Highlights for March 23, 2001

I. Key Department News: No report.

II. Agency Works on Presidential Initiatives:

• The National Biological Information Infrastructure: Building Knowledge through Partnerships: The NBII is hosting an exhibit at the George Wright Society biennial meeting, "Crossing Boundaries in Park Management - on the ground - in the mind- across disciplines", April 16-20, 2001 in Denver, Colorado. The exhibit will highlight recent developments at the 10 NBII thematic and data node locations in the US.

  The NBII is also partnering with the National Park Service Intermountain Region Support Office in an exhibit titled "Bridging the data gap: Discovering data via metadata clearinghouses". Metadata and data discovery will be presented in an off-line demonstration. The Support Office's successful metadata training program, which has trained 93 park and other personnel resulting in the creation of over 700 metadata records, will also be highlighted in the NPS exhibit. (Sharon Shin, CBI, Denver, 303-202-4230)

• NBII Presentation at the Science Data Center Symposium: John Clark, of CBI, will give a presentation on the National Biological Information Infrastructure; it's current and future computer science and sociological research endeavors needed to address the ever growing issues related to our Nation's biological concerns at the SDC Symposium, March 26-28, in Pasadena, CA. NASA’s JPL and Raytheon are organizing The SDC Symposium and it is intended primarily for government and educational institutions and Raytheon employees.

III. Notable Congressional Activity: No report.

IV. Press/Media Inquiries: No report.

V. FOIA Requests: No report.