September 28, 2017. 9.00–16.45 Helsinki University, Great hall University Main Building, Unioninkatu 34, Helsinki, Finland   Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility, FinBIF (laji.fi / species.fi), kindly invites you to attend to the national biodiversity information seminar on September 28, 2017. The seminar is organised as a side-event of the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) GB24-meeting, which is hosted by Finland. Open biodiversity data is finally also available in Finland, thanks to FinBIF that was established in 2015 as a national Research Infrastructure. FinBIF is already sharing more than 27 M species observations/occurrences including sample-based data, museum collection data as well as opportunistic data. FinBIF data enables cutting-edge research in various fields of science, supports decision making by public authorities in the fields of natural resources and the environment, and opens up new horizons for teaching and education in general. FinBIF also digitises collections of natural history collections and introduces DNA-based taxonomy and identification tools to support research. Attend and see how! The international speakers outline the status of Biodiversity Informatics from a global perspective and the FinBIF crew depicts the structure and function of the national service. Top scientist present the potential and current use of open data for conservation biology and climate change research. The afternoon themes shed light on the potential FinBIF holds in conservation, invasive alien species management and the “digital leap” of education. Join and become inspired! The seminar can be followed also online: https://www.helsinki.fi/fi/unitube/video/20643 Join the conversation in Twitter using hashtag #FinBIF. Enquiries: Mr. Kari Lahti Manager FinBIF kari.lahti@helsinki.fi Ms. Eija-Leena Laiho Planning Officer, Information Technology FinBIF eija-leena.laiho@helsinki.fi

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National Seminar in connection with GB24 in Helsinki “Finnish Biodiversity Information for the Benefit of Society – laji.fi ” September 28th 2017, the Great Hall of the University of Helsinki

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  Draft programme & contents

Time		Programme point	Presenter
9.00	9.05	Welcome words	Professor Leif Schulman, Director of Finnish Museum of Natural History, GBIF HoD for Finland
9.05	9.15	Opening address	MP Ville Niinistö, Minister of the Environment in 2011–2014, conduced to the funding of FinBIF
9.15	9.35	Biodiversity informatics - a Global Perspective	Executive Secretary Donald Hobern, GBIF
9.35	10.10	Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility - a Data Infrastructure for Science and Society	Manager Kari Lahti, FinBIF
10.10	10.40	Coffee & Tea
10.40	11.10	The digital transformation of biodiversity institutions – a changing intellectual business model	Head of Diversity & Informatics Division Dr. Vincent Smith, Natural History Museum, UK
11.10	11.30	Utilising biodiversity information in conservation research	Research Director Atte Moilanen, University of Helsinki & FinBIF
11.30	11.50	Social Media and Biodiversity Data in research	Associate Professor Tuuli Toivonen, University of Helsinki
11.50	12.00	Discussion
12.00	13.30	Lunch
13.30	13.50	Plant invasion patterns in biased occurrence data	University Researcher Sami Aikio, University of Oulu
13.50	14.10	Research based on bird monitoring and census data	Post Doc Researcher Andrea Santangeli, Finnish Museum of Natural History
14.10	14.30	Natural history collections and FinBIF	Research Director Ilari Sääksjärvi, University of Turku
14.30	14.50	DNA barcoding and FinBIF	Senior Curator Marko Mutanen, University of Oulu Biodiversity Unit
14.50	15.00	Discussion
15.00	15.30	Coffee & Tea
15.30	15.50	FinBIF supporting e-learning	Professor Jouko Rikkinen, Finnish Museum of Natural History & Faculty of Biosciences, University of Helsinki
15.50	16.10	FinBIF and invasive alien species	Ministerial Adviser Johanna Niemivuo-Lahti, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
16.10	16.30	FinBIF supporting Red Listing	Dr. Aino Juslén, Unit Director at the Finnish Museum of Natural History
16.30	16.40	Closing words	Leif Schulman

 

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Chrysis borealis Photo: Pekka Malinen/Luomus.