[Geo4All] Open request for updates on SDG book
Cameron Shorter
cameron.shorter at gmail.com
Mon Jul 16 12:22:59 PDT 2018
Suthith,
I am confused by the content of this email thread, and concerned that
there have been public allegations of misconduct, without specific
examples, or specific calls to action specifying how specific parties
should change to address this. I feel that such allegations which have
potential commercial impacts should not be made lightly and need backing
information.
It is unclear to me whether someone is acting legitimately according to
business principles of their company, or if people are breaking
contracts they set up, or acting in "bad faith".
Suthith, as I know you, I believe you are acting in good faith to
address a moral issue by putting the spotlight on questionable behavior.
If you wish to address issues like this, then I feel your concerns
should to be expressed more clearly and specifically, which would likely
mean naming specific actions that you disagree with and probably naming
organisations involved. You might want to consider writing an Open
Letter, as we have successfully done before [1] [2]. (Note: this is very
time consuming).
[1] https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Geoservices_REST_API
[2] https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/LIDAR_Format_Letter
On 17/7/18 4:21 am, Suchith Anand wrote:
>
> Dear Anthony,
>
>
> These are two separate issues but it highlights the problems we are
> facing in science and educationtoday.I am a humble ICA volunteer and I
> am working for the last 15 years building ICA in my small way. My
> issue is not at all with ICA , it is just the way this whole SDG book
> is handled from the start.
>
>
> I have great respect for Menno-Jan. I personally emailed colleagues
> for supporting the SDG book in good faith. Thank you for informing me
> that SDG book is not now going to be published through GIS vendor
> controlled press. I would have greatly appreciated a mail from
> Menno-Jan informing this . I am disappointed with the lack of openness
> and transparency in this whole issue. If I have not raised this issue
> so strongly, then Menno-Jan would have got it published through vendor
> controlled press as he planned . This is actually what is happening if
> we are silent.
>
>
> I have highlighted some issuesthat made me concernedof thedegrading of
> science that is happening including now with some vendors starting
> using “science” for marketing/sales of their products.I amhoping that
> you will also be taking a strong stand on this.
>
>
> I have no problem with any organisation taking sponsorship for
> conferences as there are clear guidelines for what is expected. For
> example, as a conference sponsor in exchange they get exhibition
> space, logo in conference website etc.
>
>
> But I have concern if any office bearers of any professional
> organisations , academic journals, editors have conflict of interest
> with any vendors (open or properitery). In my humble opinion, It is
> good practice to declare any conflict of interest. As you rightly said
> “Virtually everyone involved in editing/reviewing a journal today is
> seeing stuff like that” but what are wedoing to stop this? We cannot
> ignore this. I am happy to see some very good journal editors like the
> ICA colleague who emailed me informing the issue asking advice. He
> could have easily ignored it . So I greatly respect him for his
> courage and conscience.
>
>
> We are all human and people make mistakes but it is important that we
> learn from them. I thank you for your mail and sharing your valuable
> ideas and inputs with the community.
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
>
> Suchith
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* GeoForAll <geoforall-bounces at lists.osgeo.org> on behalf of
> Anthony Robinson <acr181 at psu.edu>
> *Sent:* 16 July 2018 15:44
> *To:* geoforall at lists.osgeo.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Geo4All] Open request for updates on SDG book
>
> Suchith,
>
> You are making many assumptions and strange connections in your
> message. Did you try reaching out to Menno-Jan directly, rather than
> via this mailing list? It’s strange to call people out via a mailing
> list and act as though they owe you a response. That’s not a
> particularly friendly way to start a conversation.
>
> I share Christian’s concern that you are appearing to conflate fake
> articles in predatory journals to the ICA’s interest in an SDG-related
> publication. Such things are happening across the scientific spectrum
> today and have nothing in particular to do with the ICA or its
> interest in creating an SDG publication. Virtually everyone involved
> in editing/reviewing a journal today is seeing stuff like that. It’s a
> problem for sure, but I don’t understand why you are aiming this issue
> at the ICA in particular.
>
> I am an ICA Commission chair and to my knowledge the SDG publication
> is no longer under consideration as an Esri Press item, so I recommend
> you relax a little on that front.
>
> Re: sponsorship and the like, just as every other conference does, the
> ICA publishes its list of financial sponsors for the biannual
> conference. That’s the whole idea of sponsorship, after all – to gain
> visibility in association with an organization/meeting.
>
> Regards,
>
> -Anthony
>
> Anthony C. Robinson, PhD
> Assistant Professor, Department of Geography
> Director for Online Geospatial Education, John A. Dutton e-Education
> Institute
> Assistant Director, GeoVISTA Center
> The Pennsylvania State University
> sites.psu.edu/arobinson/
>
> *From:*GeoForAll [mailto:geoforall-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] *On Behalf
> Of *Suchith Anand
> *Sent:* Monday, July 16, 2018 6:37 AM
> *To:* Christian Willmes <c.willmes at uni-koeln.de>;
> geoforall at lists.osgeo.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Geo4All] Open request for updates on SDG book
>
> Dear Christian,
>
> No, the SDG book is a different issue . I had requested many times to
> Menno-Jan to please have free and open discussions on this .But
> unfortunately my requests were not successful and I have not got any
> information even one year later.
