repository of relevant code for reuse and identify concrete improvements that could be made to the iDigBio API documentation.
Links	User group on GitHub iDigBio Search API documentation iDigBio API library for R (ridigbio)
Meetings	Join us for open office hours on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at 3:30pm Eastern!

Arctos Working Group

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Mariel Campbell (Chair), Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM Please see a complete and up-to-date list of additional working group members on the arctosdb.org website.
Mission & Scope	The nitty gritty operations of Arctos are managed by an appointed Working Group, which consists of museum curators and collection managers who oversee communications, documentation, development priorities, and outreach. The Chair of the Working Group serves as the liaison between the Steering Committee, Arctos programmers, the user community, and Arctos programmers. Beginning in September 2017, the Arctos Working Group will host monthly webinars.
Links	Learn more about Arctos Arctos Data Portal AWG Google Group
Webinar Recordings	Arctos Introduction for Non-Managers (June 6, 2017) Introduction to Arctos as a CMS and Community (September 12, 2017) Basic and Advanced Searching in Arctos (October 10, 2017) Transactions in Arctos (accessions, loans, permits) (November 14, 2017) Projects, Publications and Citations in Arctos (December 12, 2017) Data Entry and Bulkloading in Arctos (January 9, 2018) Data Cleaning Tools for use Prior to Migrating into Arctos (February 13, 2018) Introduction to Cultural Collections in Arctos (February 13, 2018) Tissues, Containers, and Object Tracking in Arctos (April 10, 2018) Arctos Reports (May 8, 2018) Arctos Open Office Hours I (June 12, 2018) Geography Part I: How Arctos handles Geographical Data (October 9, 2018) Geography Part II: Georeferencing and Best Practices of Locality Management (November 13, 2018) Arctos Taxonomy (December 11, 2018) Arctos Media (February 13, 2019) Arctos Open Office Hours II: Bells & Whistles (March 13, 2019)

Augmented Reality Public Education/Outreach Working Group (ARPEO)

Background: In 2014, the iDigBio Steering Committee voted to fund the production of a set of augmented reality (AR) flashcards similar to those portrayed in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STc8Nsx36MI for the ADBC community's public outreach.

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Anne Basham, Arizona State University, Project Lead Austin Mast, iDigBio, Florida State University, Project Co-Lead Neil Cobb, Northern Arizona University, Southwest Collections of Arthropods Network Chris Dietrich, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, InvertNet TCN Nico Franz, Arizona State University, Southwest Collections of Arthropods Network TCN Andrew Hipp, Morton Arboretum, Great Lakes Invasives TCN Melissa Islam, Denver Botanical Gardens, Macrofungi Collection Consortium TCN Talia Karim, University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, Fossil Insect Collaborative TCN Jennie Kluse, Louisiana State University, Lichens & Bryophytes TCN Christopher Marshall, Oregon State University Brendan Morris, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, InvertNet TCN Katie Pearson, iDigBio, Florida State University Katja Seltmann, Cheadle Center, University of California, Santa Barbara Petra Sierwald, Field Museum of Natural History, InvertEBase TCN Dena Smith, University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, Fossil Insect Collaborative TCN Gavin Svenson, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, InvertEBase TCN Patrick Sweeney, Yale Peabody Museum, New England Vascular Plants TCN C.Matt Guilliams, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Mission & Scope	The working group will produce one card per TCN for a desktop/mobile AR software application. Each card will convey information about the TCN and the value of its targeted biodiversity research specimens and will provide augmented reality buttons that link to further information on the web. For example, a card with a 2-D herbarium specimen image on it could spring to life through the augmented reality viewer, producing a 3-D model of the fresh flower of the species that can be manipulated by turning the card. Combining the herbarium specimen image and an insect card image in the viewer could potentially launch a pollination video—a response that would not occur with either card alone. The goal is to have an exciting interactive tool for formal and informal education initiatives while building collaboration on the education and outreach front within our ADBC community.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Wiki

Augmenting OCR (aOCR)

Background: The Augmenting OCR working group formed from the first iDigBio Summit in 2011 out of a community consensus wish to attempt improving OCR output and algorithm tools to speed up the digitization process. Initial group members were suggested by those present at Summit 2011. Our current working group met, in person, at a workshop in October 2012 to learn more about each other's use of OCR and OCR output, plan a February 2013 hackathon, develop content for our iSchools 2013 iConference workshop panel, and learn more about the latest developments in handwriting recognition. We put together iDigBio's first hackathon and presented our working group plans at iConference13. In December of 2013, at the iDigBio CITScribe hackathon, the aOCR working group built some working demos of visualization tools that facilitate searching of OCR output. These tools present novel ways to create record sets for citizen scientists, researchers, and data validators too. A recorded demonstration iDigBio webinar: Visualize Text Data From OCR Output on 22 January 2014 presented live demos of these OCR output visualization tools to show how they fit in a digitization workflow.

