[IP] Call for Nominations - NRC project on Information Fusion and Data Mining
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Lin, Herb" <HLin@xxxxxxx>
Date: November 1, 2004 10:52:31 AM EST
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Call for Nominations - NRC project on Information Fusion and
Data Mining
Dave - given the interest of your constituency in this subject.. We'd
surely appreciate a posting of this notice, since you have access to a
broader range of people than we normally have.
Thanks.
herb
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
for a National Research Council study on
Technical and Policy Dimensions of Large-scale Government Use of
Information Fusion and Data Mining
PLEASE POST WIDELY
(and apologies for duplicate postings)
The subjects of data mining and information fusion are in the forefront
of many public policy discussions about how the nation should exploit
information technology for purposes such as counter-terrorism, law
enforcement, and public health. Recognizing the concerns raised in
such discussions, the National Research Council is launching a project
that will examine technical and policy issues associated with the
large-scale government use of information fusion and data mining for
such purposes. In addition to examining the technical problems and
needs, it will consider the social and policy issues, such as privacy,
that arise with the prospect of such use and consider how alternative
approaches to both technology and policy can help to resolve them.
The National Research Council (NRC) is the operating arm of the
National Academies (<http://www.nationalacademies.org>), which include
the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering,
and the Institute of Medicine. The National Academies were created by
congressional charter to advise the nation on matters of public policy
that involve science and technology. The NRC - a non-profit
organization - works outside the framework of government to ensure
independent advice to the government through the use of committees
composed of the nation's top scientists, engineers, and other experts
-- all of whom serve pro bono in the national interest to examine
specific topics and issues. Within the NRC, this project is being
undertaken by the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board
(<http://www.cstb.org>) in cooperation with the NRC's Committee on
National Statistics (<http://www7.nationalacademies.org/cnstat/>).
For this project, a broad range of perspectives is required on the
committee that will oversee this project. Individuals with expertise
are sought in fields such as distributed systems, databases and
information retrieval, data mining, intelligent agents, system
security, systems integration and architecture, economics, sociology,
statistics, political science, intellectual property, privacy, and
civil liberties.
Committee membership (limited to about 15 individuals) will be based
on personal expertise and a dedication to drawing conclusions based on
the analysis of data and information, and not on satisfying
requirements for political representativeness. And, while it seeks
nominations from a wide variety of sources, the National Research
Council reserves the exclusive right to determine the membership of the
committee.
In accordance with NRC policy for all of its studies, committee
members will also be vetted for both bias and direct financial
conflicts of interest, both in selecting the members initially and also
by the committee itself in closed session, when it meets for the first
time.
Committee members should be
** willing and able to work collegially with other committee members
of differing perspectives to reach consensus on information-based
analysis. They should have a demonstrated ability to consider opposing
views carefully and respectfully, and be willing and able to act as an
individual rather than a representative of any organization or
movement.
** sufficiently senior in their fields to warrant broad respect for
their intellect, fairness, and stature.
** able to put in the time needed on this project (perhaps 6 meetings,
each of 2-3 days, over the course of 18-21 months, plus inter-meeting
work such as reading and commenting on report draft materials).
During the course of the project, the study committee expects to hear
from many other individuals through panel briefings, testimony, white
papers and other channels for input.
Obviously, committee membership is limited (probably 15 or so
individuals) and thus additional perspectives will be sought through
briefings, a major convening, and a call for input that will be issued
shortly.
A good illustration of the kinds of persons sought for this project is
provided by the committee assembled in 1994-1996 to study national
cryptography policy, another highly controversial area. The committee
was chaired by a former Deputy Secretary of State, and included (among
others) a former Deputy Director of the National Security Agency, a
former Attorney General of the United States, a former Deputy Attorney
General, the inventor of public-key cryptography, the director of
research and development for the Digital Equipment Corporation, and the
creator of Lotus Notes. Persons of comparable stature are sought for
this project as well. (This report can be found at
<http://books.nap.edu/catalog/5131.html>.)
Please forward nominations (self-nominations acceptable) to
DMIF-INPUT@xxxxxxxx Submitted nominations should include contact
information, biographies (including relevant published works, public
statements, and current or former positions of relevance), and
indications of relevant expertise and the perspective on the subject
that the nominee will bring. The "subject" line of the e-mail should
say "committee nomination." While nominations may be submitted at any
time, nominations received after November 22, 2004, or without the
information described above, may not be fully considered.
More information about the project can be found at
http://www.cstb.org/project_infofusion.html.
___________________________________________
Herb Lin, Senior Scientist
Computer Science and Telecommunications Board
The National Academies
(202) 334-3191 voice || (202) 334-2318 fax || hlin@xxxxxxx
www.cstb.org || Where the nation turns for independent and informed
assessments of computing, communications, and public policy
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