>
> In spite of all concerns raised by volunteer colleagues, I really do
> not understand the motivations for publishing the SDG book only
> through vendor publication!
>
> “Fake Science” , “Factory produced articles” etc are recent phenomena
> that the geo community needs to be aware of and take steps to
> prevent. I have requested the ICA colleague who emailed me for advice
> on 29th June 2018 to send an open letter to the community, so
> colleagues are aware of this. I really hope he will not bow to any
> pressures and do send an open letter with details to the wider community.
>
> In the email I received , it was just the overview that his journal
> are receiving lot of submissions from a country that are very
> similar -“ poorly written, poor map design – to the point that they
> seem written in a factory” . They were all using one proprietary GIS
> software and deal with some aspect of physical geography. He asked for
> my advice.
>
> I am very grateful to the ICA colleague who emailed me and informed
> this issue. I don’t know the details of the papers but I am also
> interested to see the examples of atleast some of these papers (may
> be as editor of journal he can provide these by removing the author
> details ). I do hope he will send an open letter to the community
> with the summary of how many articles they are receiving which are
> problem. It will help us to get an idea of the scale of the problem.
>
> It is very sad to see this degrading of science happening. As
> Educators and Scientists , I believe we cannot sit silently. There
> will be lot of pressure from vested interests , but I am requesting
> all colleagues to not bow to any pressures. Thank you.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Suchith
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:*GeoForAll <geoforall-bounces at lists.osgeo.org
> <mailto:geoforall-bounces at lists.osgeo.org>> on behalf of Christian
> Willmes <c.willmes at uni-koeln.de <mailto:c.willmes at uni-koeln.de>>
> *Sent:* 16 July 2018 09:54
> *To:* geoforall at lists.osgeo.org <mailto:geoforall at lists.osgeo.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [Geo4All] Open request for updates on SDG book
>
> Dear Suchith,
>
> regarding this "Fake Science" thing. Is this in any way connected to
> the book initiative you addressed in the first two paragraphs?
>
> Anyway, I would be quite interested in seeing such a "factory produced
> fake science" article? Can you maybe point to an example?
>
> Thanks and best regards,
> Christian
>
> Am 14.07.2018 um 16:13 schrieb Suchith Anand:
>
> Dear Menno-Jan,
>
> It is now over one year and I have not heard any updates on the
> SDG book [1] . As far as I am aware, there was no emails
> received in the GeoforAll lists on this till now. Please correct
> me if I am wrong.
>
> As you are aware, I have personally requested colleagues in the
> open source Geo community to support the ICA SDG book initiative
> and they have contributed to this book project in good faith, so I
> request you to kindly keep them informed. I thank you for your
> kind understanding.
>
> We are now seeing a very disturbing trend with some vendors
> even starting to trademark “ science” for marketing/sales of their
> products and “science” is being misused for vendor
> marketing/sales! . I have raised this issue through an open letter
> [2] . The good news is that now everyone knows it is just
> marketing/sales gimmicks of vendor . Science is not owned by any
> vendors.
>
> But two weeks back, I received a email query from a respectable
> and senior ICA colleague that made me very concerned. He is one of
> the editors of a GIS journal . They are receiving lot of
> submissions from a country that are very similar-“ poorly
> written, poor map design – to the point that they seem written in
> a factory” . They were all using one proprietary GIS software
> and deal with some aspect of physical geography. He asked for my
> advice.
>
> I thanked him for sharing this information and though I do not
> know the background or details of the papers or authors, I am
> also very concerned to hear about this . It is really sad to see
> the state of affairs in GIS . I requested him to take strong
> action against any “factory produced” science and reject them. I
> am concerned in the rapid increase in “Fake Science” . I
> requested him to inform this to the wider community through an
> open letter .
>
> But this is not the solution as if one journal rejects these
> “factory produced science”, then these kind of papers will be
> submitted to other journals. I won’t be surprised if in future
> some vendors even start their own journals with their own
> editorial boards ! What will then happen to the credibility of
> peer review and scientific quality.
>
> I think it is important that editors of all GIS journals and
> leadership of all GIS Professional bodies like ICA declare any
> conflict of interest with any vendors (funding/sponsorship/gifts
> received from any software vendors currently or in the past) to
> ensure transparency and good practices.
>
> I am just a ICA volunteer . I am hoping that you will take
> principled leadership and action against “Fake Science” ,
> “Factory produced science” and any unethical practices in GIS that
> is affecting Science and Education from any vendors (open
> or proprietary) .
>
> I thank you for the work on SDG book and looking forward to hear
> updates.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Suchith
>
> [1] https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/geoforall/2017-June/003790.html
>
> [2]
> https://www.rd-alliance.org/group/geospatial-ig/post/open-letter-importance-scientific-freedom-and-public-good
>
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> --
> Dr. Christian Willmes
> AG GIS & Fernerkundung | GIS & RS Group
> Geographisches Institut | Institute of Geography
> Universität zu Köln | University of Cologne
> Tel.: +49 (0)221 470 6234
> http://www.geographie.uni-koeln.de/14126.html
> http://www.sfb806.de
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> http://publons.com/a/1316706/
> http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5566-6542
>
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> communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored
> where permitted by law.
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--
Cameron Shorter
Technology Demystifier
Open Technologies and Geospatial Consultant
M +61 (0) 419 142 254
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