Data Field	Details
Status	Done (Inactive), activated when a need arises
Members	Bryan Heidorn, (Chair), Director, School of Information Resources and Library Science, University of Arizona Deborah Paul (Co-Chair), iDigBio User Services Robert Anglin, Symbiota Developer, LBCC TCN Anne Barber, SALIX Jason Best, Director Biodiversity Informatics at BRIT Steven Chong, Graduate Student, University of Arizona, School of Information Resources and Library Science Renato Figueiredo, iDigBio IT Ed Gilbert Symbiota Lead Developer, LBCC TCN, MaCC TCN Nathan Gnanasambandam, Xerox Stephen Gottschalk, Curatorial Assistant, New York Botanical Garden Elspeth Haston, Assistant Curator, Digitisation Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Daryl Lafferty, SALIX Peter Lang, Pre Sales Engineer, ABBYY Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization Nahil Sobh, InvertNet Developer, InvertNet TCN William Ulate, Technical Director, Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) Kimberly Watson, Curatorial Assistant, New York Botanical Garden Tri-Trophic TCN Qianjin Zhang, Graduate Student, University of Arizona, School of Information Resources and Library Science
Mission & Scope	Engage experts in the biodiversity and information technology fields to identify opportunities to broadly implement existing effective OCR tools and enhance existing Machine and Natural Language Processing technologies to meet the needs of the biodiversity community. Want to know more? Contact Bryan Heidorn or Deborah Paul or any other member of the working group. We'd like to hear from you!
Overlap with Other Working Groups	Needing access to the specimen label images on the iDigBio server, the aOCR working group overlaps with the cyberinfrastructure working group. This includes OS issues as well as hardware minimum requirements necessary for whatever hack-a-thon type activities the aOCR group persues.
Links	Augmenting OCR and NLP Forum Augmenting OCR Working Group Wiki Augmenting OCR Working Group Resources Augmenting OCR Listserv

Biodiversity Collection Management Solutions Working Group

Background: A Special Interest Group for Collections Management Software Providers was scheduled as part of the Society for Preservation of Natural History Collections Meeting in Chicago (2019) with this program abstract: The Collections Management Software Special Interest Group is open to anyone who develops, manages, or uses specialized collection management software as well as those who aggregate data generated from these systems. We will begin a conversation regarding interoperability and data quality issues affecting all natural history collections. In response to the meeting, a Google Forum Group has been created to continue discussion.

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Teresa J. Mayfield-Meyer (Organizer) and representing Arctos as Treasurer of the Arctos Working Group Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services (Adviser) Jason Best, Director Biodiversity Informatics at BRIT Mariel Campbell at Museum of Southwestern Biology, Division of Genomic Resources and representing Arctos as Chair of the Arctos Working Group Helen Dailey Kate Doyle Elana Dux Lisa Goldberg Shelley James, National Herbarium of NSW, Collections Manager and Head Curator Stevie Kennedy-Gold Jenna Lanman Holly Little Matthew Lowe Katherine Mallalieu Tiana Rehman Samantha Shea Diana Soteropoulos Brianne Varnerin
Mission & Scope	The members of this group are seeking solutions that will increase interoperability between existing biodiversity collection management solutions and improve data quality overall.
Links	Google Discussion Forum

Biodiversity Informatics Management (BIM) Working Group

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Lead) Joanna McCaffrey iDigBio Biodiversity Informatics Manager (co-lead) Shelley James iDigBio Data Management Coordinator Dorothy Allard, University of Vermont, Montpelier Anne Barber, Arizona State University Andy Bentley, Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas Lawrence Gall, Yale Peabody Museum Ed Gilbert, Lichens & Bryophytes, and SCAN TCNs IT, Symbiota Les Landrum, Arizona State University Austin Mast, iDigBio, Florida State University Herbarium Paul J. Morris , Harvard MCZ Deborah Paul, iDigBio Digitization and Workforce Training Rich Rabeler, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Mission & Scope	The role of biodiversity informatics management and biodiversity informatics managers as a recognized profession is becoming increasingly important to digitization programs, biodiversity data management, and to museum organizational hierarchy. The most successful digitization programs visited by Nelson and Paul (2012) in preparation for their paper in Zookeys were directly dependent on the presence of strong biodiversity informatics managers with well-defined roles, supported from the top of the organizational hierarchy, and focused on providing guidance and service to digitization staff and initiatives. The institutionalization of this role will ensure the sustainability of digitization initiatives. Members of the Droid 1 workgroup recognized this need as an important component underlying successful implementation of digitization workflows and practices, and strongly suggested that iDigBio sponsor a working group focused on this issue.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Wiki, Listserv

Data Management Interest Group (DMI)

