AccelNet-Implementation: Crustal Ocean Biosphere Research Accelerator (COBRA)

深海海底覆盖了地球表面面积的三分之二，但人们对深海生态系统和资源以及这些生态系统抵御人类影响的能力的了解有限。人类的使用，如深海采矿和碳封存，将从根本上改变海底和周围环境的物理、化学和生物条件。这些活动有可能与海底捕捞和其他人类活动对深海造成的负面影响相媲美，但缺乏为这些新产业提供信息和评估影响的科学。“地壳海洋生物圈研究加速器”（COBRA）项目通过虚拟会议协调工作，将不同的利益攸关方和专家——跨学科的学术和政府科学家、私营机构、决策者、行业专家和其他利益攸关方——联系起来。目标是产生新的知识，并为有关深海新兴工业用途的决策提供信息，减少对环境造成严重损害的可能性，同时保持社会目前享有的广泛利益。COBRA网络有9个主要合作伙伴，它们提供国际科学和地壳海洋勘探资产（海洋勘探信托基金、施密特海洋研究所、加拿大海洋网络、MARUM海底集群和C-DeepSea），以及向政策制定者提供科学建议的专家（深海管理倡议工作组，包括挑战者150计划）。负责评估地壳海洋资源的政府小组（美国地质调查局全球海洋矿物小组），以及团队科学专家（信贷计划）。COBRA将这些合作伙伴团结在一个共同的使命中，以加速对地壳海洋生物圈的结构、功能、弹性和生态系统服务的研究，为决策提供信息。COBRA将通过促进专门和协调的考察和观测工作，结合紧急表征方法，帮助缩小知识差距。与此同时，COBRA将通过创新的虚拟探险领导力培训，在全球范围内培训至少50名海洋探索、科学和政策方面的早期职业研究人员，并支持24个促进团队科学合作、多样性、公平性和包容性的国际研究交流。COBRA还将建立一个基于网络的搜索门户，指向存放在适当的国际可访问数据存储库中的所有数据类型，以促进数据发现并加速知识转移和协作。通过国际网络对网络合作加速研究（AccelNet）计划旨在加速科学发现的进程，并为下一代美国研究人员进行多团队国际合作做好准备。AccelNet项目支持美国研究网络与国外互补网络之间的战略联系，将利用研究和教育资源来应对需要重大国际协调努力的重大科学挑战。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The deep seafloor covers two-thirds of Earth’s surface area, but there is limited understanding of the deep-ocean ecosystems and resources and the ability of these ecosystems to withstand human impacts. Human uses such as deep-sea mining and carbon sequestration are poised to fundamentally alter physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the seafloor and surrounding environments. These activities have the potential to rival negative effects from bottom fishing and other human impacts to the deep sea, yet the science to inform and evaluate the impacts of these new industries is lacking. The Crustal Ocean Biosphere Research Accelerator (COBRA) project connects diverse stakeholders and experts – interdisciplinary academic and government scientists, private institutions, policy makers, industry experts and other stakeholders – through virtual meetings to coordinate efforts. The goal is to generate new knowledge and inform decision-making relating to emergent industrial uses of the deep ocean and decrease the likelihood of serious harm to the environment while maintaining the broad benefits that society currently enjoys.The COBRA network of networks has nine key partners that bring access to international science and crustal ocean exploration assets (Ocean Exploration Trust, Schmidt Ocean Institute, Ocean Networks Canada, Cluster Ocean Floor at MARUM, and C-DeepSea), to experts that provide science-based recommendations to policy makers (Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative working groups, including the Challenger 150 program), to governmental groups responsible for assessing crustal ocean resources (USGS Global Marine Minerals Group), and to experts in team science (CREDITS program). COBRA unites these partners in a common mission to accelerate research on the structure, function, resilience, and ecosystem services of the crustal ocean biosphere to inform decision making. COBRA will help to close knowledge gaps by facilitating dedicated and coordinated expedition and observatory efforts combined with emergent characterization approaches. In parallel, COBRA will train at least 50 globally distributed early-career researchers in ocean exploration, science, and policy through innovative virtual expedition leadership training and support two dozen international research exchanges that promote team science collaboration, diversity, equity, and inclusivity. COBRA will also establish a web-based search portal that points to all data types deposited in appropriate internationally accessible data repositories to promote data discovery and accelerate knowledge transfer and collaboration.The Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations (AccelNet) program is designed to accelerate the process of scientific discovery and prepare the next generation of U.S. researchers for multiteam international collaborations. The AccelNet program supports strategic linkages among U.S. research networks and complementary networks abroad that will leverage research and educational resources to tackle grand scientific challenges that require significant coordinated international efforts.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.