Finding experts using Internet-based discussions in online communities and associated social networks

This position paper on expert finding presents a conceptual framework for the reuse and interlinking of existing, well-established vocabularies in the Semantic Web. Such a framework can be used to connect people with people, based on joint or complementing interests (e.g. the need to develop specific new or existing skills for upcoming projects). Driven by a requirement to find experts using the profiles of people in social networks and using the content they create in online communities, we are exploring the usage of vocabularies in these domains that have already gained considerable momentum and that have suitable concepts for this application area. We will present the relevant properties of the FOAF ontology for matching people and their skills in social networks, then detail the SIOC project and methods for identifying relevant discussion topics / individuals, and finally we will outline a combinatory scenario that will allow people to find individuals with the desired expertise in a particular domain of interest.