Data Integration and Analysis System (DIAS) as a Platform for Data and Model Integration: Cases in the Field of Water Resources Management and Disaster Risk Reduction

The development of data and model integration platforms has furthered scientific inquiry and helped to solve pressing social and environmental problems. While several e-infrastructure platforms have been developed, the concept of data and model integration remains obscure, and these platforms have produced few firm results. This article investigates data and model integration on the Data Integration and Analysis System (DIAS) platform, using three case projects from water-related fields. We provide concrete examples of data and model integration by analyzing the data transfer and analysis process, and demonstrate what platform functions are needed to promote the advantages of data and model integration. In addition, we introduce the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), a valuable tool for promoting data and model integration and open science. Our investigation reveals that DIAS advances data and model integration in five main ways: it is a “sophisticated and robust integration platform”; has “rich APIs, including a metadata management system, for high-quality data archive and utilization”; functions as a “core hydrological model”; and promotes a “collaborative R&D community” and “open science and data repositories”. This article will appeal especially to researchers interested in new methods of analysis, and information technology experts responsible for developing e-infrastructure systems to support environmental and scientific research

Data Integration and Analysis System (DIAS) as a platform for data and model integration: Cases in the field of water resources management and disaster risk reduction

The development of data and model integration platforms has furthered scientific inquiry and helped to solve pressing social and environmental problems. While several e-infrastructure platforms have been developed, the concept of data and model integration remains obscure, and these platforms have produced few firm results. This article investigates data and model integration on the Data Integration and Analysis System (DIAS) platform, using three case projects from water-related fields. We provide concrete examples of data and model integration by analyzing the data transfer and analysis process, and demonstrate what platform functions are needed to promote the advantages of data and model integration. In addition, we introduce the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), a valuable tool for promoting data and model integration and open science. Our investigation reveals that DIAS advances data and model integration in five main ways: it is a "sophisticated and robust integration platform"; has "rich APIs, including a metadata management system, for high-quality data archive and utilization"; functions as a "core hydrological model"; and promotes a "collaborative R&D community" and "open science and data repositories". This article will appeal especially to researchers interested in new methods of analysis, and information technology experts responsible for developing e-infrastructure systems to support environmental and scientific research

Design and Implementation of a Training Course on Big Data Use in Water Management

Big Data has great potential to be applied to research in the field of geosciences. Motivated by the opportunity provided by the Data Integration and Analysis System (DIAS) of Japan, we organized an intensive two-week course that aims to educate participants on Big Data and its exploitation to solve water management problems. When developing and implementing the Program, we identified two main challenges: (1) assuring that the training has a lasting effect and (2) developing an interdisciplinary curriculum suitable for participants of diverse professional backgrounds. To address these challenges, we introduced several distinctive features. The Program was based on experiential learning – the participants were required to solve real problems and worked in international and multidisciplinary teams. The lectures were strictly relevant to the case-study problems. Significant time was devoted to hands-on exercises, and participants received immediate feedback on individual assignments to ensure skills development. Our evaluation of the two occasions of the Program in 2015 and 2016 indicates significant positive outcomes. The successful completion of the individual assignments confirmed that the participants gained key skills related to the usage of DIAS and other tools. The final solutions to the case-study problems showed that the participants were able to integrate and apply the obtained knowledge, indicating that the Program’s format and curriculum were effective. We found that participants used DIAS in subsequent studies and work, thus suggesting that the Program had long-lasting effects. Our experience indicates that despite time constraints, short courses can effectively encourage researchers and practitioners to explore opportunities provided by Big Data