Nederlandse organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek – TNO
Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minieres – BRGM
Natural environment research council – BGS
The geological surveys of Denmark and Greenland – GEUS
EuroGeoSurveys – EGS
KU Leuven – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
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Nederlandse organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek – TNO
Nederlandse organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurweten- schappelijk Onderzoek TNO – Geological Survey of the Netherlands (TNO) (Coordinator).
TNO is a not-for-profit knowledge organization for companies, government bodies and public organizations. The Geological Survey of The Netherlands TNO – part of the Energy theme of TNO – has the task of acquiring, quality controlling, archiving, analysing, modelling, managing and distributing the majority of subsurface and (ground) water data in The Netherlands on land and on the continental shelf below the North Sea. This task is laid down in the Dutch Mining Law as well as in a new law on the establishment of the “Key Register of the Subsurface (BRO)”. The BRO builds on the current national geo-data repository called DINO, which is the ‘One-stop-shop’ for geo-data in the Netherlands on Internet. It provides free access for all users and concerns measurement data as well as 3D static models, maps, documents and real-time sensor data.
Achieving compliance with the INSPIRE directive has been a high priority over the last years, which is why GSN-TNO has been participating in initiatives on GMES, GEOSS, SWE, OGC, INSPIRE over recent years, including as coordinator of projects like eEarth, eWater and currently EuroGeoSource, which aim to arrive at cross-border accessibility and interoperability together with multilingual user interfaces. The Geological Survey of the Netherlands is co-initiator of national research and development programmes like Space for Geo-Information to improve the National Spatial Data Infrastructure according to the INSPIRE directive. Under the latter programme TNO developed, in cooperation with many organizations in the Netherlands, as well government, research as commercial organizations, many components for the innovation of the National SDI.
Contribution to EGDI-Scope
TNO will be responsible for the overall coordination and management of the project (WP1). TNO has participated in as well as coordinated many other relevant EC-funded project: it coordinates EuroGeoSource, SubCoast and in the past eWater and eEarth; TNO coordinated WP9 on “Access to high resolution geological & applied datasets in national & cross border situations” in OneGeology-Europe and is a core partner in PanGeo. Outside the field of geological data TNO participates in hundreds of EC projects and has extensive support services for managing such projects.
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Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minieres – BRGM
BRGM (the French Geological Survey) is a French Public Institution responsible for mobilising the Earth Sciences in the sustainable management of geo-resources and the subsurface domain. BRGM’s research and development programmes, financed by the Ministry of Research, support innovation and work towards advancing the Earth Sciences in strategic areas, both on a national and international scale. BRGM is involved in a high standard of research activities under the supervision of the Research Division, which ensures the quality of the undergoing research projects. BRGM has an international expertise in information systems, being part or leading European drafting teams and working group of the INSPIRE directive. At national level, it is in charge of the development and hosting of the National Environment Portal and of the National Geo-catalog (national catalog for INSPIRE), and of the “National Portal about Environment”. Promoting interoperability in geosciences and environmental information, BRGM is contributing to OGC development and to GeoSciML (through IUGS/CGI).
Contribution to EGDI-Scope
In the project, BRGM will lead WP4, which will make the technical design of the EGDI infrastructure. BRGM has coordinated or contributed to several EC research projects related to geo-information and spatial data infrastructures, such as AEGOS, EuroGEOSS, OneGeology-Europe. BRGM hosts the portal of the OneGeology and OneGeology-Europe infrastructures. This expertise will be provided to the project.
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Natural environment research council – BGS
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is the UK’s research body for strategic and applied research and monitoring in the environmental sciences. The British Geological Survey (BGS) is a component part of NERC. It advises the UK government on all aspects of geosciences, and provides impartial geological advice to industry, academia and the public. It was founded in 1835 and is the world’s longest established national geological survey. BGS is an accredited ISO 9001:2000 organization.
BGS manages the UK National Geosciences Data Centre (NGDC). The NGDC holds geoscience data from UK industry, international scientific collaboration and academic research. BGS is an international leader in the application of information technology to geoscience and the delivery of geoscience information. Recent initiatives include the initiation of OneGeology, creating a dynamic geological map of the world for the web, the development of systems for integrated geoscientific surveying and visualisation (SIGMA), immersive 3D virtual field reconnaissance (GeoVisionary), and the delivery of a wide range of geoscientific services and data via web mechanisms, including free-to-use materials via OpenGeoscience.
