The Intertidal Update - April 2025
We could start this month’s letter off with a list of all the ways ocean data is showing up in the news, but instead we’d like to take a moment to marvel at the glory of the first known image of a Colossal squid.
Look at the beautiful transparent mantle on that baby cephalopod! Congratulations to all the researchers and technicians who spent weeks at sea and in a tiny submersible to capture this image and remind us how much there still is to discover about this planet. As one artist deftly puts it: let the ocean make you feel right-sized again.
Now that you’ve recentered yourself, perhaps it’s time to take a hard look at where you’re storing your data and stress test it. Rachael was part of the team that created this repository risk scorecard. You can run through the scenarios to see how well your data would fare, use the results to improve your systems, and share feedback to improve the next version of the scorecard. Take advantage of this time before Atlantic hurricane season starts (June 1) to make sure the information you’ve worked so hard to gather will be available for you and others who might need it in the future.
What we’re reading:
Jared Keller’s writings about collaborative data institutions. He ties together Aristotle and practical experience from the ODI to describe four layers of a data collaboration: commercial terms/uses, governance, technology infrastructure, and legal foundations. These are helpful categories for organizing the many moving pieces of a data collaboration throughout data lifecycles and project phases. See this paper by Mendonça et al for a fuller description of different types of data institutions, with an emphasis on cooperatives.
Jeni Tennison on the UK’s National Data Library and when it makes sense to share public data with private companies. This is a thoughtful examination of how rules, standards, and incentives interact to create risks and benefits, and how to be intentional in designing for desired outcomes (while also recognizing that you can never anticipate everything).
Opportunities:
If you’re building data and tech solutions for public goods (maybe for the ocean?) there are relevant two opportunities closing soon. Astera is taking applications for their annual residency until May 2 for people working on open solutions. New Commons is accepting concept notes until June 2 for generative AI to support local decision-making and humanitarian interventions (two awards of $100,000 each).
If you’re looking for work generally, try Schmidt Marine’s Jobs Board, Riley Brady’s Board of Climate & Ocean Jobs Boards, and the Civic Match program helping fill state & local government positions.
Kate will be at Good Tech Fest and the Cloud-Native Geospatial Conference next week in Salt Lake City. If you'll also be at either of those events, come over and say hi.
— Kate & Rachael