BlueNet

BlueNet is a consortium of Universities, government and research agencies formed in 2006 and funded by D.E.S.T to develop an online integrated marine data discovery, archiving and delivery service, for Australia's marine science researchers.
BlueNet places emphasis on linking research data into a national and international marine data-sharing space. Aims of the project include support for long term curation and management of marine research data, and the fostering of collaborative approaches to science.

The online system enables researchers to create their own metadata records using standardised ways of describing data, upload their own data into a federated data hosting and delivery system, and discover new data and potential collaborators. BlueNet can assist researchers in meeting the recommendations made by the ARC and FRDC to make data obtained through research grants publicly available. Additionally, if data is considered sensitive or the research is yet to be published BlueNet can archive the data but not make it accessible to the wider marine community, until the researcher alters the permissions on the data. Records are being added to the MEST (Metadata Entry and Search Tool) daily and can be viewed at http://bluenet.its.utas.edu.au/geonetw ork/.

Records are not made public until the researcher authorises their release. The MEST allows users to search for data associated with partner Universities as well as data from government agencies accessible using the MEST’s ‘Remote Search’ option. BlueNet has staff in the central Project Office, as well as “Data Facilitators” at The University of Tasmania, The University of Melbourne, Australian National University, The University of Sydney and The University of Western Australia. We are always on the look out for new data, and are keen to hear from anyone interested in submitting to BlueNet.

So, if you hold any marine data (old and new), or know of any marine data that is languishing unattended (e.g. where a marine researcher is about to retire and needs help with “managing” their data), or you just want to find out more about the project you can contact your local BlueNet representative or the BlueNet Project Office for more information.

BlueNet Project Office
Ph: 03 6226 1817
Email: info@bluenet.org.au
Website: www.bluenet.org.au