11 May 2020
National Transport Data – Community of Practice
ITS Australia
National Transport Data – Community of Practice
Terms of Reference
Objectives
The National Transport Data Community of Practice (NTD-CoP) is established to foster collaboration and shared query into the potential opportunities and challenges transport data analytics offers our industry and community.
Communities of Practice (CoP) are groups of volunteer participants that have an ongoing interaction around a shared concern. CoPs provide an environment in which professionals can share their practice experiences, develop and discuss areas of interests and build a sense of community.
Data is an international language and trying to create new and innovative solutions to existing and emerging challenges is increasingly predicated on the sharing and interrogation of data generated across a range of channels.
There is large scale investment in transport infrastructure underway across Australia, to capitalise on these projects and enable the best outcomes for network management and customer experience, leveraging the data generated will be essential. In order to best manage and utilise these vital assets collaboration across government, industry and academia, as well as community engagement will be key.
To get the most out of our data assets and understand the potential offered collaboration is key, the ATD-CoP includes representatives from government, industry and academia to investigate research opportunities, pilots and tests, and analysis of deployments.
There is an Australian Transport Data Action Network (ATDAN) chaired by BITRE consisting of of State and Commonwealth transport agencies, the ABS and NTC. This group discusses transport data issues relating to government there is benefit in sharing information across these networks and the ATD-CoP will engage with BITRE and ATDAN members.
The CoP is made up of ITS Australia members and other key stakeholders both national and international to ensure a broad range of expertise can contribute to and collaborate on the development and application of big data in Australia. This includes sharing updates on activities in respective jurisdictions and organisations; including research, trials, deployments, and international engagement.
Scope of CoP will be to share opportunities and establish best practice approaches by:
- Sharing relevant information across organisations
- Sharing recent and planned activity to identify opportunities for ongoing collaboration
- To share/establish best practice for data security and privacy
- Showcasing transport data projects that prove benefits
- Explore challenges where data can offer new insights and
- Opportunity to share and analyse data – data sets and custodians
Chairs
Professor Fang Chen
Executive Director Data Science – Distinguished Professor / The University of Technology Sydney
Distinguished Professor Fang Chen is an award-winning and internationally recognised leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science. She is passionate for innovative data-driven solutions to industry problems, particularly real-life complex problems in large-scale networks - such as transport, water, energy and agriculture. She is also actively involved in promoting ethical, human-centered AI.
Fang leads multidisciplinary teams of experts who have won major national scientific and industry awards. These include the Intelligent Transport Systems Australia National Award 2014, 2015 and 2018, the NSW iAwards 2017, the VIC iAwards 2019 and 2020, and the National Award and NSW “Research and Innovation Award” 2018 from the Australian Water Association.
Fang is the winner of the "Oscar" of Australian science – the Australian Museum Eureka Prize 2018 for Excellence in Data Science. She is the Australian Water Association’s “Water Professional of the Year”, awarded in 2016. She is the 2021 winner of the Australia and New Zealand “Women in AI” Award in Infrastructure, and the NSW Premier’s Prize of Science and Engineering.
Fang is a member of the inaugural NSW Government AI Advisory Committee, and serves on the expert panel of the Singapore National Science Foundation. She has 350 publications and 30 patents in 8 countries. She is the Executive Director of Data Science at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the Executive Director of the UTS Data Science Institute.
Stephen Owens
General Manager of Operations / Directed Technologies
Stephen Owens is the Chief Operating Officer of Intelematics Australia, contributing to its success for over 11 years. During this period, Intelematics has developed market-leading product and services whilst expanding its reach from Australasia to North America and Europe. With a background in delivering high-quality solutions from start-up initiatives through to major transformation programs for blue-chip multinationals, Stephen has been instrumental in the introduction of innovative GIS, ITS and Connected Mobility solutions into global markets. Stephen was the Chair of the ITS Australia MaaS 2019 Program Committee and is the co-chair of the National Transport Data Community of Practice.