Discussion Will Focus on Understanding Challenges and Potential of Data Sharing

Data sharing is increasingly critical in this time of shrinking research budgets and increasing public demand for breakthroughs, especially given the interest generated by the BRAIN Initiative.

The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and AAAS are co-sponsoring a one-day symposium March 21 on “Neuroscience and Data Sharing,” which provides an opportunity for attendees to discuss and understand the challenges and potential of data sharing and discuss potential policies that could encourage and facilitate data sharing.

The President announced the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies on April 2, 2013, a new research effort to revolutionize understanding of the human mind and uncover new ways to treat, prevent and cure brain disorders and traumatic brain injury.

Technology is providing new opportunities for data sharing, and neuroscience, specifically, seems to be at a critical juncture as new insights increasing call for a synthesis of findings across scales. Despite the opportunities, multiple challenges exist, and addressing these challenges will require coordination across individual researchers, institutions, funding agencies, and publishers.

Part of a larger series of symposia on Neuroscience in Society, the workshop’s goal is to begin to build the community and communication necessary to begin addressing the challenges in promoting data sharing in neuroscience. Agenda and program highlights include:

  • Panel on challenges and opportunities in data sharing
  • Neuromorpho.org – a working example in data sharing
  • Building the road forward

The symposium will take place at AAAS, 1200 New York Ave, Washington, DC and is hosted by the NeuroPolicy and Big Data Affinity Groups.  The registration web site is http://www.aaaspolicyfellowships.org/event/neuroscience-and-data-sharing-symposium.  Other seminars will be scheduled in April and May.