Keeping up with data requires certain skills and infrastructure. This Interest Group discusses issues surrounding shared data and the help and information the community needs in order to ensure the provider has the most up-to-date versions of their own datasets. Many providers find their data enriched by an aggregator, only to discover their own database cannot hold the enriched data, or that they do not have the skills needed to update their database. It is our intent in this group, to provide a forum for discussion, and act as a resource for guidance to point providers toward potential solutions. At the same time, this group is aware that the shared-data landscape is a moving target. To keep up, we invite anyone with an interest in this topic to join us. Currently we plan to meet bi-monthly. Interest Group Kickoff Webinar: Thursday, August 7th 2014. 1:00 - 2:00 PM EDT iDigBio Calendar Announcement

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services (Lead) Ryan Allen, University of Colorado Museum of Natural History David Bloom, VertNet Coordinator Joy England, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens, Curatorial Assistant Shelley James, iDigBio Data Management Coordinator Erica Krimmel, Chicago Academy of Sciences, Asst. Collections Manager Gary Motz, Indiana University, Paleontology Collection Manager Mare Nazaire, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens, Collection/Database Manager Richard Rabeler, University of Michigan, Research Museum Collection Manager Nelson Rios, Tulane University Biodiversity Institute, Database Developer (GEOLocate, CoGe) Laura Russell, VertNet Programmer Anne Thessen, The Data Detektiv Alex Thompson, iDigBio Developer Brian Westra, University of Iowa, Data Services Manager John Wieczorek, VertNet Developer
Past Members	Una Farrell
Mission & Scope	We aim to help the community with the challenges of keeping up with shared data by pointing those who need help to the existing resources or gather more about what needs to be done.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	We overlap somewhat with CYWG, BIM, and DROID
Links	Wiki DMig Listserv Training Workshops Wiki Image File Format Requirements and Recommendations Flat Sheets and Packets published workflows

Developing Robust Object to Image to Data (DROID)

Focus on the development of media-generating digitization workflows.

DROID1: Flat Sheets and Packets

The various preparation-specific DROID working groups was spawned from the DROID workshop, held in Gainesville, Florida in May 2012. The purpose of this workshop was an exploration of digitization workflows and methods for improving workflow efficiency across preparation types. The DROID 1 working group is focused on flat sheets and packets digitization, primarily as this relates to herbarium collections. Flat Sheets and Packets completed a set of workflows in fall 2012 and published them on iDigBio's Documentation Page. An herbarium digitization workshop was spawned from the DROID effort,during which the workflows developed by Flat Sheets and Packets were presented and distributed. A digitization training workshop wiki has been created to provide links to resources for this and upcoming workshops spawned by the initial DROID workshop. DROID 1 workflows development also led to considerations of imaging standards, which resulted in the development of iDigBio's statement of Image File Format Requirements and Recommendations, also published in fall 2012.

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Lead) Dorothy Allard, University of Vermont, Montpelier Anne Barber, Arizona State University Edward Gilbert, Lichens & Bryophytes, Macrofungi and SCAN TCNs IT, Symbiota Les Landrum, Arizona State University Austin Mast, iDigBio, Florida State University Herbarium Paul J. Morris , Harvard, MCZ Amanda K. Neill, BRIT, Texas A&M University Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Richard Rabeler, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Patrick Sweeney, New England Vascular Plants TCN Co-PI, Yale Peabody Museum
Mission & Scope	The Flat Sheets and Packets Working Group (DROID1) is devoting its attention to developing workflow modules and tasks recommendations for vascular and non-vascular plant specimens.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	See WG for DROID2 and DROID3
Links	Wiki Training Workshops Wiki Image File Format Requirements and Recommendations Flat Sheets and Packets published workflows

DROID2: Pinned Specimens in Trays and Drawers

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Lead) Nicole Fisher, ANIC Nico Franz, Arizona State University Lawrence Gall, Yale Peabody Museum Talia Karim, University of Colorado Museum of Natural History Paul J. Morris, Harvard, MCZ John Oswald, Texas A&M Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Edward Riley, Texas A&M Katja Seltmann, Cheadle Center, University of California, Santa Barbara Petra Sierwald, Field Museum of Natural History Margaret Thayer, Field Museum of Natural History Jennifer Thomas, University of Kansas
Mission & Scope	The Pinned Specimens in Trays and Drawers Working Group is devoting its attention to developing workflow modules and task lists for digitizing dry, pinned specimens.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	See WG for DROID1 and DROID3
Links	Wiki Photo - First Meeting of DROID2 Working Group

DROID3: Things in Spirits

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Lead) Andy Bentley, Biodiversity Institute, University of of Kansas Adam Cohen,Texas Natural History Collections, University of Texas Linda Ford, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard Talia Karim University of Colorado Museum of Natural History Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Dean Pentcheff, Los Angeles County Natural History Museum Nelson Rios, Tulane, GeoLocate Rob Robins, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida Jessica Utrup, Yale Peabody Museum Andy Williston, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard
Mission & Scope	The working group will devote its attention to specimens in jars and of greater 3D dimensionality.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	See WG for DROID1 and DROID2
Links	Wiki

