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Champions

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EGI Champions - Introduction to the Wiki

This EGI Wiki constitutes a working repository of information that is primarily intended for use by EGI Champions to help them in their quest to encourage scientific researchers to use the considerable resources of the European Grid Infrastructure. This page is administered on a day to day basis by EGI (poc is Richard McLennan) but all EGI Champions are encouraged to contribute to the information recorded in these pages so as to help compile as useful and complete repository as possible.

Forthcoming Key Events/Dates

Date Activity Participation
October 2012 Webinar - Technical Briefing with Champions EGI & Champions
October 2012 Webinar/Telcon - Oversight Cttee OC
November 2012 Webinar - Technical Briefing with Champions EGI & Champions
November 2012 Webinar/Telcon - Oversight Cttee OC
November 2012 Publish article in Newsletter EGI Newsletter
December 2012 Webinar/Telcon - Oversight Cttee OC
January 2013 Webinar/Telcon - Oversight Cttee OC
Feb 2012 Publish progress report article EGI Newsletter

Useful Documents & Forms

EGI Champions - Aims

The principal aim of the Champions Role is to encourage and enthuse more scientists into using the European Grid Infrastructure for their research.

The EGI Champion role was launched on 17 September 2012 during the EGI Technical Forum in Prague. The role offers a flexible and practical mechanism that can be used by EGI to support and nurture enthusiastic individuals from a variety of fields and backgrounds to act as ambassadors for the European Grid Infrastructure. In turn, and through their own technical knowledge and awareness of the available resources and services, these ambassadors will help, assist and encourage current and potential new users to employ the resources of the grid.


EGI Champions - Descriptions and Definitions

What will Champions do?

The European Grid Infrastructure is an immensely capable academic computing grid that enables access to state-of-the-art computing facilities for cutting edge research across an international scientific community. To fully exploit this valuable infrastructure we need to promote its capabilities and engage with as wide a field of researchers as possible. The EGI Champions are knowledgeable users of the infrastructure who will have gained their experience in any of a varied range of ways - more importantly, they will have an aptitude for enthusiastically conveying the potential and value of the EGI to fellow scientists and researchers. Champions may work in any discipline from astro-physics to ancient history but it is their communications skill that are of greatest importance to the role, providing hands-on support to small numbers of other researchers and by delivering compelling talks to large numbers of people, be they academics, the general public or perhaps even school children.

What will Champions get in return?

In return for acting as ambassadors for the infrastructure, the Champions will receive funding to attend a number of events at which they will promote and answer questions about EGI. They will subsequently submit short reports with feedback on the events and passing on any potential new leads that can be followed up by NGIs or EGI. EGI Champions will thus form a network of effective communicators and supporters who raise the profile of EGI and also benefit their own academic careers. The role is time-limited in order to create a constantly expanding community of alumni with awareness and improved communication skills . A full list of the responsibilities of the EGI Champions can be found in Appendix A.

How do I become a Champion?

Prospective candidates should forward a completed application form (see above: Useful Documents & Forms) with their CV to champions@egi.eu for consideration. Endorsement from the NIL of the candidate’s own country will be required and should preferably be confirmed when submitting the application. At least three members from the OC must endorse candidates with no dissensions from the committee overall.

Applications will normally be circulated to the OC within one week of being received. Candidate applications will be considered during the monthly OC meetings. Applicants will be informed of their selection or otherwise not later than 1 week after the OC meeting. The applicant's endorsing NIL will be kept informed at all stages of the process.

Duration of Assignment

EGI Champions will be assigned for 18 – 24 months. This will ensure that they can become established and recognised figures in their role yet it will also achieve a turnover of Champions and thereby contribute to building a widespread community of dedicated alumni.

Candidate Profile

Academic level

  • Candidates should be graduates/post-graduates engaged in formal academic research within an institution of learning within the ERA or another region formally connected with EGI.
  • All subject disciplines are acceptable.

Knowledge and skills

  • Must be a competent user of EGI for research purposes;
  • Must be articulate about how their research processes work on the infrastructure even if they do not understand every element of the underlying processes;
  • Must possess most, if not all, of the following characteristics relating to the ability to promote the benefits of grid and other forms of distributed computing for research purposes:
    • Excellent presentation skills;
    • Convincing and enthusiastic communication skills;
    • Ability to talk to small groups of researchers in the same institution with enthusiasm and substance;
    • Ability to talk to medium sized groups of researchers in their subject area;
    • Ability to talk to large groups of researchers from multiple disciplines;
    • Ability to talk to a more general audience from school children, under-graduates to the general public.

Note that communication and presentation skills may be offered in the course of the EGI Champions training and briefing sessions. These sessions will not only relate to the technological aspects of EGI.

Candidates

Candidates may be drawn from many research areas including the following:

  • Existing NGI champion/ambassador/fellow roles or similar;
  • The RAMIRI participants/alumni working within Research Infrastructures as practitioners;
  • The ESFRI projects may have candidates they want to put forwards;
  • Highly specialist researchers will also make good candidates.