Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social...
-
Upload
uriel-foulk -
Category
Documents
-
view
216 -
download
4
Transcript of Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social...
![Page 1: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Enabling e-Social Science Research
Andy Turner
![Page 2: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Context Focus
– National Centre for e-Social Science• NCeSS• An introduction
– e-Infrastructure developments for e-Social Science• A viewpoint
– Modelling and Simulation for e Social-Science• MoSeS• A job
Outline
![Page 3: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Context 1/2
Who am I and why am I here?– Andy Turner
• http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/people/a.turner• e-Social Science in action!
– Collaboration
– Consortium building
– I work on MoSeS• a node of NCeSS
– an Other NeSC UK e-Science Centre
– http://www.nesc.ac.uk/centres/
• Interdiciplinary team from– Computing
– Geography
– Transport
– Health
• Lead by Mark Birkin
![Page 4: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Context 2/2
Who are you and why are you here?– Three types of e-Researchers
• Early adopters – technical support
• Enthusiasts – demonstrators
• Uninterested – awareness-raising– indifferent– sceptical– antagonistic
![Page 5: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
NCeSS 1/5
http://www.ncess.ac.uk/ National Centre for e-Social Science Context
– ESRC e-Social Science Initiative/Strategy• Aims to stimulate the uptake and use by social scientists, of new and
emerging Grid-enabled computing and data infrastructure, both in quantitative and qualitative research
• Four scoping studies to identify key issues– Human centred design and Grid technologies– Grid-enabling quantitative social science datasets– Qualitative research and e-SS– Social shaping perspectives on e-S and e-SS
• 11 pilot demonstrator projects• Training and awareness activities (with JISC)
– Fast Track– ReDReSS– Agenda setting workshops
• NCeSS
![Page 6: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
NCeSS 2/5
Mission– To help social scientists make the best use of e-science technologies
to address key social science research challenges.
– To stimulate the uptake of Grid-enabled computing, data infrastructure and collaboration in social science research
– To provide information, training, advice, support and online resources.
– To advise on the future strategic direction of e-social science. Long-term goals
– Develop an e-social science culture that pervades the SS research community
– Make the Grid as easy to use as the Web
– Establish a leading international centre for e-social science
![Page 7: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
NCeSS 3/5
Structure and Organisation– Unified Centre with distributed structure
• Co-ordinating Hub: Manchester / UKDA • Seven research Nodes: across the UK• Twelve small grant projects• Eight Access Grid Nodes
– Role of NCeSS Hub• One-stop shop:
– Expertise, training, technical support, data resources– website – a single ‘front door’
• Disseminate success: – Demonstrator projects– Training materials– Working papers, seminars, SIGs, conferences, summer schools, fellowships
• Foster collaboration:– Between social scientists and Grid developers– Between node research teams– Common software standards
![Page 8: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
NCeSS 4/5
The 7 Current Research Nodes– Collaboration for Quantitative eSS Statistics
• Rob Crouchley, Lancaster
– Modelling and Simulation for eSS• Mark Birkin, Leeds
– New Forms of Digital Record for eSS• Tom Rodden, Nottingham
– Mixed Media Grid• Mike Fraser, Bristol
– Geographical Urban Environments • Mike Batty, UCL
– Policy Grid: Rural Policy Appraisal• Pete Edwards, Aberdeen
– Oxford e-Social Science Project• Bill Dutton, Oxford
![Page 9: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
NCeSS 5/5
12 Current Small Grant Projects– Headtalk
• R Carter, Nottingham– Spacial Decision-Making in Distributed Envrionments
• A Beradi, OU– Learning Disabilities Data Infrastructure
• Simon Musgrave, Essex– Knowledge and Community Making in eSS
• Ben Anderson, Essex– Use of Grid in Disclosure Risk Assessment
• Mark Elliot, Manchester– Using AGNs in Field Research
• Nigel Fielding, Surrey– Repository for Social Science Metadata
• Karen Clarke, Manchester– Grid-enabled Occupational Data
• Dr Lambert, Stirling– Data-driven Simulation for Policy Decision
• G Theodoropolous, Birmingham– Semantic annotation in skills-based learning
• David De Roure, Southampton– Integrating Data in Visualisation
• M Chalmers, Glasgow– Grid-enabled Spatial Regression Models
• R Harris, Bristol
![Page 10: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
e-Infrastructure Developments for e-Social Science 1/6
Technology– Virtualisation– Ease of use– Security
Socio-political– Communication is hard– Interoperability– Standards
Application orientated interactions– Grids become Data Grids– Interfaces– User Communities
![Page 11: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
