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

System Science

Presentation at WebEx MeetingJuly 11, 2011

New PartnershipPurpose:

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

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

ContextTake 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

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

ACCI Task Force Reports

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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“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

Campus BridgingCyberlearning &

Workforce Development Data & Visualization

Grand Challenges HPCSoftware for Science

& Engineering

http://www.nsf.gov/od/oci/taskforces/

Summary of CIF 21 Budget RequestComprehensive 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 componentsData-enabled science

New computational infrastructure

Community research networks

Access and connections to cyberinfrastructure facilities

Increase of $117 million over FY 2010 enacted level

A Vision for GEO CITake 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

Arctic Sea Ice

Research Vessel

Sikuliaq

Oceans

Water Satellites Earth System Modeling

Era of Observation and Simulation

EarthScope Observatory Network

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

Modes of Support

Data-Enabled Science

New

C

om

pu

tatio

nal

Infra

structu

re

Connected Facilities

Netw

ork

s

Over Time A Unifying Architecture Needs To Be

Developed

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 eff ective and sustainable

Building on the Internet Paradigm

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

Interworkability for

collaboration

Internet for interoperability

Framework ShouldCreate 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 sustainableInclude Observations, Simulations, Collaborations, and Sharing of information

Facilitate data and metadata transfer from the field into data systems and applications

Integrate research and educationBuild a savvy and broadly engaged workforce

TimelineTake away points

• Act quickly to take advantage of a confl uence of opportunities

• NSF is prepared to move rapidly

• NSF will accept alternative approaches to the development of an integrating framework

Jun 2011 Jul-Sept 2011Oct 2011 Nov 2011 Nov/11-Apr/12May 2012

DCLReleased

TwoWebExevents

Charrette EAGERAwards(6 monthsDuration)

ProposedFrameworkApproachesDeveloped

Sandpit/IdeasLabto determine18 mo. prototype award(s)

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

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

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

Where discoveries begin

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Commentsand/or

Questions