DROID4: 3D objects in Trays

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Talia Karim University of Colorado Museum of Natural History (Lead) Roger Burkhalter, University of Oklahoma Susan Butts, Yale Peabody Museum Ann Molineux, University of Texas, Austin Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization Jessica Utrup, Yale Peabody Museum
Past Members	Una Farrell, University of Kansas
Mission & Scope	The working group will devote its attention to 3D objects in drawers and boxes.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	See WG for DROID1, DROID2, and DROID3
Links	Wiki

Education & Outreach (E&O)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Tracy Barbaro, Encyclopedia of Life Anne Basham, Arizona State University Amy Bolton, Smithsonian Institute Marc Cubeta, North Carolina State University Mike Denslow, Appalachian State University Betty Dunckel, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Shari Ellis, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Libby Ellwood iDigBio, Florida State University Jillian Goodwin, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Jon Hendricks, San Jose State University Andrew Hipp, The Morton Arboretum Shelley James, iDigBio. Florida Museum of Natural History David Jennings, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Travis Marsico, Arkansas State University Andrea Miller, The Morton Arboretum Zach Murrell, Appalachian State University Bruce MacFadden, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Marcia Mardis, Florida State University Austin Mast, iDigBio, Florida State University Gil Nelson, iDigBio, Florida State University Molly Phillips, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Richard Primack, Boston University Ed Scholes, Cornell University Katja Seltmann, Cheadle Center, University of California, Santa Barbara Liz Shea, Delaware Museum of Natural History Petra Sierwald, Field Museum of Natural History Rosemary Smith, Idaho State University Marie Studer, Encyclopedia of Life Barbara Thiers, New York Botanical Garden Fang Wang, Florida State University Andrea Weeks, George Mason University Polly Root Sturgeon, Indiana Geological and Water Survey
Mission & Scope	This working group will: Coordinate Education and Outreach activities among iDigBio, TCNs, and other partnering projects Share E&O  related resources, tools, and training with the ADBC community and beyond Develop E&O  activities of interest to the HUB and TCNs Plan for and implement those activities
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Wiki: about the working group, meeting notes and links to documentation from the working group.

Fluid-preserved Arthropod and Microscopic Slide Imaging Interest Group

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Coordinator	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization
Mission & Scope	This working group will: Explore the use of high quality imaging equipment and strategies for implementation and enhancement of fluid-preserved arthropod and microscopic slide imaging, especially as related to high through-put workflows. Share imaging strategies among group members. Share imaging technology reviews. Host webinars and meetings on topics relevant for the group. Facilitate common goals.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Wiki: about the working group, meeting notes, links to documentation, meeting schedule.

Georeferencing Working Group (GWG)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	John Wieczorek, University of California, Berkeley, MVZ James Ryan Allen, University of Colorado Shannon Asencio, New York Botanical Garden Diego Barroso, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, UMMZ David Bloom, University of California, Berkeley, MVZ Bryan Cody, North Carolina State University, Larry F. Grand Mycological Herbarium, NCSLG Charlotte Germain iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Paul Heinrich (SCAN TCN, Co-PI) Mare Nazaire, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, RSA-POM Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Marcia Revelez, Angelo State University, ASNHC Nelson Rios, Tulane, GeoLocate Carol Spencer, University of California, Berkeley, MVZ Jessica Utrup, Yale Peabody Museum Michael Yost, Denver Botanic Gardens
Past Members	Mary Barkworth, Utah State Univ, UTC Una Farrell (Paleoniches TCN, Co-PI)
Mission & Scope	We're building a community of expert georeferencing trainers from our first and second Train-the-Trainers (TTT) Georeferencing Workshops. Check out our [videos] anyone can use for training. We're also helping to advance the capabilities of georeferencing tools. Want to know more? Contact any member of the working group. We'd love to hear from you.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Georeferencing Wiki: a compiled, annotated listing of helpful links / resources for georeferencing Georeferencing Resources: descriptions and links to what's available (wiki, list serve, forum,... on this website for help with georeferencing. Georeferencing Discussion Forum: got a georeferencing question? Ask us! Georeferencing Working Group Wiki: about the working group, meeting notes and links to documentation from the working group. GWG listserve Meeting Room http://idigbio.adobeconnect.com/geotrain

iDAGUnite (iDigBio, DiSSCo, ALA, and GBIF Unite) Working Group

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Lead) Libby Ellwood, iDigBio Global Communications Manager (co-lead)
Mission & Scope	The iDAGUnite (iDigBio, DiSSCo, ALA, and GBIF Unite) Working Group is working to formalize and expand existing cooperative relationships among the world’s four largest biodiversity data aggregation networks to catalyze a quantum leap in the availability and accessibility of biodiversity research data worldwide. This group will establish iDAGUnite as a global Network of Networks (NoN) of people, data, and infrastructure and address the mandates of two worldwide conferences of experts designed to facilitate these efforts.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Wiki,