e-Infrastructure Developments for e-Social Science 2/6
Virtualisation– Vision of the Grid:
• Plug in and get the services you need
• Just like electricity
• Doesn’t matter what resource is supplying it, or where it is, just use the “juice”
– Basic functionality now exists• Tell me what this set of resources look like
• Run this job on that resource
• Transfer this file
– Basic functionality is not enough to fulfill the vision of the Grid– It is happening– Contribute and make it happen sooner…
![Page 12: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
e-Infrastructure Developments for e-Social Science 2/6
Ease of Use– Users will only come in droves when they have decent tools to
use– Users are hampered by software that doesn’t do what they
want it to – To promote this it is reckoned that closer ties between tool
builders and user are need • Tool builders still creating “cool” solutions to problems that don’t
exist
• Users still not communicating what they need – or ignoring “not built here” solutions when available
• This is being addressed– Long way to go…
![Page 13: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
e-Infrastructure Developments for e-Social Science 3/6
Security– It is needed– Major ethical and confidentiality issues with data– Needs to be easy to use and manage– Lots of work ongoing in this
![Page 14: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
e-Infrastructure Developments for e-Social Science 4/6
Socio-political– Multiple administration domains means multiple policies
• Trust is needed
– Communication• Language barriers
• Constructive criticism, reporting of errors helps
– Standards• Need for standard APIs and protocols to allow easier
– Access to data sources– Registration of data– Archiving tools
• For resource discovery
• Semantics
• Standards for communication of errors
![Page 15: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
e-Infrastructure Developments for e-Social Science 5/6
…More on Standards– What’s the real goal behind standards?
• Interoperabilty!
– Without standard interfaces, languages, schemas, etc we cannot have multiple implementations that work together
– However, standards are hard• Agreement between many partners
– This is often socio-political, not technical
• Standardizing too soon versus too late
• Need to be very exact in order to only have one interpretation of a standard
• Need to make sure you take performance into account
• Need to have take-up by the major players
![Page 16: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
e-Infrastructure Developments for e-Social Science 6/6
Application Orientated Interactions– Grids become Data Grids
• In the beginning compute ruled
• Then distributed and large data became the focus
• Understanding data provenance became a big issue
• UK funding councils are beginning to demand that projects make their data publicly available
– Annotated, curated, freely available
• Where are the tools to help with this?
• How do you maintain Data Grids once your project ends?
– Interfaces• Growing importance of Portals
– User communities
![Page 17: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
A proposed e-Infrastructure for e-Social Science
![Page 18: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Modelling and Simulation for e-Social Science
Covers a lot of things– Scientist from different disciplines have different needs
NCeSS organised an Agenda Setting Workshop– e-Infrastructures for Social Simulation
• A coming together of experts
• Details on the NCeSS wiki– URL in notes
What Architecture is needed to support this? What Workflows and Use Cases are there?
![Page 19: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Example Simulation Workflows
![Page 20: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
NCeSS MoSeS Node
Primarily tasked with a triplet of related use cases Based on a UK human demographic simulation model
– Microsimulation/Agent based– GIS and visualisation
Forecasting for Policy Analysis– Applications
• Health
• Business
• Transport
Conceptual link to SimCityTM
The team are thinking about general work flows and use cases
![Page 21: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Summary
e-Infrastructure for e-Social Science is in its infancy We are hoping to:
– Develop and adopt standards– Collaborate– Spread the word– Develop the Semantic Web– Let engineers organise the hardware– Develop Open Source software solutions – Work with data assimilators and disseminators to encourage
proliferation of meta data standards– Show case the enormous data and computational problems of
e-Social Science
![Page 22: Enabling e-Social Science Research Andy Turner. n Context n Focus –National Centre for e-Social Science NCeSS An introduction –e-Infrastructure developments.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070308/551bbc38550346be588b4760/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Acknowledgements and Thanks
Peter Halfpenny Jennifer Schopf NCeSS MoSeS Mark Birkin SIM-UK University of Leeds
– CCG– School of Geography
To you The collaborative scientific community