[CODATA-international] GIS Education | "The Science"

Fri Jul 29 15:48:22 EDT 2022

Dear Horst

Thank you for your email.  I am not a native English speaker, so my apologies if anything got lost in translation. So let me clarify again with more details. Please feel free to ask me if you need any further information.

I am a Geographic Information Scientist . Geographic Information Science (GIS) is my discipline. I am a member of CODATA, International Cartographic Association etc who are all members of International Science Council (ISC). I fully support the vision and mission of the International Science Council.

“The vision of the ISC is science as a global public good. Scientific knowledge, data and expertise must be universally accessible and its benefits universally shared. The practice of science must be inclusive and equitable, also in opportunities for scientific education and capacity development.”

In May 2022, I was invited by the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) https://www.data4sdgs.org and Data Values initiative  https://www.data4sdgs.org/datavaluesproject to write a short article  (which can be easily understood by everyone) which Data Values project published in their website  . I shared the Data Values article url (though the focus of that article was on Agriculture) it highlights the wider ethical questions of Digital Feudalism.

I am now writing an article on Geographic Information Science (GIS) Education which is also looking into the Ethics of Digital Feudalism in GIS Education .  I am inviting advice and guidance from colleagues as I have many questions that I do not know answers.  Hence, I shared my ethical questions.

Thank you for sharing information on what happened before on attempts to trademark  “ Science” by vendors. This is useful information.

I am a Geographic Information Scientist and I came across example  of a vendor trademarking   “the Science of Where” in the GIS domain and using this to promote their brand / products/services.  Details at

https://trademarks.justia.com/871/92/the-science-of-87192660.html

Is it Ethical to market/promote any vendor brand/products/services as “the Science ” of whichever area of science ? Is Science in that subject area  then  “owned” by the Vendor who has trademark rights? For example if vendors start trademarking and marketing their brand/products/services as “The Science of Climate Change” , “The Science of Where” etc etc?   what are the implications for credibility of Science?

Are there any guidelines for  Scientific Associations (esp. if they are members of ISC) for  taking sponsorship from vendors who promote their   product/brand/services as  “The Science of “whatever” topic !?

I am a member of the GEO Data Ethics WG (The WG was very recently closed by GEO Secretariat due to “resource constraints” ) where I have been over three years raising the issue on the need to have clear guidelines on vendor sponsorship for Group on Earth Observations (GEO) conferences, projects etc.

I will appreciate advice and guidance from you and all colleagues on this. Thanks.

Best wishes

Suchith

________________________________
From: CODATA-international <codata-international-bounces at lists.codata.org> on behalf of Horst Kremers <office at horst-kremers.de>
Sent: 29 July 2022 12:25
To: 'CODATA International' <codata-international at lists.codata.org>
Subject: Re: [CODATA-international] GIS Education | "The Science"

Hello Suchith,

I went through both your messages and I re-confirm my suggestion of July 27 (see below) that your discussions at AutoCarto2022 may be helpful in your questions.

As those who know me since longer time may know already, I always try to have an independent view in issues (at least as far as possible).

The discussion you raise is not very clear from the beginning.

Before starting to “discuss, argue, judge” ethically or legally, it may be helpful to clarify some terms:

1.       Looking around, what happened before:

a.       Trademark “The Science”  https://trademarks.justia.com/872/80/the-87280235.html
see trademark events:  ABANDONMENT - FAILURE TO RESPOND OR LATE RESPONSE

b.      Trademark "TRUST THE SCIENCE"  https://www.trademarkelite.com/trademark/trademark-detail/86401875/-TRUST-THE-SCIENCE-
see trademark events:  ABANDONMENT - FAILURE TO RESPOND OR LATE RESPONSE

I personally conclude:

>>>>>  There is no trademark named “The Science”

Maybe I missed some basic references? I would prefer you to be more specific, together with links.

“a humble opinion” is nice to have, but not always very suitable when you enter the realms of justice.

>>>   please be precise and include links of what you specifically refer to.

2.       “the situation facing our discipline” -

You sign your email with

Senior Adviser to Governments and International Organizations | Scientist | Board member | Governance | Policy | Consultant in Data Science and Data Ethics | Global Citizen | SDG Volunteer and Advocate

So please help us to get a clear understanding of what is “our discipline” mentioned in your email.
This may also be helpful for you to identify “Scientific Associations linked with International Science Council” (ref to your email, see below) and contact specific ones (many International Associations are not just “linked” but are formal members of ISC)

3.       You sign your email with
https://council.science/profile/suchith-anand/

Are you representing ISC in your “The Science” topic?  Where does that personal profile formally relate to work in ISC structure? Probably you are member of some ISC commission, board, committee, etc.?

4.       “ … Scientific Associations linked with International Science Council have clear guidelines on sponsorship for conferences/events to ensure  no vendors (X or Y , it doesn’t matter ) are allowed to use sponsorship as a route to promote their trademark of “the science ” in the conference website etc to give credibility to their brand/products/services”
“clear guidelines on sponsorship” >>>>>   there are national guidelines on Scientific Integrity and Preventing Misconduct (mainly from national Research Councils)  as well as international guidelines.
You may refer to existing work and suggest amendments where necessary.