Integrating Collections and Ecological Research (ICER)

Data Field	Details
Status	(Inactive), but content now being found relevant for COVID19 needs
Members	Larry Page Curator, and Director of iDigBio Deborah Paul, iDigBio Biodiversity Informatics Elizabeth Ellwood Research Fellow, LaBrea Tar Pits & Museum (and former iDigBio staff) Barry Sinervo, Behavioral Ecology, UCSC (AT) cornell (DOT) edu David Winkler, Curator, Cornell Chrissy Alba, Denver Botanic Gardens Margeret O'Brien, Marine Science Institute, UCSB Jennifer Cotton, California State University, Northridge, Earth and Environmental Science Jennifer McGuire, Paleoecology, Georgia Tech Roland Roberts, NSF Timothy Kratz, NSF Dave Tazik, NEON Shelley James, BGCP, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney Mark Schildhauer, NCEAS Brian Enquist, University of AZ Katja Seltmann, CCBER Elena Litchman, Aquatic Ecology, Michigan State University Erin Wilson Rankin, Entomology, University of California, Riverside Scott Powell, Community and Evolutionary Ecology, George Washington University Town Peterson, Curator, Tropical ornithology and systematics, University of Kansas Cesar Nufio, NSF Program Officer - Pop & Com Ecol Katharina Dittmar, NSF DEB Program Officer
Mission & Scope	The Integrating Collections and Ecological Research (ICER) Working Group is inspired by efforts to expand and enhance the community of those using collections data in their scientific research. Recent publications provide evidence the ecology community is calling for more robust and strategic connections between the ecology and collection communities. For example, iDigBio has collaborated at recent Ecological Society of America Conferences with the Natural History Section, and the Historical Records group. The initial two main foci of ICER are to 1) figure out how best to insure ecologists know about existing collections data resources, 2) bring the two communities together to discuss suitability of the data captured from field specimen collection for ecologists.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	ICER Working Group Wiki

International Whole-Drawer Digitization Interest Group (WDD)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Nicole Fisher (co-coordinator), Australian National Insect Collection Gil Nelson (co-coordinator), iDigBio Vladimir Blagoderov, Natural History Museum Matthew Buffington, Systematic Entomology Laboratory, National Museum of Natural History Andy Deans, Frost Entomological Museum at Penn State Chris Dietrich, Illinois Natural History Survey Paul Flemons, Australian Museum Jeff Holland, Purdue Joanna McCaffrey, iDigBio Ann Molineux, The University of Texas at Austin David Raila, University of Illinois, Computer Sciences Stefan Schmidt, Zoologische Staatssammlung München Bernhard Schurian, Museum fuer Naturkunde Berlin Jennifer Thomas, University of Kansas, Biodiversity Institute, Entomology Geoff Thompson, Queensland Museum Gretchen Wilbrandt, University of Minnesota Luc Willemse, Naturalis Biodiversity Center Jennifer Zaspel, Purdue
Mission & Scope	This interest group is devoted to discussion related to whole-drawer and bulk imaging of dried, pinned insect collection drawers and related bulk specimen containers. The interest group schedules regular discussion sessions via Adobe Connect for the purpose of sharing techniques, strategies, uses, improvements, and technology associated with producing a single image of an entire insect drawer. Resources, related documents, and discussion notes are found in the link below.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Listserv, Working Group Wiki

Interoperability for Public Participation in Digitization (CitSciInterop)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Austin Mast, iDigBio, Notes from Nature, Florida State University (Lead) Libby Ellwood, iDigBio, Florida State University (Co-lead) Ben Brumfield, FromThePage.com Paul Flemons, Atlas of Living Australia's Biodiversity Volunteer Portal, Australian Museum Ed Gilbert, Symbiota Rob Guralnick, Notes from Nature, University of Florida Greg Newman, citsci.org, Colorado State University Nelson Rios, GeoLocate, Tulane University
Mission & Scope	Improve interoperability among the major actors in the new domain of public participation in digitization of biodiversity research specimens.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	The group's goals most closely complement those of the User Engagement for Public Participation in Digitization Working Group.
Links	Wiki, Transcription Hackathon

North American Network of Small Herbaria Working Group (NANSH)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Lead)
Mission & Scope	TBD
Overlap with Other Working Groups	See WG for DROID1, DROID2, DROID3, and DROID4
Links	Wiki

Outlier Detection and Documentation by Collectors Working Group (ODD Collectors)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Katie Pearson iDigBio Research Assistant, Florida State University (Co-lead) Austin Mast iDigBio, Florida State University (Co-lead) Gil Nelson iDigBio, Florida State University Greg Riccardi, iDigBio, Institute for Digital Information and Scientific Communication, Florida State University
Mission & Scope	In this era of global change, it is increasingly important to detect and report change at the collecting event, rather than delaying until specimen data is digitized or later used for research. Biological outliers (e.g., in phenology, distribution, morphology/anatomy, etc.) may indicate the beginnings of significant, transformative change that merits immediate attention. Collectors are on the front lines of observing that change and need the encouragement, training, cyberinfrastructure, and semantics to report change more effectively to stakeholders who can use the information. The goals of this working group are to provide each of those things to the community. Potential products from this working group include recommendations for empowering collectors as sentinels of change; content for training the next generation of collectors; standards, protocols, and best practices for collectors to detect and document change; ontology development for outlier description; and cyberinfrastructure for reporting outliers directly to those who can use the information.

