Highlights for January 7, 2008

I. Departmental/Bureau News

• Scientists from USGS-NBII Wildlife Disease Information Node to Attend Avian Influenza Database Meeting: Staff from the Wildlife Disease Information Node (WDIN), have been invited to the Wildlife Conservation Society – Food and Agriculture Organization Avian Influenza Database Meeting to be held in New York, New York, January 13-17. Meeting participants will each provide an overview of their avian influenza (AI) research, the types of data being collected, and the database structures holding this data. The key objectives of this meeting are to identify core avian influenza data elements to share and to begin discussing the mechanisms for implementing data exchange. (Robert Worrest, Reston, VA, 703-648-4074)
• Biological Ocean Observing -- Exploring Components of IOOS From the Perspective of Census of Marine Life: The consortium for Oceanographic Leadership, under the auspices of the U.S. National Committee of the Census of Marine Life (CoML), is organizing a workshop to demonstrate the importance of incorporating biological data, particularly CoML data, into the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). This undertaking requires a unique collaboration among biological, chemical and physical oceanographers, decision-makers, and data managers. The workshop will bring together experts from academia and management agencies to a share broad variety of information in this important field. The USGS-National Biological Information Infrastructure has participated in workshop planning and organization and will also participate in the workshop. The event will occur on January 14 and 15 at the Lantham Hotel in Washington, DC. (Mark Fornwall, Kahului, HI, 808-984-3724)
• New Wildlife Disease News Map Tool: The USGS-NBII Wildlife Disease Information Node (WDIN), is pleased to announce the release of a new map tool, the Global Wildlife Disease News Map, . Articles posted to the Wildlife Disease News Digest, in the previous 45 days are displayed on a map based on their geographical location. This allows readers to see the news happening both in their area and worldwide. In addition, the map offers a number of features including limiting the news on the map to a specific disease or zooming in on an area of particular interest to show news for that region. The map changes each day as fresh news content is added, so check back often. (Robert Worrest, Reston, VA, 703-648-4074)

II. Agency Work on Presidential Initiatives
Nothing to report this week.

III. Notable Congressional Activity
Nothing to report this week.

IV. Press Inquiries/Media
Nothing to report this week.

V. Key FOIA Requests
Nothing to report this week.