The "Earth Cube” Towards a National Data Infrastructure for Earth System Science

1. The "Earth Cube”Towards a National Data Infrastructure for Earth System Science Presentation at WebEx Meeting July 11, 2011

2. New Partnership • Purpose: • In a new partnership between GEO and OCI, NSF seeks transformative concepts and approaches to create a sustained, integrated data management infrastructure spanning the Geosciences. • Presenters • Cliff Jacobs – Senior Advisor Geosciences Directorate • Alan Blatecky – Director, Office of Cyberinfrastructure • Tim Killeen – Assistant Director, Directorate for Geosciences • Eva Zanzerkia – Program Director, GEO • Rob Pennington – Program Director, OCI

3. Talking Points • Context -- Alan • CIF 21 -- Alan • A Vision for GEO CI -- Tim • Elements of a Framework -- Eva • Timeline & Guidance – Rob • Anticipated Outcomes - Tim • Comment and Questions -- All

4. Context Take away points A need to transform the conduct of science and education over the next decade GEO-OCI partnership will move quickly support the transformation Multiple approaches are welcome

5. Framing the Challenge:Science and Society Transformed by Data • Modern science • Data- and compute-intensive • Integrative, multiscale • Multi-disciplinary collaborations to address complexity • Individuals, groups, teams, communities • Sea of Data • Age of Observation • Distributed, central repositories, sensor- driven, diverse, etc

6. Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21st Century Science, Engineering and Education (CIF 21) Take away points Major new budget thrust for NSF in FY 2012 CIF 21 is responding to community needs and other opportunities The geosciences community is well positioned to make major contributions to CIF 21

7. Campus Bridging ACCI Task Force Reports • More than 25 workshops and Birds of a Feather sessions and more than 1300 people involved • Final recommendations presented to the NSF Advisory Committee on Cyberinfrastructure Dec 2010 • Final reports on-line Data & Visualization Cyberlearning & Workforce Development http://www.nsf.gov/od/oci/taskforces/ “Permanent programmatic activities in Computational and Data-Enabled Science & Engineering(CDS&E) should be established within NSF.” - Grand Challenges Task Force “NSF should establish processes to collect community requirements and plan long-term software roadmaps” Software Task Force “NSF should fund interdisciplinary research on the science of broadening participation” Cyberlearning Task Force Software for Science & Engineering HPC Grand Challenges

8. Summary of CIF 21 Budget Request • Comprehensive and integrated cyberinfrastructure to transform research, innovation and education led by OCI • Focus on computational and data-intensive science to address complex problems • Four major components • Data-enabled science • New computational infrastructure • Community research networks • Access and connections to cyberinfrastructure facilities • Increase of $117 million over FY 2010 enacted level

9. A Vision for GEO CI Take away points The geosciences community needs CI-enabled services to better understand the Earth system CI transformed Geosciences at disciplinary level, but there is a lack of integration across the GEO disciplines The geosciences community is prepared to take a leadership role

10. Research Vessel Sikuliaq EarthScope Observatory Network Arctic Sea Ice Era of Observation and Simulation Oceans Water Earth System Modeling Satellites

11. Multiple Modes of Support: A Hallmark of Success • GEO “modes of support” are and will continue to be essential • Focused grants to individual PIs or small groups • Focused programs that are community driven • Small centers • Large national centers • Cyber-enhanced field programs • Cyber-enhanced observing facilities and MREFC projects • NSF-wide initiatives • Education, outreach, and training activities (EOT) • Each mode supports both high-risk, transformative research and practical implementation • Although each mode contributes, the modes often work independent of one another

12. Over Time A Unifying Architecture Needs To Be Developed Modes of Support Well-Connected through CIF21 /GEO Infrastructure Loosely or Not Connected Connected Facilities New Computational Infrastructure Networks Data-Enabled Science

13. Elements of a Framework Take away points The vision is modeled after the Internet paradigm A common architecture is needed to provide an interworkable system There must be a governance model that is effective and sustainable

14. Building on the Internet Paradigm Internet for interoperability Interworkability for collaboration • The Internet provided a knowledge system that transformed the modality of science • Unanticipated Outcomes • NSF’s role included influencing the set of standards that were adopted • CIF21 investments must provide a framework of integrated and interactive services

15. Framework Should • Create infrastructure of integrated and interactive services • transcend fields and accelerate discovery of a complex, multi-scale Earth System • Create an interoperable digital access infrastructure • Provide a network that is open, extensible and sustainable • Include Observations, Simulations, Collaborations, and Sharing of information • Facilitate data and metadata transfer from the field into data systems and applications • Integrate research and education • Build a savvy and broadly engaged workforce

16. Timeline Take away points Act quickly to take advantage of a confluence of opportunities NSF is prepared to move rapidly NSF will accept alternative approaches to the development of an integrating framework

17. DCL Released Two WebEx events Charrette EAGER Awards (6 months Duration) Proposed Framework Approaches Developed Sandpit/IdeasLab to determine 18 mo. prototype award(s) Jun 2011 Jul-Sept 2011 Oct 2011 Nov 2011 Nov/11-Apr/12 May 2012

18. Guidance for the Charrette NSF will work with the community to prepare for the charrette. There will be an emphasis on serving and engaging the geosciences community broadly Expected outcome from the charrette will be EAGER awards Anticipate multiple EAGER awards to design framework and build community involvement Process is open to all and diverse solutions are welcomed

19. Guidance for the Process • By July 31, a dedicated NSF website will provide more information on the charrette, how groups should prepare for the meeting, FAQ, etc. • Charrette will likely be held the week of October 30th. A final date will be noted on the website. • A second webinar will be held in mid-August. • Questions and comments to earthcube@nsf.gov

20. Anticipated Outcomes • Transform scientific enterprise • Integrate and sustain connections among multiple modes of support • An engaged community with a common vision • Iterative discovery process leading to consensus on the best approach

21. Commentsand/orQuestions Where discoveries begin