Paleo Data and Digitization Working Group (PaleoDigi)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Talia Karim, University of Colorado Boulder (Co-Lead) Gil Nelson, iDigBio (Co-Lead) Holly Little, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Carrie Levitt-Bussian, Natural History Museum of Utah Erica Krimmel, iDigBio Deb Paul, iDigBio Roger Burkhalter, Oklahoma Museum of Natural History Amanda Millhouse, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Lindsay Walker, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Jessica Miller-Camp, University of Indiana Susan Butts, Yale Peabody Museum
Mission & Scope	All things paleontology, data, and digitization. We are also coordinating with the TDGW Paleo Interest Group [1].
Overlap with Other Working Groups	See WG for DROID1, DROID2 and DROID3
Links	Wiki, Listserv

Project Management Interest Group (PMIG)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	David Jennings iDigBio Project Manager (Lead) Anne Marie Countie, Harvard HUH Michael Denslow, Appalachian State University, SERNEC Aaron Goldberg, WIS, Great Lakes Invasives Bruce Lieberman, KU, Paleoniches Zach Murrell, Appalachian State University, SERNEC
Mission & Scope	To be a forum for TCN's project managers and other interested parties to discuss PM issues, insights, and general discussion.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Resources, Listserv

Sustainability Working Group (SWG)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Dave Bloom, Chair Deanna Stouder, Facilitator Robert Gropp Barbara Thiers Hank Bart Larry Page (ExOfficio)
Mission & Scope	The charge for the group is to write a proposal to conduct a feasibility study around charging for the use of data services. This proposal is part of the requirements for iDigBio funding from participants. Once the proposal is reviewed and potentially funding the group will move forward with their charge. This Working Group will present their report to iDigBio and to the broader TCN community.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Wiki

Symbiota Working Group (SWG)

Data Field	Details
Status	Not Active
Members	Neil Cobb, Co-chair Andy Miller, Co-chair Dorothy Allard Ryan Allen Jonathan Amith Philip Anders Robert Anglin Rhianna Baldree Anne Barber Anne Barber Mary Barkworth Diego Barroso Charles Bartlett Scott Bates Mireia Beas-Moix Elana Benamy Jason Best Darrell Brandon Benjamin Brandt Sandra Brantley Herrick Brown Steven Buckley Kenneth Cameron Caitlin Chapman Eric Chapman Robin Delapena Michael Denslow Rebecca Dolan Jennifer Doubt Mary Feist Walter Fertig Matthew Foltz Jon Fong Alan Franck Nico Franz Larry Gall Wyatt Gaswick Daniel Gerber David Giblin Edward Gilbert Aaron Goldberg Corinna Gries Chris Grinter Linda Hardison Geena Hill Pamela Horsley Teresa Iturriaga David Jennings Barry Kaminsky Jennie Kluse Eric Knox Matt von Konrat Alex Kuhn Daryl Lafferty Scott LaGreca Lorinda Leonardi Tatyana Livshultz Tim Lowrey Beth Lynch Crystal Maier Mari Majack Joanna McCaffrey Tommy McElrath Joe McKenna Lynn McLaren Andrea Miller Katie Mitchell Wendy Moore Paul Morris Gary Motz Zack Murrell Essig Museum Thomas Nash Chris Neefus Christine Niezgoda John Oswald Deborah Paul Kirstin Phillips Richard Rabeler Ana Ruiz Katja Seltmann Gregory Setliff Vaughn Shirey Petra Sierwald Julie Smith Jenny Stratton Amir Sultan Patrick Sweeney Eric Tepe Barbara Thiers Michael Thomas Robin Thomson Phil Tonne Melissa Tulig Yalma Vargas Genevieve Walden Matthew Yoder Guanyang Zhang
Mission & Scope	The Symbiota Working Group is composed of developers and end users, where end users include primarily managers of Symbiota portals but can be any end user who wants to help improve Symbiota as a software application or the data portal functionality as a whole. The 29 Symbiota portals encompass plants, lichens, bryophytes, algae, fungi, invertebrates, and to a lesser degree vertebrates. Symbiota portals primarily function as web portals for museums to submit and annotate specimen or observation records. Symbiota portals serve the data to iDigBio and to any other aggregators that want to harvest Darwin Core archives. Symbiota also provides data packaging (e.g., checklists) visualization (mapping and images), education material (keys, identification quizzes) and easy access to data sets as downloadable csv files. Thus, Symbiota portals allow researchers to compile and screen data sets for further analysis or educators to integrate biodiversity data for use in the classroom. A key challenge is to know when it is good to develop a capacity in Symbiota, partner with a third party to provide added functionality (e.g., georeferencing, mapping) and when to let another entity provide the functionality (e.g., dedicated aggregator). Now is an important point in time to develop a roadmap that will more efficiently guide us over the next few years and beyond when funding is less certain.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	http://symbiota.org/docs/ Google Event/Meeting Calendar - Caution - in Pacific Time Github Wishlist Listserv Symbiota: Publishing Your Data - Required Reading Wiki Recordings SWG Webinar Series Gries C, Gilbert E, Franz N (2014) Symbiota – A virtual platform for creating voucher-based biodiversity information communities. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e1114. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.2.e1114 http://bdj.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=1114

