Project grant/Smelling Wikidata: Olfactory heritage and structured open data

Basic information

Project Title (If applicable)

Smelling Wikidata: Olfactory heritage and structured open data

Proposed by

Lucy Moore

Project description

Briefly describe the issue or problem that motivates this application. What needs are you meeting?

I am applying to Wikimedia UK to support travel to Carleton University in Ottawa to take part in an unconference on futures of heritage informatics and a book-sprint. I have been selected to attend based on the theme outlined in the project title, which is based on some thinking I've been doing on how smell is (well, isn't) represented on Wikidata.

The call for the conference and book submission described itself as "You are a graduate student or early career researcher working at the intersection of cultural heritage informatics (CHI) and your discipline. You are at the forefront of a rapidly developing field. What does the future of CHI look like from your vantage point?" (https://carleton.ca/xlab/2024/call-for-papers-speculative-futures-in-cultural-heritage-informatics/)

I put in a proposal as I feel very strongly that Wikidata, as part of the open knowledge system, should be part of these events. It is therefore an opportunity for me to be an advocate for Wikimedia as part of cultural heritage informatics to a wider community. I will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with others in the field, at a centre for digital heritage research, during the conference period 2-4 April. The outcome will be discussions generated, as well as a published book chapter.

Describe project activities. What will you use the funding to do?

The funding will support my travel to Ottawa and accommodation there. I will cover transport and living costs will there.

I have tried to avoid applying to Wikimedia UK to support this project. However, the deadline for a proposal was 15 Feb and I found I was successful on 7 March. This short timeframe means that the project sits outside a range of other potential funding routes e.g. Wikimedia's Rapid Grants, Funds for Women Graduates, and many others. Also, although I am a funded PhD student, because this doesn't relate to my PhD on early medieval coinage, it's not eligible for their support (I checked). I also realise this is a request that is significantly higher than usual grants.

Describe your plan for evaluating this project. How will you measure success? What types of things will you measure (e.g. content, participants)?

I will measure success in terms of the quality of conversations started, and whether they continue after the event, as well as through the publication of a book chapter.

Identify key people involved in this project. How will or could the wider Wikimedian community be involved?

I've already been talking about smell, and there is an open property proposal on Wikidata. However, I see this as an opportunity to introduce the topic to new audiences and push thinking on how sensory data can be incorporated into structured open datasets.

Estimated cost

Flight = London to Ottawa = £859 | Accommodation = 4 x £50 = £200 | Total = £1059

Reporting

Please read Lucy's summary of the work here: https://wikimedia.org.uk/2024/05/smelling-data-at-the-xlab-the-cultural-heritage-informatics-collaboratory/

Talk:Project grant/Smelling Wikidata: Olfactory heritage and structured open data