5.       Your “Data Values article”  it is marked “Data Values Digest #29”  -  (and to me looks more like a blog entry than an article)
please provide more insight why you put that “article” into the discussion of associations and companies mentioned in your email.
I read the main statement: “privately-owned digital service providers have morphed into digital landowners”  but, really, I find it hard to match such statement with your “The Science”-case of the AutoCarto2022 conference.

(needless to say that of course the situation of small farmers needs to be improved much more)

Even as a first thought phase text I think it would have been better if you try to refer to detailed sources.

So because of all this, finally I decided not to forward your current email(s) concerning “The Science” to anyone.

Horst

Von: Suchith Anand [mailto:Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk]
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 28. Juli 2022 07:53
An: Horst Kremers <office at horst-kremers.de>; 'CODATA International' <codata-international at lists.codata.org>
Betreff: Re: [CODATA-international] GIS Education

Dear Horst

Thank you for this information on AutoCarto 2022 conference with focus on Ethics. This is very relevant for discussions on the ethical questions that I raised on the need for protecting the Integrity of Science.

The vision of the International Science Council is science as a global public good. So in my humble opinion,  it is important that Scientific Associations linked with International Science Council have clear guidelines on sponsorship for conferences/events to ensure  no vendors (X or Y , it doesn’t matter ) are allowed to use sponsorship as a route to promote their trademark of “the science ” in the conference website etc to give credibility to their brand/products/services.

It is sad to note that even for a conference focussed on Ethics, the conference organisers Autocarto have taken sponsorship from a vendor to display their trademark of “The Science    ”  in the website highlights the situation facing our discipline.

Please feel free to share my email to other email lists so colleagues are aware of these ethical issues. Thanks.

Best wishes

Suchith

________________________________

From: CODATA-international <codata-international-bounces at lists.codata.org<mailto:codata-international-bounces at lists.codata.org>> on behalf of Horst Kremers <office at horst-kremers.de<mailto:office at horst-kremers.de>>
Sent: 27 July 2022 16:24
To: 'CODATA International' <codata-international at lists.codata.org<mailto:codata-international at lists.codata.org>>
Subject: Re: [CODATA-international] GIS Education

Hello Suchith,

I think that the 2022 AutoCarto International Conference will be the adequate occasion for discussions supporting your article.

“AutoCarto 2022 brings attention to the ethical responsibilities we face in all aspects of our practice, provides a forum for discussion on the power of maps and spatial analyses, and highlights opportunities for discussions of integrity, inclusion, and empathy in cartography and GIScience.”

https://cartogis.org/autocarto/autocarto-2022/

By the way, in the footer of your eMail you write “This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee”

Do you mind if we send your support request to other mailing lists?

Best greetings

Horst

Von: CODATA-international [mailto:codata-international-bounces at lists.codata.org] Im Auftrag von Suchith Anand
Gesendet: Dienstag, 26. Juli 2022 18:51
An: CODATA International <codata-international at lists.codata.org<mailto:codata-international at lists.codata.org>>
Betreff: [CODATA-international] GIS Education

Dear colleagues

I am now writing an article on GIS Education and I will appreciate your advice and guidance.

Is it ethical for GIS Vendors (Vendor X or Y , it doesn’t matter)   to trademark/sales/market their products/brand/services as “the science”? It might be a profit /sales/marketing strategy for the vendors to help increase market share for their products, add more credibility for their brand/products/services etc . But what will be the affects for the credibility of science and scientific community in the future?

If any Vendor is “sponsoring”  Scientific conferences or education initiatives ("free" licences etc) in return for promoting the vendor products/brand as “the Science” in the conference website etc ,  what is its impact for the discipline? Is it ethical?  If so,  what happens when then the vendors can use this framework “sponsorship “ model for promoting their product/brand as “The Science”  and advance the vendor Education agenda to the student and user communities ? Are there any guidelines on vendor lobbying in GIS Education initiatives?

 What is the ethical impact of this for the discipline as a whole?   What is the impact of this for Humanity?

Are there university policies and code of conduct to follow if any academics/researchers are funded by any vendor (for example, through GIS vendor funded faculty posts , research funding by any GIS vendors)?   Can academics and researchers publish articles on GIS education promoting the vendor products (either directly or indirectly)?

I am interested to learn more on what policies and curriculum are universities, educators adopting to reduce Digital Feudalism in GIS education? Do your courses cover topics on data rights, digital citizenship ?

I will appreciate your advice and guidance. Please send your reply to Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk<mailto:Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk>

You might be interested in the Data Values article that myself and Kathryn Bailey wrote , which looks into the Ethics of Digital Feudalism in Earth Observation (EO) data. I thank the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) and Data Values initiative for inviting us to write this article.

More details at https://datavaluesdigest.substack.com/p/how-digital-feudalism-hurts-farmers

Best wishes

Suchith

Dr Suchith Anand

Senior Adviser to Governments and International Organisations | Scientist | Board member | Governance | Policy | Consultant in Data Science and Data Ethics | Global Citizen | SDG Volunteer and Advocate

https://council.science/profile/suchith-anand/

https://www.rd-alliance.org/users/suchith-anand

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