Meeting Minutes

DH FSP, 2018.06.15, 09.45-11.15 in Hörsaal 29 (TW)

Meeting chairs: Tara Andrews, Timothy Taylor

Participants: Thomas Wallnig, Wolfgang Straub, Ingo Börner, Maxim Romanov, James Bailie, Anahit Safaryan, Mária Vargha

AGENDA

1) Report on faculty FSP evaluation

T.Taylor:

Evaluation commission – 6 academics who had only one meeting with the FSP speakers. Report alluded to that: FSPs very varied in their form, aims and achievements - should help dialogue between the institutes. DH: “ausbaufähig” - v.a. with the philologies / cross-faculty. Research domain? Or infrastructure?

The answer for the evaluation from T. Taylor was as follows:

1.      The FSP notes that the assessors identify the importance of FSBs in strengthening interdisciplinarity external to institutes/departments but we also note that they do not make practical recommendations for the authorised establishment of cross-faculty FSB structures which were, however, articulated to them as necessary during their site visit.

2.      The University of Vienna has clearly signalled through the establishment of the Forschungsplatform Data Science that supra-faculty structures are an approved mechansim for generating research innovation. This is an initiative of which we strongly approve.

3.      The FSB notes the current lack of (i) technical infrastructure for digital humanites and (ii) an established research software group (especially important in relation to the developing mission of the ACDH). Both things are highly desirable. Situated in the appropriate structure both could represent highly efficient uses of central resource, avoiding duplication and with benefits across many departments and faculties.

No feedback has arrived on this as yet.

T. Andrews: (a) importance of FSPs for cross-institute, but no explicit recommendation (b) FPF Data Science; (c) DH is no infrastructure nor research group.

2) Announcement of ds:UniVie research platform, and its upcoming lecture series

The Data Science platform (https://datascience.univie.ac.at/) was granted in December, and is funded for 3 years. It incorporates the domains of Astronomy, Digital Humanities, Finance, Industry 4.0, and Medical Sciences. Led by Torsten Möller and the Informatik, from the Hist.-Kult. faculty it involves Tara Andrews and Wolfgang Schmale.

The DS will host 5 PhD’s, candidates are being interviewed today – Emphasis on a strong computational background & specific field.

DS is also sponsoring also a lecture series, the first by David Donoho on the topic "Data Science: The end of theory?" on Friday, 22.6. 4pm, intro by the Rector and small reception, all warmly welcome.

For the next year W. Schmale suggested Gudrun Gersmann. T. Andrews proposed that the DS has asked if a contribution from the DH budget would be possible. There was no objection.

3) Upcoming events:

- Modeling Travels in History: an ORBIS-esque Hackathon

See the details at: fsp-digital-humanities.univie.ac.at/nachrichten/single-view/news/open-call-modeling-travels-in-history-an-orbis-esque-hackathon-uni-vienna-july-18-20-2018/

There will be more hackathons, the next one on prosopography, during late autumn.  T. Andrews: would like to involve those in to this who deals with prosopography (Vogeler, Wallnig). Also, suggestions for themes for further hackathons are welcome. I. Börner proposed a Linked Data hackathon.

- Digital Humanities lecture series for WS 2018/19

T. Andrews: suggestions for guest lecturers are welcome

4) Proposals for use of the small FSP budget

    - An additional speaker?

    - A workshop? If so, on what particular theme?

    - Other ideas?

I. Börner DH commons - as platform, basis for a future infrastructure? NB MR: Someone has to curate it. Humanities commons?

5) Any other business

- Teaching

T. Andrews: Data science masters degree envisaged; in the Entwicklungsplan there is plan for this (DH, business informatics, data science). T. Möller is keen to do this. As DH classes being taught by TA et al; TW et al; Germanistik, Andrews suggested to rationalize what is being taught: coordinate it. Could lead to DH master, which would needed to be cross-faculty. I. Börner proposed that BA already have Erweiterungscurricula - start from there? Write to Currikularkommission to establish a working group. There should be a progression. Also cross-faculty. Cultural Heritage dimension. – T. Andrews to push this forward. I. Börner: Shadow curriculum? Collect the courses?

- Relation with ACDH.

Professorship was part of initiative ACDH/ZIM/Univie. G. Vogeler & T. Andrews should have become heads of ACDH/ÖAW; 2018. April 15: Georg & TA to sign the contract. Part of that: ACDH roof - infrastructure service center. Salzburg, Innsbruck etc. can join with their money.  In the planning phase, it not yet has been approved.

- T.Andrews & M.Romanov: talk with Ganguly about research IT.

6) Next meeting

October – invitation on doodle will be sent out soon