[SDH/SEMI Members] Leading Research Agencies Announce New International Competition: "The Digging into Data Challenge"

[Ray Siemens]

>From  <mailto:Mika.Oehling at sshrc-crsh.gc.ca> Mika.Oehling at sshrc-crsh.gc.ca 


See:
<http://www.sshrc.ca/web/apply/program_descriptions/digging_into_data_e.asp>
http://www.sshrc.ca/web/apply/program_descriptions/digging_into_data_e.asp ,
<http://www.sshrc.ca/web/apply/program_descriptions/digging_into_data_f.asp>
http://www.sshrc.ca/web/apply/program_descriptions/digging_into_data_f.asp


Leading Research Agencies Announce New International Competition: "The
Digging into Data Challenge"


WASHINGTON (January 16, 2009) - Today, a new international competition
called the Digging into Data Challenge was announced by four leading
research agencies: the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) from the
United Kingdom, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the
National Science Foundation (NSF) from the United States, and the Social
Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) from Canada. The Digging
into Data Challenge encourages humanities and social science research using
large-scale data analysis, challenging scholars to develop international
partnerships and explore vast digital resources, including electronic
repositories of books, newspapers, and photographs to identify new
opportunities for scholarship.  

Applicants will form international teams from at least two of the
participating countries. Winning teams will receive grants from two or more
of the funding agencies and, one year later, will be invited to present
their work at a special conference. These teams, which may be composed of
scholars and scientists, will be asked to demonstrate how data mining and
data analysis tools currently used in the sciences can improve humanities
and social science scholarship.  The hope of this competition is that these
projects will serve as exemplars to the field and encourage new,
international partnerships among scholars, computer scientists, information
scientists, librarians, and others.

"The Digging into Data Challenge brings together scientists and humanities
scholars to take advantage of the digitization of millions of books,
newspapers, photographs and countless other documents," said NEH Chairman
Bruce Cole.  "The NEH is delighted to work with JISC, NSF, and SSHRC to
offer this competition and we look forward to many exciting discoveries from
the analysis and study of this data."

"The Digging into Data Challenge will allow for the large-scale analysis of
huge collections of diverse cultural heritage resources," said Alastair
Dunning, JISC's digitization program manager.  "Such forms of analysis,
unthinkable before the arrival of the Internet, will help give new insights
to academic inquiry." 

"It is exciting to us to be able to foster research with outcomes of equal
excitement to the humanities and computer and information science and
engineering disciplines," said Haym Hirsh, Director of NSF's Division of
Information and Intelligent Systems. "Through this program, twenty-first
century technologies will enable new modes of scholarship that complement
centuries-old ways of conducting research."

"This exciting new joint initiative with NEH, JISC and NSF, will allow
Canadian researchers to further develop sophisticated text and image mining
and data visualization technologies while building international research
partnerships," said Chad Gaffield, SSHRC President.  "SSHRC is confident
that the results will create new knowledge about humanity from the vast
digital resources now becoming available."

In order to apply, interested applicants must first submit a letter of
intent by March 15, 2009.  Final applications will be due July 15, 2009.
Further information about the competition and the application process can be
found at www.diggingintodata.org

- # # # -

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for
the Humanities supports learning in history, literature, philosophy, and
other areas of the humanities. NEH grants enrich classroom learning, create
and preserve knowledge, and bring ideas to life through public television,
radio, new technologies, museum exhibitions, and programs in libraries and
other community places. Additional information about the National Endowment
for the Humanities and its grant programs is available on the Internet at
www.neh.gov

 

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that
supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and
engineering, with an annual budget of $6.06 billion. NSF funds reach all 50
states through grants to over 1,900 universities and institutions. Each
year, NSF receives about 45,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes
over 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards more than $400 million in
professional and service contracts yearly.  More information about NSF is
available on the Internet at www.nsf.gov/

 

The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) is a joint committee of the
U.K. further and higher education funding bodies and is responsible for
supporting the innovative use of information and communication technology
(ICT) to support learning, teaching, and research.  It is best known for
providing a U.K. national infrastructure network, a range of support,
content, and advisory services, and a portfolio of high-quality resources.
Information about JISC, its services and programs can be found at
www.jisc.ac.uk 

 

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) is an
independent federal government agency that funds university-based research
and graduate training through national peer-review competitions. SSHRC also
partners with public and private sector organizations to focus research and
aid the development of better policies and practices in key areas of
Canada's social, cultural and economic life.  More information about SSHRC
is available on the Internet at www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
<http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/> 

For additional information on this release and other SSHRC research
projects, please contact: 

Trevor Lynn 
Communications Manager 
Phone: 613-992-7302 
Cell: 613-302-9879 
E-mail: Trevor.Lynn at sshrc-crsh.gc.ca 

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