Highlights for August 28, 1998
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• USGS Scientist to Review New Remote Sensing Online Journal: Ralph Root, of the USGS Center for Biological Informatics, has accepted a request to serve as a reviewer-editor for a newly developed electronic journal sponsored by the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS). This peer-reviewed publication will be part of the ASPRS Remote Sensing Core Curriculum (RSCC). The RSCC, originally sponsored by NASA and the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, includes a series of lecture outlines and self-contained laboratory exercises with data. It was created to support the growing need for education in advancing technologies and their integration with spatial information systems. The RSCC design will ensure that educators and industry have full access to datasets, operating software, and lecture materials via the Web <http://www.umbc.edu/rscc>. (Ralph Root, Denver, 303/202-4232)
  
• New Waterbird Web Site: During the week of August 24, Peter Strong of the USGS Center for Biological Informatics assisted the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center by establishing a new Internet domain dedicated to the conservation and management of colonial-nesting waterbirds and their habitats throughout North America. The new domain is called nacwcp.org. (Peter Strong, Denver, 303/202-4246)
  

II. Agency Works on Presidential Initiatives:

• USGS Participates in FGDC Review of ISO Metadata Standard: On September 14-17, Susan Stitt of the USGS Center for Biological Informatics will help adjudicate the comments solicited by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Metadata Standard Committee Draft. More than 180 individuals from Federal agencies, state and local governments, universities/colleges, public-sector businesses/organizations and software vendors have received copies of the draft for review. Stitt is one of 20 individuals selected as adjudicators. The group will review the comments to establish a singular FGDC comment set that will be forwarded to ISO. The ISO Technical Committee has been drafting an International Metadata Standard since 1996; the FGDC has been an active participant. Because Federal agencies are mandated by OMB Circular A-119 to replace Federal standards with international standards when they become available, the finalized ISO Metadata Standard may significantly impact Federal metadata creation and compilation efforts. (Susan Stitt, Denver, 303-202-4234)
  
• ITIS Partners Grow: ITIS--the Integrated Taxonomic Information System--is becoming a lead organization in the international taxonomic community's effort to provide easy access to credible databases of scientific names of organisms, as evidenced by more and more interest in partnering with this interagency initiative. Species 2000 and the International Organization for Plant Information have recently expressed an interest in integrating ITIS technology and data into their systems. Ag-Canada and Food-Ag Canada technologists and systematists have also given strong endorsement to the ITIS information model and are in the process of formally joining the ITIS team. (Gary Waggoner, Denver, 303-202-4222)
  

   

III. Notable Congressional Activity: No report.

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.

V. FOIA Requests: No report.