User Engagement for Public Participation in Digitization (CitSciEngage)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Austin Mast iDigBio, Notes from Nature, Florida State University (Lead) Libby Ellwood, iDigBio, Florida State University (Co-lead) Betty Dunckel, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Rob Guralnick, Notes from Nature, University of Florida Austin Hendy, iDigBio, Los Angeles County Natural History Museum Barbara Thiers, New York Botanical Garden Matt von Konrat, Field Museum of Natural History
Mission & Scope	Develop successful strategies for engagement of the public in digitization online and onsite.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	The group's goals most closely complement those of the Interoperability for Public Participation in Digitization Working Group.
Links	Wiki

Website Content Providers Editorial Board and Interest Group

Data Field	Details
Status	Active when a need arises
Members	Joanna McCaffrey, FLMNH, iDigBio (Lead) David Jennings, FLMNH, iDigBio Gil Nelson, FSU, iDigBio Deb Paul, FSU, iDigBio Molly Phillips, FLMNH, iDigBio
Mission & Scope	We meet to determine content formulation processes, write documents to support access to information for content providers, create and deliver in-house content training, we also constitute an editorial board for the iDigBio.org website content and overall look & feel. We believe in constant improvement, and we aim to keep the level of service to our biodiversity community via the website at a high level of satisfaction.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Content Style Guide and Workflow

Inactive Working Groups

Authority Files

Data Field	Details
Status	Merged: The Authority Files Working Group has merged with the MISC Working Group, with Katja Seltmann and Gil Nelson as Co-Leads. See below: Minimum Information Standards, Authority Files, & Semantics.
Original Members (Now Included Below)	Greg Riccardi iDigBio, Florida State University (Lead) Dorothy Allard, University Vermont, Montpellier Stan Blum Paul J. Morris, Harvard, MCZ Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization Deb Paul, iDigBio User Services Katja Seltmann, Cheadle Center, University of California, Santa Barbara Dean Pentcheff, Los Angeles County Natural History Museum Petra Sierwald, Field Museum of Natural History
Past Members	Andrea Matsunaga , iDigBio IT
Mission & Scope
Overlap with other Working Groups
Links	Authority File Working Group Resources

Cyberinfrastructure (CYWG)

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Renato Figueiredo, (Co-Lead), iDigBio IT Kyuho Jeong, iDigBio IT Dan Stoner, iDigBio IT Robert Anglin Great Lakes Invasives TCNs IT James Beach, Paleoniches TCN IT/Co-PI, University of Kansas Reed Beaman, NSF Jason Bond, InvertEBase TCN Ben Brandt, SCAN/LepNet TCN Andrew Brown Axiell EMu (formerly KE Software) Herrick Brown‎ SERNEC TCN Robert Bruhn Biospex, IT expert, Florida State University Neil Cobb, SCAN/LepNet TCN Nico Franz Great Lakes Invasives TCNs IT Larry Gall Yale Peabody Museum Edward Gilbert, Lichens & Bryophytes, SCAN and Great Lakes Invasives TCNs IT, Symbiota Corinna Gries, Lichens & Bryophytes TCN, PI Paul L. Heinrich Northern Arizona University Chris Hoffman University of California, Berkeley Derek Masaki, BISON Gary Motz Indiana University Ben Norton, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Katja Seltmann, Tri-trophic TCN IT Petra Sierwald InvertEBase TCN Melissa Tulig Tri-trophic TCN New York Botanical Garden Kim Watson Tri-trophic TCN New York Botanical Garden Kate Webbink, FMNH Ex Officio: José Fortes, iDigBio Director for Computational Activities
Past Members	Andrea Matsunaga , iDigBio IT
Mission & Scope	Define, document and test iDigBio service Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and appliances. The first phase will focus on data ingestion APIs and appliances considering TCN use cases. Definition and documentation of potential services and appliances for OCR and georeferencing are left to the respective working groups. Definition of data structure for ingestion is left to MISC working group.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	None
Links	Cyberinfrastructure Working Group Wiki iDigBio DwC-A Pull Ingestion iDigBio Image Ingestion Appliance Join our CYWG mailing list

