The ESIP Federation is a consortium of Earth science data-related organizations, projects and initiatives that collectively seek to improve access to and the use of Earth science data and information. We welcome the participation of any group who not only wish to benefit from the ESIP Federation but also have something to contribute. There are three ways that a group can work with the Federation

 

Much of the work of the Federation is done in clusters. working groups and committees devoted to particular topics and functions. There are several community-driven groups that convene monthly to further collaborative work begun at meetings or to advance new initatives developed within the group.   Any individual with an interest in an area are encouraged to contribute. More information on current groups can be found here:

 

Committees:

·        Education

·        Information Technology and Interoperability

·        Products and Services

 

Working Groups:

·        Air Quality

·        Meeting Visioneers

 

Clusters:

·        Decisions

·        Federated Search

·        Preservation and Stewardship

·        Semantic Web

·        Water

 

The ESIP Federation has two face-to-face meetings each year, one  in January, typically in Washington, DC, and one in July, usually hosted by one of our member organizations. The January meeting focuses on policy issues while the July meeting focuses on technical subjects. ESIP Federation meetings are open to all interested participants. Information about upcoming meetings can be found at www.esipfed.org/meetings.

 

Joining the ESIP Federation is a straight-forward process. The ESIP Federation seeks new partners who stand to gain from participating in the ESIP Federation and for those who have something to contribute to the community. An application for membership can be found at link http://wiki.esipfed.org/index.php/Partnership Once the application has been completed, it is then forwarded to our Partnership Committee,. Once the Partnership Committee has reviewed the application, it is put out for a review for 30 days by our Assembly, the Federation's governing body. Once the 30-day review is complete, the application is voted upon by the assembly. Typically, partnership applications are voted on in a bundle, usually every few months.  At present, there is no fee to join the ESIP Federation and any group supportive of our mission is welcome to apply for partnership.