Researchers frequently ask how they can be involved in the development process of the LifeWatch research infrastructure. Indeed, the European scientific and technical community has much to offer. Although LifeWatch cannot provide direct funding, many countries are involved in its preparatory phase. It may therefore may be of some advantage to your project if it is seen to be supporting the development of LifeWatch. It is now possible to request a label as LifeWatch Supporting project for projects which clearly contribute to the LifeWatch infrastructure development. The affiliated project has the right to use the LifeWatch logo in all project communications and is valid for the agreed project duration. LifeWatch lists the affiliation on this website.

Protocol for assigning a LifeWatch Label to supporting projects

This protocol serves to provide information about the assignment of the label LifeWatch Supporting Project to projects contributing to the LifeWatch infrastructure development.

Objectives

The development of the LifeWatch research infrastructure is a major undertaking and requires collaborative efforts of the European and even international scientific and technical communities. The actual construction of the distributed infrastructure will only be possible by contributions and investments of cooperating countries and organisations. The current LifeWatch Preparatory Project is entering a consultation proces with countries to establish a Consortium to legally establish LifeWatch as a European Research Infrastructure. A parallel bottom-up process will identify current and planned projects contributing to the infrastructure construction.

Part of this bottom-up process is this protocol to assign a LifeWatch Supporting Project label to contributing projects (construction components, pilots or demonstrators).

Remark: Such projects have to generate their own funding. LifeWatch is not a funding organisation and will not consider funding requests.

Eligible projects are encouraged to propose concrete deliverables which are useful for the construction or operations of LifeWatch. Examples are:

• impacts of changes on biodiversity richness and ecosystem services
• biodiversity valuation mapping
• web-based modelling tools
• development of software for specific applications
• specialized user portals
• applications with linkages to other data sources
• design or prototyping of environmental sensors

LifeWatch development plans

Applicants are suggested to read the general project outline and summary of results.

 The recently published LifeWatch Reference Model vs. 0.2 provides a first draft of the envisaged ICT infrastructure as a service-oriented architecture. It includes guidelines for the specification and implementation of the LifeWatch ICT infrastructure as well as defining a number of generic information models and services. This document also highlights some showcases which may be developed as initial demonstrator services for biodiversity projects (from page 105).

Benefits and implications

The affiliation with LifeWatch, currently an influential European development for biodiversity research, provides collaborating projects free publicity and  support to generate additional funding. Projects with the LifeWatch Supporting Project label have the right to use the LifeWatch logo in all project communications. This right is only valid for the agreed project duration. LifeWatch lists the affiliation with the ‘labeled' external projects on this website.

‘Labeled' projects are expected to share their results with the LifeWatch Preparatory project and its follow-up Construction Project. Cooperation with LifeWatch may include advice from the LifeWatch project.

Procedure and criteria

Applicants are not restricted to Europe. The LifeWatch project is happy to receive proposals which should be sent to the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Proposal details are to be summarized in a Proposal Cover Note.

The applicant is suggested to add a letter of support from a cooperating Network of Excellence or National LifeWatch Network. It is recommended that the applicant consults a partner in the LifeWatch team in advance.

The LifeWatch Preparatory Project will accept contributing projects on the basis of the following criteria:

 Quality and feasibility

• Innovative and original contribution to the LifeWatch development
• A demonstrated independant positive project evaluation
• Expected delivery and timing

Competence

• The project is unique or has a leading position in its work area
• The project team has a solid reputation, proven expertise and experience in the work area

Relevance and significance

The project indicates:

• its place in and relevance for the architectural model of LifeWatch
• which expected results are served as deliverables for the LifeWatch development

Cooperation

The project agrees to cooperate with LifeWatch with respect to:

• sharing all project results and to provide free access and the use of these results
• establishing collaborative agreements as reflected in an Assignment Letter

The LifeWatch Coordinator decides on the proposal in consultation with the LifeWatch Management. After a positive decision the Coordinator and external project leader both sign an Assignment Letter, summarizing the expected project results to be shared with LifeWatch and the collaboration details.

All labeled projects are registered at the LifeWatch project office and will be displayed on the LifeWatch website.

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