Spatial Ontology Community of Practice Work Plan for 2010

Draft (Version 2.0) February 25, 2010

Introduction:

The Spatial Ontology Community of Practice (SOCoP) was established to:

• Foster collaboration among researchers, technologists & users of spatial knowledge representations and reasoning towards the development of spatial ontologies for use by all in the Semantic Web.

• Support open collaboration and open standards for increased interoperability of spatial data across government

• Synchronize across the entire spectrum of applicable geospatial standards (via W3C, ISO, OGC, etc.) and with Geospatial Profile of FEA and other related geospatial activities

The SOCoP has continued to conduct regular meetings with a core group of participants and on November 12, 2009 hosted the 2nd SOCoP Workshop at the MITRE Conference Center in Northern Virginia to engage persons interested in exploring the potential for enhanced use of ontologies and semantics tools in the geospatial domain. .

This Work Plan is intended to build upon the SOCoP Meetings and the November Workshop and to provide a common set of objectives and work items for the 2010 calendar year.

Objectives:

Overall objectives for 2010 are:

1. Develop a Reference Model which identifies the major Semantic and Ontology architectural elements that support a mature fully functioning Spatial Data Infrastructure. The Reference Model would include a description of the architectural patterns, roles and definitions of the semantics and ontology components and how they fit together in an SDI context. 2. Conduct a Demonstration using inputs from other organizations or data communities. Through the Demonstration, show how components of the Reference Model interoperate how data, applications and services can be integrated in an inter-organizational enterprise. As part of the pilot collect examples of best practices and/or a few operational ontologies.

3. Conduct and participate in workshops and provide presentations to continue to expand the level of understanding about semantics and ontologies and their role and value in spatial infrastructures and architectures.

Work Tasks:

The three SOCoP Objectives for 2009 can best be accomplished by the integration of work tasks. The SOCoP participants and their organizations are contributing their time and energy in the interest of advancing the interoperable sharing and use of geospatial information and knowledge for societal benefit. Therefore to the greatest extend possible, SOCoP will build upon ongoing efforts where it can add value or extend the knowledge base regarding the value and use of geospatial semantics and ontologies.

Conduct and participate in workshops and provide presentations to continue to expand the level of understanding about semantics and ontologies and their role and value in spatial infrastructures and architectures.

SOCoP Meetings

Continue to hold regular SOCoP meetings - The 2010 meetings will normally be held monthly on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 11:00 – 12:30 ET. Begin to schedule presentations on relevant semantic and ontology topics either as part of SOCoP meetings or in collaboration with other organizations such as ONTOLOG

SOCoP Lead: John Moeller, Gary Berg-Cross and Mike Dean

Scheduled Workshops and Presentations

Propose to conduct a presentation/demonstration at the USGIF/OGC/GITA Emerging Technologies showcase. Tech Days is scheduled May 20, 2010 in the Washington DC metro area.

SOCoP Lead: Gary Berg-Cross, Mike Dean

Use these presentations as milestones for developing a semantic and ontology framework for geospatial infrastructures and architectures.

SOCoP Workshop

Hold a second SOCoP Workshop in October or November of 2010 to bring the community together for presentations and interaction to share knowledge and experiences.

SOCoP Lead: John Moeller and Gary Berg-Cross

International Semantic Web Conference 2010

Determine whether to conduct a Terra Cognita workshop as part of the ISWC event in Shanghai, China November 7-11, 2010. If SOCoP leadership will be offered a proposal will be submitted to ISWC by May 7, 2010.

SOCoP Lead: Mike Dean, Nancy Wiegand, Dave Kolas

Conduct a Demonstration using inputs from other organizations or data communities. Through the Demonstration, show how components of the Reference Model interoperate how data, applications and services can be integrated in an inter-organizational enterprise. As part of the pilot collect examples of best practices and/or a few operational ontologies.

Collaboration with OGC

Participate in the OGC Geosemantics Domain Working Group Meeting Schedule a presentation by SOCoP for at least one OGC Meeting in 2010. Target date for a presentation is at the OGC TC/PC Meeting from June 14-18 at NOAA in Silver Spring, MD.

SOCoP Lead: John Moeller and Gary Berg-Cross

Continue to support the OGC standards development process through review, comment and direct participation. A particular focus in 2010 is the GeoSparQL candidate specification.

SOCoP Lead: No lead is identified as individuals are commenting

Continue to coordinate with the OGC Interoperability Program to identify opportunities for demo inputs.

SOCoP Lead:

Research or Other Grants

Continue to monitor the National Science Foundation's INTEROP Program Solicitation

SOCoP Lead: Nancy Wiegand

Monitor other Grant Programs for suitable opportunities to submit proposals from SOCoP for research, development or implementation proposals.

SOCoP Lead: Gary Berg-Cross, Nancy Wiegand

Develop a Reference Model which identifies the major Semantic and Ontology architectural elements that support a mature fully functioning Spatial Data Infrastructure. The Reference Model would include a description of the architectural patterns, roles and definitions of the semantics and ontology components and how they fit together in an SDI context.

Expand upon current outline to develop a Reference Model that reflects current and future capabilities.

SOCoP Lead:

Work with the OGC GeoSemantics Domain Working Group to develop a Reference Model SOCoP Lead:

Establish a small SOCoP and OGC Working Group to facilitate the development of a Reference Model SOCoP Lead:

Open Ontology Repository (OOR) – Add new spatial ontologies to the OOR and update as necessary existing ontologies. The OOR is intended to become a community tools for spatial ontologies and to be a web service to support the creation, sharing, searching and management of spatial ontologies.

SOCoP Lead: Mike Dean, Gary Berg-Cross