Targeting the Bullseye of Metadata for Material Samples: Can We Define a Minimum Kernel for Transdisciplinary Interoperability?

Poster presented at the Research Data Alliance (RDA) 16th Plenary Meeting.

Abstract:

The 2019 CODATA Beijing Declaration on Research Data extends the term ‘data’ to include ‘physical samples and analogue artefacts (and the digital representations and metadata relating to these things)[1], thus reinforcing samples as first-class citizens of the modern research data ecosystem. To gain their full potential, physical samples need to be globally uniquely identified, well described, and findable in online catalogues, so that they can then be linked to related observational and analytical data, publications, people and any other digital information. 
 
The IGSN Global Sample Number (IGSN) is a PID system for physical samples that provides a globally unique, resolvable identifier and is compatible with other PIDs (e.g., DataCite, ORCID, GrantID, ROR, RRID, etc.). IGSN allows tracking of samples across institutional and system boundaries during collection, analysis, processing, curation and archiving: it also enables unambiguous linking with data and literature. IGSN was initially developed within the geoscience community but in recent years, IGSN has expanded into other domains (e.g. soil science, biology, cosmochemistry, materials science, archaeology, animal health). 
 
With IGSN increasingly expanding to so many diverse domains, it is impossible to develop a single common vocabulary that defines the full metadata for all types of materials that are collected: one size just does not fit all. Each individual domain already has its own suite of vocabularies and ontologies to describe their samples/specimens. The proposed solution is to have global community agreement on the minimum set of attributes that are common to all samples, that is a ‘Bullseye’ that defines a common core kernel, which has an agreed minimum set of domain agnostic attributes. Individual communities can then add their domain-specific metadata requirements/implementation profiles around this agreed common kernel. 
 
In order to strengthen the position of physical samples as first-class citizens of modern research and align them with the FAIR principles, multiple communities will need to work together to develop and implement agreed protocols, as well as documenting best practices for describing sample metadata in individual domains. A clearinghouse for physical sample metadata schemas should be established, which can be used by any service along the physical sample lifecycle and enable individual domains to lodge their preferred sample metadata profiles, vocabularies and ontologies.        
    
[1] http://www.codata.org/uploads/Beijing%20Declaration-19-11-07-FINAL.pdf