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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Dear all,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Please see below a communication from ICSU World Data System that may especially be of interest for the BID community members based in Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:#222222"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB">The <b><a href="https://www.scidatacon.org/IDW2018/submit/" target="_blank">Call for Abstracts</a> for SciDataCon 2018 is open until Thursday, 31 May 2018</b>. Abstracts for papers or posters
 are invited for sessions at SciDataCon 2018, part of International Data Week (5–8 November 2018; Gaborone, Botswana). Abstracts must be submitted to an
<a href="https://www.scidatacon.org/IDW2018/sessions/" target="_blank">accepted session</a> or to the General Submission, and will be reviewed for quality and appropriateness to be included in a either an existing session or a (to be created) thematic session.
 Accepted abstracts will be available from the conference website and will form a persistent collection.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB">In particular, we would like to draw your attention to the following
<a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/news/news-archive/scidatacon-2018-call-for-abstracts" target="_blank">
<b>WDS-sponsored sessions</b></a>: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB">Africa Data Centers: Challenges and Opportunities (<a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/news/news-archive/scidatacon-2018-call-for-abstracts#Africa_Data_Centers" target="_blank">Abstract</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB">Spatial Data for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa (<a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/news/news-archive/scidatacon-2018-call-for-abstracts#Spatial_Data_SDGs" target="_blank">Abstract</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB">Citizen Science Data – from Collection to Curation to Management (<a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/news/news-archive/scidatacon-2018-call-for-abstracts#CS_Data" target="_blank">Abstract</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB">Health Databases across the African Continent:  What do we have and what do we need for Sustainable Development? (<a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/news/news-archive/scidatacon-2018-call-for-abstracts#Health_Databases" target="_blank">Abstract</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB">Repositories: Are we serving our scientists? Cross-learnings from multiple disciplines (<a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/news/news-archive/scidatacon-2018-call-for-abstracts#Repositories" target="_blank">Abstract</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB">Scientific Data Challenges for Sustainable Development (<a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/news/news-archive/scidatacon-2018-call-for-abstracts#SDG_Challenges" target="_blank">Abstract</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white">
<span lang="EN-GB">The Role of Early Career Researchers and Scientists in the Data Revolution (<a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/news/news-archive/scidatacon-2018-call-for-abstracts#ECR_Role" target="_blank">Abstract</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:#222222">Finally, a reminder that the<a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/news/news-archive/call-for-nominations-wds-data-stewardship-award-2018" target="_blank"> </a><b><a href="https://www.icsu-wds.org/news/news-archive/call-for-nominations-wds-data-stewardship-award-2018" target="_blank">Call
 for Nominations</a> for the 2018 WDS Data Stewardship Award is open until <span style="background:white">Monday, 21 May 2018</span></b>. If you know of an early career researcher who deserves to have their accomplishments recognized and highlighted to the
 international community, then complete the attached form (Word and PDF provided)—see notes below—and send it to the WDS International Programme Office (<a href="mailto:ipo@icsu-wds.org" target="_blank">ipo@icsu-wds.org</a>).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB">Please disseminate this information far-and-wide<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span lang="EN-GB">With Best Regards<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Maheva<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">------<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maheva Bagard Laursen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">BID coordination team<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">GBIF Secretariat<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">email: </span><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="mailto:bid@gbif.org"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:blue">bid@gbif.org</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">web:<span style="color:#1F497D"> <a href="http://www.gbif.org/BID/">
<span style="color:blue">http://www.gbif.org/BID/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">T: +45 35 32 14 70<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">F: +45 35 32 14 80<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="DA"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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