Semantic Web is an inherently multi-disciplinary field. Yet, the division between computer science, natural science and social science limits the formation of a coherent national agenda for exploring emerging trends in Semantic Technologies. There is an urgent need to bring together the U.S. Semantic Web community and begin forming such a research network among Semantic Web practitioners in different domains. The increasing demand of data-intensive research and the multidisciplinary characteristics of Semantic Web applications make it crucial to maintain and expand the existing workforce through outreach to students to foster future scientific innovation across disciplines. The objective of this project is to provide travel supports to ten U.S. student participants to the 1st U.S. Semantic Technologies Symposium (US2TS), which will be held at Dayton, Ohio during March 01-02, 2018. Broader impacts of the project include: Provide opportunities for under-represented groups (women and minorities) and undergraduates in networking, and vision and capacitate building, foster long-lasting interdisciplinary and national-wide collaborations among a new generation of Semantic Web practitioners who will ultimately shape the future of Semantic Web research and application at all levels.

Cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral communication and networking among Semantic Web practitioners is the core of US2TS. With an ever-growing dependence on the web, and the continuously increasing importance of large-scale data sharing, integration, and reuse, researchers in various disciplines have taken an increasing interest in the Semantic Web. To connect among the silo efforts, what are needed are community consolidation and the building of a U.S.-based community research network. The symposium will provide a forum by which participants can share information and ideas, coordinate ongoing or planned research activities, foster synthesis and new collaborations, develop community standards, and advance their science and education through communication and the sharing of ideas. Several activities will be organized for the student participants during the symposium. Through the student supports of this project, a big potential of US2TS outputs is the improved understanding and skills of open data and open science among the next generation scientists, as Semantic Web technologies are closely relevant to those topics.

Further information can be found on the symposium website: http://www.us2ts.org.

PI Xiaogang Ma

Co-PI Pascal Hitzler