Environmental science researchers frequently must work at regional and global scales that require them to search for, evaluate, and reuse data collected by others. This study assesses science data reusers' information‐seeking behavior to determine fitness for use, a concept from consumer behavior research that explains how consumers define and assess product quality and compatibility to satisfy their specific needs. Using a critical incident technique, 22 researchers in earth science described their most recent data discovery resulting in reuse. An interview schedule derived from the FAIR Data Principles framed participants' information‐seeking behavior along a sequence of actions, which included finding, accessing, making interoperable, and reusing data. Researchers' perspectives on how they discovered and evaluated data for reuse gives new insights into fitness for use of data by human consumers, and contributes to considerations for furthering work into machine‐actionable data and learning.

 This paper assesses data consumers’ perspectives on the interoperable and re-usable aspects of the FAIR Data Principles. Taking a domain-specific informatics approach, ten oceanographers were asked to think of a recent search for data and describe their process of discovery, evaluation, and use. The interview schedule, derived from the FAIR Data Principles, included questions about the interoperability and re-usability of data. Through this critical incident technique, findings on data interoperability and re-usability give data curators valuable insights into how real-world users access, evaluate, and use data. Results from this study show that oceanographers utilize tools that make re-use simple, with interoperability seamless within the systems used. The processes employed by oceanographers present a good baseline for other domains adopting the FAIR Data Principles.

No abstract

Deer Mountain is an active landslide complex near Swan Hills, AB. Pembina owns two pipelines that traverse the landslide. Prior to abandonment, four leaks occurred on the NPS 8 pipeline due to interaction of circumferential stress corrosion cracking and ground movement. The NPS 10 pipeline is operating and has not leaked, but has previously been strain relieved in several locations. To develop and execute a geohazard management plan for the operating pipeline, Pembina integrated pipe and ground monitoring data with historical information into a geographic information system. Locations of bending strain areas, strain gauges, pipe wall assessment (PWA) anomalies, slope inclinometers, and piezometers were cross-referenced with previous leak sites, historical dig sites, historical strain reliefs, and areas of shallow pipe burial. Overlaying the PWA with pre-existing pipe data allowed for identification of segments with a higher density/magnitude of suspected soil to pipe interactions. Strain monitoring, strain relief, and a surface pipeline segment were prescribed. A detailed monitoring plan was also produced for the landslide complex. This case study presents the process of integrating data, specifying monitoring/mitigative measures, and implementing strain relief at four locations. Additionally, the paper will discuss the design of the surface pipeline segment.