Re: Reminder: SysBio Wednesday 11AM ET / 4PM GMT / 5PM CET

Hi guys,

The fault is entirely mine, I asked Jun to keep the ball rolling as I have
not been very present lately due to project/work commitments :(

Attached is a rough plan of where I want to take the systems biology task
force (and also the semantic systems biology here at DERI).

I propose that we start by criticizing this plan, it's strengths and
weaknesses (i'm serious, feel free to put your reviewer's hat on ;-) ) and
use that in future discussion of the task force.

I've also made it available as an editable google doc - I know a lot of you
have meaning full references that are very relevant, so I would urge you to
PLEASE add these to the document and not wait for me to do it...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UrUOQmD9gswgBr1BQmdjRZ9VGuyTojd_8NTUOJbUC3s/edit

I really want to keep the ball rolling on this one, as I feel it is an
incredibly exciting project to work on (and an awesome group)!

So, please feel free to participate and stay tuned for the next call ;-)

Best,
Helena

On Thu, May 24, 2012 at 4:28 PM, Erich Gombocz
<egombocz@io-informatics.com>wrote:

> Dear All SysBio's:
>
> I'm agreeing with Mark's comments with all my heart and mind; me too
> wants this group to succeed, so as Mark put it so pointedly,
>
> >"what can WE (1), (2), (3) do to make these calls as useful to you as
> they will be to us?"  I understand that you're probably
> >already talking to each other, since this field is your "baby", and
> thus these calls have the potential to offer you little
> >benefit beyond your existing email (etc.) chats!  ...So... what can we
> do, as the broader-community, to provide
> >value/feedback/etc. that would ensure we all - experts and noobs alike
> - get something useful out of this group and enjoy and >value the hour
> that we spend together every couple of weeks?
>
> let's set the focus on common expectations for this group!
>
> Erich
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark [mailto:markw@illuminae.com]
> Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2012 8:18 AM
> To: public-semweb-lifesci@w3.org; Jun Zhao
> Subject: Re: Reminder: SysBio Wednesday 11AM ET / 4PM GMT / 5PM CET
>
> Hi all SysBio'ers!
>
> I know it isn't really my place to be saying anything, but... when has
> that ever stopped me ;-)
>
> The last conference call was... odd?...  and while Jun's extraordinary
> efforts to keep it moving forward were greatly appreciated (!!  well
> done
> !!) I think it might be worth having a very open discussion about what
> our expectations are from this group, since it was a fairly small group
> and apparently with a wide range of experience and expertise.
>
>  From what I could hear, there were four "tiers" of expertise in the
> group.  Starting from the bottom:
>
> 1)  People like me, who know nothing at all beyond that the
> SysBio/Modeling community have worked hard on putting together standards
> and technologies that are bearing fruit; and that I (as a mere potential
> user of the tech) need to become MUCH more aware of what they're doing
> in order to successfully pursue my own research interests.  So... I'm
> the ultimate lurker on the call.
>
> 2)  People like Erich, who know *a lot* about what's going on in the
> field (because this is their company's business!) but, as a vendor,
> isn't going to be the first one to speak in a call like this because it
> might come-off sounding like a sales-pitch.  He's likely interested in
> both how the technology is evolving (to ensure their products stay
> current) as well as listening to the needs of the community (so that
> their products stay relevant), but I don't expect him to lead the
> discussion if for no other reason than he's simply too polite to
> "take-over"  :-)
>
> 3)  People like Jun, who has put in a lot of time learning what's out
> there, has a deep and genuine interest, and wants to discuss the pro's
> and con's of the various pieces at some level of detail with people who
> have at least tried to use it.  (...but there weren't many! ...so she
> was speaking to herself most of the time...)
>
> 4)  The full experts in the domain, most of whom were not able to make
> the call, unfortunately.  And I don't say that in any way as an
> accusation, but rather, looking forward, I see a potential "boredom
> problem", which is what I think needs to be discussed.  At least one of
> the domain experts who did attend, left the call mid-chat on the basis
> that it was "too simplistic" (exact quote from IRC)... so if we don't
> find a way to engage you, the experts, we might be in for some
> disappointing meetings!
>
>
> What I'd like to ask the SysBio community - especially category (4),
> since it seems to me that they are the critical ones to have on these
> calls,
> is:  "what can WE (1), (2), (3) do to make these calls as useful to you
> as they will be to us?"  I understand that you're probably already
> talking to each other, since this field is your "baby", and thus these
> calls have the potential to offer you little benefit beyond your
> existing email (etc.) chats!  ...So... what can we do, as the
> broader-community, to provide value/feedback/etc. that would ensure we
> all - experts and noobs alike - get something useful out of this group
> and enjoy and value the hour that we spend together every couple of
> weeks?
>
> If I'm speaking out-of-turn, please flame me :-)  I can take it!  LOL! I
> just want to see this group succeed, and I am willing to stick my neck
> out to see if I can help!
>
> :-)===={
>
>    ^^^
>   my neck
>
> Best wishes all!
>
> Mark
>
>
>


-- 
Helena F. Deus
Post-Doctoral Researcher at DERI/NUIG
http://lenadeus.info/