Intellectual Property Policy

Data Field	Details
Status	Inactive
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Lead) Chris Dietrich Illinois Natural History Survey John Fraser David Giblin, University of Washington Deborah Paul iDigBio User Services Katja Schultz, EOL Katja Seltmann, Cheadle Center, University of California, Santa Barbara Paul Stern
Mission & Scope	Produce a clear Intellectual Property Policy to establish data ownership rights and data re-use requirements related to content presented via iDigBio by collections and institutions.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	None identified
Links	Final Published Document Note: This document is open for community comment

Minimum Information Standards, Authority Files, & Semantics (MISC)

Data Field	Details
Status	Done (Inactive), activated when a need arises
Members	Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization (Co-Lead) Katja Seltmann, Cheadle Center, University of California, Santa Barbara (Co-Lead) Dorothy Allard, University of Vermont, Montpelier Stan Blum John Deck, University of California, Berkeley Joanna McCaffrey, iDigBio Biodiversity Informatics Manager Paul J. Morris, Harvard, MCZ Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Dean Pentcheff, Los Angeles County Natural History Museum Petra Sierwald, Field Museum of Natural History
Mission & Scope	1) Establish the working group and its goals, with the guidance of participants from the MISC breakout group from iDigBio's It Standards workshop. 2) Document basic assumptions underpinning a minimal information for scientific collections expectation. 3) Develop a document outlining and providing a rationale for required, minimal, desired, and supplementary data elements to be provided by iDigBio contributors. 4) Develop guidelines for data validation, training and assistance to iDigBio contributors for configuring data for ingestion into the iDigBio portal.
Overlap with Other Working Groups	The overlap between the Minimum Information for Scientific Collections (MISC) and Authority Files Working groups prompted merging into a single working group.
Links	MISC Authority File Working Group, Discussion Forum

Paleontology (Paleo)

Data Field	Details
Status	Inactive
Members	Bruce Lieberman (Lead), University of Kansas Laurie Anderson, South Dakota School of Mines David Bloom, VertNet, UC Berkeley Greg Dietl, PRI Jere Lipps, John Cooper Museum Bruce MacFadden, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Timothy Rowe, University of Texas Katja Seltmann, Cheadle Center, University of California, Santa Barbara Dena Smith, University of Colorado Museum of Natural History Kathleen Springer, San Bernardino County Museum Barbara Thiers, New York Botanical Garden Sophie Warny, Louisiana State University Tim White, Yale Peabody Museum
Mission & Scope	This group is currently being formed. One of the group's first tasks will be to define a Mission and Scope. Broadly, the group will maintain awareness of digitization activities and needs within the Paleontology community, and promote communication between Neontology/Paleontology/Information Technology partners.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Listserv, Discussion Forum, Working Group Wiki

Public Participation in Digitization (CitSci)

Data Field	Details
Status	Inactive
Members	Austin Mast iDigBio, Florida State University (Lead) Michael Denslow NEON Betty Dunckel iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Bruce MacFadden, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Tom Nash, Arizona State University Gil Nelson, iDigBio Digitization Deborah Paul, iDigBio User Services Nelson Rios, Tulane, GeoLocate Andrew Sallans Blanka Shaw , Duke University Jon Shaw, Duke University Barbara Thiers, New York Botanical Garden Matt von Konrat, Field Museum of Natural History
Mission & Scope	Identify and improve aspects of biodiversity digitization workflows that can be newly architected or enhanced to take advantage of public participation. This working group completed its initial goals and has been replaced by the Interoperability for Public Participation in Digitization Working Group and the User Engagement for Public Participation in Digitization Working Group.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links	Working Group Wiki

Strategic Communication Interest Group

Data Field	Details
Status	Active
Members	Grant Godden, (Lead) Betty Dunckel, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Bruce MacFadden, iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History Brent Mishler, University of California, Berkeley Anna K. Monfils, Central Michigan University Barbara Thiers, New York Botanical Garden
Mission & Scope	We will be developing a strategic communications plan and organizing an advisory panel of communications experts, corporate social responsibility and fundraising experts, and key stakeholders from the collections community. Our collective charge is: (1) to develop a unified platform for communicating the importance of digitization efforts; (2) to identify specific needs of the collection community, develop strategies for addressing these needs through communications activities (including education and outreach), and formalize goals and objectives; and (3) to design implementable activities that can meet our goals/objectives and effectively engage iDigBio target audiences. We will provide recommendations to iDigBio that increase the momentum of digitization/outreach activities on a national scale and ensure the long-term sustainability of these efforts.
Overlap with Other Working Groups
Links

Field-to-collections Bioblitz at ESA 2017