Biodiversity_Next is a joint conference hosted by the Naturalis Biodiversity Center and the Netherlands Biodiversity Information Facility that brings together major international organizations, research scientists, and policy-makers to jointly identify socio-technical bottlenecks and horizon-scan opportunities related to data-intensive biodiversity and geo-biodiversity research. The 2019 conference will look at how new science, policy, infrastructure, and standards can address global biodiversity information challenges and create a network to support solutions. JRS’ financial support will help Biodiversity_Next to give special attention to capacity-development, exposure, and networking with African organizations. JRS’ funds will also support travel of African scientists and presenters to The Netherlands and an African thread called “Africa In The Picture” throughout the conference.

As a “Principal Partner for Africa” conference sponsor, JRS will:

1. Increase African participation in Biodiversity_Next.
2. Support a focus on African biodiversity informatics throughout the conference.

1. Travel, accommodation, and registration for 15 African conference participants.
2. Travel, accommodation, and compensation for two African champions (presenters/moderators), at least one a JRS grantee.
3. One “Africa In The Picture” coordinator.
4. One African Interest Group working lunch.
5. Three symposiums with an African focus.
6. Communication materials (print/video) promoting African thread activities.

JRS support for travel of African scientists to international conferences strengthens the networks of scientists who use biodiversity informatics and leads to innovative solutions to biodiversity challenges. The inclusion of African participants and an African thread in the 2019 Biodiveristy_Next conference is essential to a truly global value of conference outputs and a roadmap for further cooperation.

Dr. Dimitris Koureas is Chair of the Conference Steering Board for Biodiversity_Next and is currently the director of DiSSCo Research Infrastructure and head of the department for the Development of International Biodiversity Research Infrastructures at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands. He holds a Ph.D. in plant systematics with post-doctoral experience acquired in biodiversity informatics/e-taxonomy. A DAAD scholar, a member of the Hellenic Botanical Society, and an elected member of the Linnean Society, Dr. Koureas leads the development and implementation of several European co-funded research and infrastructure projects. He is a member of the Research Data Alliance (RDA) Technical Advisory Board and invited lecturer to MSc programs (including the University of Oxford and Reading University) teaching biodiversity informatics. He has been President of the international organization, Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG), and is currently an appointed member of the Group of European Data Experts (GEDE).

For a decade, JRS has been supporting the travel of African scientists to global biodiversity informatics conferences, particularly those of the Taxonomic Data Working Group (TDWG) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. That attendance has led directly to collaborations, new project ideas, enrollment in graduate degree courses, and the emergence of national champions of biodiversity knowledge sharing. African participation in meetings also serves to sensitize global scientists to the challenges and opportunities of studying biodiversity in Africa and the chance to significantly contribute to African institutions’’ development of their own informatics capacity. We expect the same to happen at Biodiversity_Next!