MEDIN Webinar Series 2025: Webinar 3 - Speaking the Same Language: How Controlled Vocabularies Facilitate Data Sharing and Interoperability

This webinar series is hosted by the Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN), a UK initiative dedicated to improving access to high-quality marine data. MEDIN works with organisations across sectors to promote best practices in marine data management, ensuring data is discoverable, accessible, and reusable for the long term.

Throughout the year, once per month, this series will feature one-hour online sessions led by expert guest speakers, each focusing on specialised topics not typically covered in MEDIN’s regular free online workshops. These webinars are designed to support better data stewardship and highlight emerging tools, standards, and approaches in marine data.

Sessions will be recorded and made available on the MEDIN YouTube channel, creating a lasting resource for the marine data community.

Whether you are new to marine data management or have years of experience, and no matter which sector you work in, these sessions are designed to be inclusive, informative, and accessible to all who are interested in improving the way marine data is managed and shared.

Webinar 3 - Speaking the Same Language: How Controlled Vocabularies Facilitate Data Sharing and Interoperability

• Introduction to controlled vocabularies and their importance in FAIR data sharing - Danielle Wright (BODC – NOC)

  An introduction to controlled vocabularies, why they are important in describing and marking up marine datasets, and how they can be used to support FAIR data sharing. Will introduce the different methods for finding suitable vocabulary collections and concepts, either directly from the NERC Vocabulary Server (NVS), or via tools such as the SeaDataNet Hierarchical and Facet searches, and the British Oceanographic Data Centre’s (BODC) vocabulary builder and vocabulary editor tools. Will also cover the different options for submitting new term requests to the BODC NVS team, such as email or Github. Will introduce some of the different marine vocabulary management communities the NVS team are involved with, such as ICES, OBIS, EMODnet Chemistry and stress the importance of collaboration and alignment to reduce ambiguity and duplication of effort.

• Semantic models & linking of NVS to other semantic web resources - Alexandra Kokkinaki (BODC – NOC)

  This presentation introduces the semantic model underpinning the NVS (NERC Vocabulary Server), placing it within the broader context of knowledge graphs and linked data. It explores the structure and design of the NVS semantic model, alongside the various methods available for accessing and integrating its content. The session highlights key tools used to explore the model and its data, including a walkthrough of mappings that connect NVS to other semantic resources. Additionally, it showcases current collaborations with RDA groups and alignment with initiatives such as FAIR-IMPACT, illustrating how NVS contributes to and evolves with global semantic data practices.

• Practical guidance on SPARQL and/or API access to vocabs - Alexandra Kokkinaki (BODC – NOC)

  This tutorial will equip participants with the skills to access the NERC Vocabulary Server (NVS) programmatically via its APIs and SPARQL endpoint. It will provide a practical understanding of the underlying semantic model, enabling users to retrieve and integrate precisely the data they need. Whether for building new tools, enhancing existing workflows, or aligning with semantic web practices, this session will support effective and targeted use of NVS in real-world applications.