NSF/BIO National Synthesis

Centers

Judith A. Verbeke, Ph.D.

Division Director (Acting)

Division of Biological Infrastructure

What is Synthesis?Wikipedia –

The combining of two or more entities to form something new

WordNet (Princeton U) –The combination of ideas into a

complex whole

MedicineNet.comPutting together different entities to

make a whole which is new and different

What is Synthesis?

Vertical integration across different types of data within a discipline.

Horizontal integration across two or more disciplines

Objects of synthesis Methods

Concepts

Knowledge

NSF/BIO Synthesis Centers

Community ResourcesThink tanks

Conference centers

Computing facilities

Communities of PracticeKnowledge exchange; generation of new

ideas

Seasoned and emerging investigators

CI development, including workforce

Guiding PrinciplesCross-disciplinary, synthetic science

Real-time and face-to-face interactions

“Big Questions”Identified by community of practitioners

Big Questions changeFlexibly responsive

High Risk/High RewardLogistical support and informatics resources

NSF/BIO Synthesis Centers

National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis (NCEAS)

National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent)

National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS)

iPlant Collaborative

Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESynC)

Operations

Catalyze and nurturing collaborationsWorking GroupsCatalysis GroupsThematic WorkshopsPost-doctoral Fellows

Do not support collection of new data

CI embedded with domain scientists

ImpactsFY2012

679 unique institutions; 63 non-academic partners; 1686 unique participants

NCEAS – after 15 years50% of total funding from UCSB, state &

federal agencies, philanthropistsNESCent – first 8 years

> 500 publications; > 8000 citations; $34 M in additional funding

iPlant – first 4 years> 7000 registered users; > 80,000

website hits; > 300 CI tools