2019 Carl Westerdahl Forum On Monday October 21st from 6 - 8 p.m. Rensselaer Libraries will hold the 4th Carl A. Westerdahl Forum in the Auditorium of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies. The Forum, entitled Every Appearance of Permanence: Data Preservation Issues in the Digital Age features the following panelists: · Jonas S. Almeida, Ph.D., Chief Data Scientist, Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, National Institutes of Health · David Howell, Head of Heritage Science, Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford · George Blood, Founder/CEO of George Blood, LP, a leading provider of archival audio and moving image services · Bryan Alexander, Ph.D., Department of Learning and Design, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Georgetown University This forum intends to educate and inform the campus and surrounding community about the challenges of digital preservation as it relates to various data and information format types. The modern proliferation of digital technologies makes it easy to capture and disseminate large amounts of information and data. Yet in today’s technology rich environment, we are all faced, at some point, with the challenge of digital preservation. Whether you are conducting scientific research consuming terabytes of digital storage or digitizing family albums of 35 mm photo slides, saving them on your laptop, and then using them to build an ancestral family tree, fundamental data preservation issues exist for everyone. Moderated by Andrew White, Ph.D., Director of Rensselaer Library Information Services, panelists will speak to the types of data they work with, the techniques and technologies used, the challenges faced, and ethical issues associated with data management and preservation. A panel discussion will follow the individual presentations, with time allotted for questions from the audience. This event is co-sponsored by the Rensselaer Libraries, the Friends of the Folsom Library,and the Capital District Library Council. The Carl A. Westerdahl Forum memorializes the creative contributions made by Carl A. Westerdahl (1937-2013), former dean, director, and historian at Rensselaer, through programs that explore education, history, art, architecture, engineering, and science as they relate to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.