ACADEMIA

The computer age has thrown up many new words for the English language to embrace and among the most tongue twisting is one of the newest - Interoperability. For those in the know it means the ability of computer products and systems to work together on a common task - and for everybody who wants or needs to know more about how that works, there is Interoperability Week in Canberra from Monday, November 27 to Friday, December 1. Critical to every person involved in the storage and use of spatial data, the week will include a series of workshops culminating in the two day SEE Grid Conference at the CSIRO Discovery Centre at Black Mountain, Canberra which will consider 'Computational Modelling and Decision Support in the Solid Earth and Environmental Community'. The SEE Grid Conference has been organised to consider the problems associated with access to the sea of data stored within the Australian Government, various State and Territory Governments, research organisation and industry. Currently, the data has limited application because the various computers and databases cannot talk to each other. As a lead up to the conference, interoperability enthusiasts and students will be able to attend a one day course at Geoscience Australia on 'Emerging Approaches to Spatial Data Infrastructure Implementation' providing a framework for understanding SDI design. It is followed the next day by an event at the National Library of Australia on standards in the spatial domain entitled 'What Busy Managers Need to Know'. The final workshop on Wednesday again at Geoscience Australia will consider the topic, 'Strategic Issues for Building, Managing and Delivering 3D models'. The Third SEE Grid Conference will follow with an integrated perspective of the latest international advances towards data access and applications, including advancements in standards, supporting infrastructure and practical applications. Registration for the SEE Grid Conference closes on 22 November 2006. Registration forms and further information is available from the Conference Secretary, Petra Bowling, email petra.bowling@csiro.au, phone 08 6436 8625. Information and registration for the three lead-up events can be found at: its Web site