In addition, BGS conducts a vigorous programme of relevant research in fields including geological hazards, seismology, geomagnetism, volcanology, climate change mitigation and adaptation, natural resource management and surface processes.
Contribution to EGDI-Scope
BGS has a long and distinguished track record in UK and international geosciences. It has fulfilled influential and leadership roles in many international scientific initiatives, including its founding role within EGS, its current role as European Science Operator for the Integrated Ocean Drilling Programme, the European and global OneGeology projects and other major FP7 projects including OneGeology-Europe, EPOS and ECCSEL. All this expertise is available for the study. BGS is the leader for WP3, Prioritisation of datasets. The BGS will apply its extensive experience of both the OneGeology-Europe and OneGeology-Global projects and its experience of working in complex multi-partner projects.
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The geological surveys of Denmark and Greenland – GEUS
GEUS is the national geological survey and research body for Denmark and Greenland. GEUS’ mission is to provide, use, and disseminate knowledge of geological materials, processes and relations important for the use and protection of geological resources in Denmark and Greenland. GEUS’ main tasks are geological mapping, data collection and storage, research, advice and dissemination of geoscientific knowledge. GEUS co-operates with scientific institutions, networks and other organisations around the world, such as research institutions and agencies, EuroGeoSurveys and the European Environmental Agency.
Contribution to EGDI-Scope
GEUS will be responsible for WP2 – Stakeholder Consultation – within the present project, and will through this work package lead the effort of assembling a stakeholder’s panel, analysing user needs and prepare relevant use cases. GEUS is experienced with this kind of projects and has previously participated in other EC-funded projects like GeoMind, eWater, InGeoCloudS, OneGeology Europe, GeoSeas, EuroGeoSource and also takes active part in the data specification part of the INSPIRE directive.
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EuroGeoSurveys – EGS
EuroGeoSurveys (EGS) is the organisation of the Geological Surveys of Europe, the national institutions responsible for the geological inventory, monitoring, knowledge and research for the security, health and prosperity of the society. Its mission is to provide public Earth science knowledge to support the EU’s competitiveness, social well-being, environmental management and international commitments. According to its Statutes, EGS pursues activities that lie exclusively in the public interest or in the interest of public administration and of the European Union. In particular, EGS provides a unique, independent, source of scientific expertise and advice to the EU institutions on all matters related to on-shore and off-shore geological resources and/or hazards.
Contribution to EGDI-Scope
Collectively EGS members contribute to over 160 European Research Projects (FP5, FP6 and FP7). In the frame of this project EGS will especially lead WP6 ‘Communication and dissemination’ for which it is most qualified, since it already acts in similar ways in the implementation of its work programme. EGS is also very experienced in communicating science in the frame of large EC projects, such as the currently on-going PanGeo Project, involving 32 European countries, or the I2Mine project, with 23 partners and a budget of over 25M Euro. Moreover, the staff involved has successfully coordinated the communication of the OneGeology-Europe Project.
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KU Leuven – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
KU Leuven is the largest Belgian academic institution and one of the oldest European universities. Within this university, more than 200 researchers are permanently working on information and communications technology related issues. They belong to different university departments with a strong tradition in multidisciplinary research on information and communications technology issues. The Interdisciplinary Centre for Law & ICT (www.icri.be) is a research centre at the Faculty of Law of KU Leuven dedicated to advance and promote legal knowledge about the information society through research and teaching. ICRI is also among the founding members of The LEUVEN Center on Information and Communication Technology (LICT) and iminds (www.iminds.be). Its research is focused on the design of innovative legal engineering techniques and is characterised by its intra- and interdisciplinary approach.
ICRI has extensive experience with projects relating to public sector information and geographic data, such as OneGeology- Europe (eContentPlus), the INSPIRE State of Play studies commissioned by Eurostat, Spatialist (IWT Belgium), etc.
Contribution to EGDI-Scope
K.U.Leuven will lead Work Package 5 on the legal and organisatonal issues and take part in the WP survey and inventory. ICRI has been closely involved in the development of the INSPIRE directive and the PSI directive, and has performed research and given advice on the legal aspects of spatial data infrastructures and geological data to public bodies and to the private sector. Therefore, ICRI is perfectly placed to lead the WP on legal and organisational aspects and develop the legal guidelines for the EGDI.
