Here's a link to UF's coverage of the event: http://news.ufl.edu/2009... -- I'm curious, though about this: "The new program will draw information about scientists from official, verifiable sources and make it available using a type of technology called the Semantic Web. For example, information about researchers’ positions will come from their employers and a listing of their published articles will come from the journals, while researchers will provide information regarding their interests. Although users will still view the information on what looks like regular Web pages, the software developed by Cornell researchers actually collects the facts a person wants and assembles its own page." -- will scientists be more likely to get involved b/c it's a scientist-driven, grant-supported, university-related project? - Mickey Schafer

How is this different from Biomed Experts, SciLink, etc? After seeing the failure of a dozen of these sites, I'm skeptical of the premise that there's real demand for them. You can build all the semantic infrastructure you want, but if people aren't going to use it, then it's a waste. - Chris Miller

Kind of what I was thinking, too, Chris. But the UF blurb does not address these concerns, so hard to know at this point. Maybe I'll send a message to Sarah Gonzalez tomorrow (one of the UF ref librarians who jump-started the idea) and see if she'll fill me in. - Mickey Schafer

It really hurts to see money be wasted like this on a platform that doesn't really address the issues plaguing these types of sites that already exist. I think someone needs to be given 12 million to figure out how to get scientists to actually use the technology! (Or code tools we'd like to use ;) ) - Brian Krueger - LabSpaces

Brian: what are the differences between this system under development and tools that might be considered ideal? - Mike Chelen

Mickey: scientists may be more likely to get involved for those reasons if they result in an effective operation. it is exciting to hear import and export of standard formats being given a priority, yet it may be longer before anyone sees if the process is functional - Mike Chelen

Chris: anytime someone mentions "facebook for ____ " it seems a little vague and hard to understand what might differentiate the service :D - Mike Chelen

Reading the press release, it doesn't sound like this platform is going to be any different from biomedexperts. I'm not sure there is an "ideal" system. It's going to be hard to offer every discipline the proper tools and content that will drive users and spawn collaboration. Having worked on my own site for the last 3 years, I've heard many scientists say the last thing they want to do is waste their time on a professional facebook for science. So I really hope the facebook aspects are overshadowed by literature search, bioinformatic, and lab management tools. It also seems wasteful when these types of sites already exist but are unsuccessful. Maybe this 12 million will strike the right cord with researchers. - Brian Krueger - LabSpaces

The question that has to be answered is what is the compelling reason for scientists to trust the people they encounter on "facebook for scientists". Non science social networking is low risk... - Richard Badge from Nambu

"The goal of the program is national networking of all scientists," said Michael Conlon, interim director of biomedical informatics for the University of Florida, in a statement. "Scientists have problems finding each other. We often find that researchers have pretty good networks with students or with scientists at institutions where they received their degree or worked before. But they don't always know people even at their own institutions." I don't really have problems finding scientists (how about this room here?) and not sure whether this thing can be forced but shall see. - Attila Csordas

Previous discussion here: http://friendfeed.com/cameron... - Mr. Gunn

Oh, and here: http://synthesis.williamgunn.org/2009... - Mr. Gunn

I have the same response to hearing this that I imagine many of you would reading a grant proposal that proposes to do an experiment that others have already done and which didn't work, and the results of which aren't cited in the new proposal. They need to address how they're going to work in the face of all these past failures. If their branding strategy is any indication, I'm not sure they're aware of the past failures. - Mr. Gunn

Mr Gunn nailed it. Where is the strategy for succeeding where so many have failed? - Bill Hooker

Mr Gunn +3 saving role against hype. - Paul J. Davis

I would like to point out that the Facebook for Science line is journalists trying to market this to the public rather than the investigators trying to address this groups concerns. I think that phrasing needs to be taken with a grain of salt. That doesn't mean the other criticisms aren't legitimate. I just think it is important to evaluate the project on its own merits rather than public mass market branding of it. - Michael Habib

One point on how it is different from some other projects. It is NIH funded. I am not aware of any other solutions with such a mandate from the NIH. Second, it is a huge amount of money.to devote to the problem. Neither of these differences directly addresses the concerns expressed, but they are both factors that give this project an edge in potentially addressing the issues. - Michael Habib

"The University of Florida, Cornell University and a handful of other schools" any people here from those schools funded or know the people funded and can invite them? Would love to hear their angle - Attila Csordas

I'll be doing a post doc at UF. I think I'll contact the head there and see if they need any help :) - Brian Krueger - LabSpaces

I am at UF. I have met Sarah G. (one of the initiating reference libs) while doing a guest lecture in her class. But I don't know the other people. We could just forward this discussion to one of the contacts usually listed. - Mickey Schafer

Michael Habib, I agree with your observation that "facebook for scientists" is journalist-speak. And in terms of explaining things to the UF community, it is a good analogy as my students constantly and consistently categorize social networks as either twitter or facebook. - Mickey Schafer

I forwarded it to to Mike Conlon at UF. He said he'd take a look at this discussion and also for more information said we should read the RFA http://grants.nih.gov/grants.... The RFA says that it wants the platform to be a federated network distributed by partner institutions, which is novel in the SNfS field. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with. - Brian Krueger - LabSpaces

Thanks, Brian (or really, should I use some southern-ism, like "Thaaank you, sweetie" which is actually what happens here, especially at places like Waffle House?). - Mickey Schafer

The research objectives section makes for a quick and interesting read -- love the "background" info! http://grants.nih.gov/grants... - Mickey Schafer

I think that background just shows how little actual background research was done before proposing this RFA :P - Brian Krueger - LabSpaces

I wonder if they'll talk to OWW, Epernicus, SciLink, Laboratree, and the dozen other SNfS services out there to import or otherwise leverage all the data that's already been contributed by scientists. I can see it being useful as an aggregator and motivating standardization and data exchange, but would hate to just see it reinvent the square wheel - Shirley Wu from twhirl

We have a few author profiles in Scopus as well :) - Michael Habib