[okfn-coord] URGENT: FP7 Proposal

Fri Apr 4 00:13:38 UTC 2008

Hi all,

I am currently working on the 'Key project tasks' and 'Key competencies 
related to the tasks' sections.

Soren Auer has suggested we emphasise expertise in IPR and 
dissemination/communication? I will look at
the proposal in more detail to think where the OKF could fit in. Other 
things we could mention (off the top of my head):

  * legal/economic research
  * (domain specific) resource discovery
  * knowledge componentisation

He's basically said we should put anything we want in, and he can prune 
as necessary in further iterations, and consult with us.

A ballpark figure he's floated for the OKF is 250k Euros over 3-4 years

If anyone would like access to the draft, *please* get in touch and I 
can forward access details. A further set of eyes would obviously be 
much appreciated (the draft is > 100 pages).

First draft of blurb - including short CVs composite from various 
sources - is below. (Jo - it would be useful to get a little more stuff 
in yours, if possible!)

What do people think?

Best wishes,

Jonathan

-------- Original Message --------

# Description of organisation

The Open Knowledge Foundation (OKF) is a not-for-profit organisation 
founded in 2004 and dedicated to promoting open knowledge in all its 
forms. It is a European leader in this field and prominent on the
international stage.

A small Executive Group is responsible for running the Foundation on a 
day to day basis and for coordinating the activities of its volunteers. 
This is supplemented by the expertise of technical contractors and a 
distinguished Advisory Board.

The Foundation has pioneered work in developing robust legal mechanisms 
for sharing data - and has taken a central role in helping to develop 
standards for openness in knowledge and services. Crucially it acts as a 
hub, drawing together representatives from across the knowledge society 
- from academics, public servants and entrepreneurs to data experts, 
archivists and web developers. Forums and an annual conference serve to 
strengthen this network.

In addition to research and policy work, it contributes to the 
infrastructure for open knowledge users and producers. This includes 
CKAN, a registry of knowledge packages, and KForge, a suite of tools for 
managing software and knowledge projects. It has also initiated several 
open knowledge projects - such as Open Shakespeare and Open Economics.

# Key personnel

## Jordan Hatcher

Jordan has made the study of intellectual property and IT law, 
especially US/UK/EU comparative aspects, his main focus. He is a 
graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, and holds an advanced 
degree in IP and technology law from the University of Edinburgh School 
of Law.

Jordan has worked on a number of projects related to open content and 
copyright, including a study by the CIE about UK public sector use of 
Creative Commons and similar licences in 2005, an Eduserv Foundation 
funded study on use of open content by the cultural heritage sector in 
2007, and on the Creative Commons Scotland localisation in 2005 and in 2007.

He is one of the principal developers of the Open Data Commons project 
and Chair of the Advisory Council for the Open Knowledge Definition.

## Rufus Pollock

Rufus Pollock is a Founding Director of the Open Knowledge Foundation 
and Mead Fellow in Economics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. 
His research focuses on innovation and IP, with particular attention to 
open models of innovation. Other areas of particular interest include 
two-sided/platform industries (e.g. Operating Systems, Search Engines), 
and research on happiness and well-being.

He is author of "The Value of the Public Domain" published by the 
Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), and co-author of "Models of 
Public Sector Information Provision via Trading Funds" commissioned by 
HM Treasury and BERR.

## Jo Walsh

Jo Walsh is a geo-spatial data expert currently working for the European 
Space Agency. She is also Board Member of the Open Source Geo-Spatial 
Foundation and co-author of O'Reilly's Mapping Hacks. Her technical 
interests have been in metadata exchange and the web; the semantic web; 
spatial applications and spatially processing information. She studied 
English at Linacre College and Magdalen College at Oxford University.