Full Proposal: Environmental Data Science Innovation and Inclusion Lab (ESIIL): Accelerating Discovery by Fostering an Open and Diverse Earth Data Revolution

环境数据科学创新与包容实验室(ESIIL)是由科罗拉多博尔德大学领导的下一代NSF综合中心，与亚利桑那大学和奥斯陆大学的NSF CyVerse合作。ESIIL使环境数据科学家的全球社区能够利用丰富的环境数据和新兴分析来开发基于科学的解决方案，以解决生物学和其他环境科学中的紧迫挑战。ESIIL认为，在社会需要所有视角的时候，包容性是使环境数据科学多样化的核心原则和方法，而科学需要为所有人服务。ESIIL的研究社区通过以下方式产生发现和新方法：1)尖端团队科学，2)创新工具和协作网络基础设施，3)数据科学教育和培训，以及4)建立包容性参与和多样化的群体。这些活动推进了环境数据科学的前沿，环境数据科学是一门迅速发展的学科，连接了计算、生物、环境和社会科学。ESIIL的开放式协作和可扩展环境(CASE)网络基础设施通过量身定制的用户体验、与关键数据源的无缝连接以及首屈一指的云计算，降低了科学协作的障碍。ESIIL的教育计划促进了环境数据科学技能的广泛获取，并帮助培养下一代有数据能力的劳动力。与部落学院和少数群体服务机构的伙伴关系增加了代表不足群体之间的数据技能和知识共享。ESIIL网络是一个由2000多名研究人员和学生组成的多元化社区，是一个21世纪的团队，致力于产生以数据为灵感的发现，以增强社会和生态系统的弹性。ESIIL的愿景是，需要培育一个多样化和包容性的实践社区，以在环境数据科学方面取得创新突破。创新峰会探讨了大陆规模的生态、地球人工智能、环境正义和大数据以及适应不断变化的世界等重大挑战。孵化器工作组、博士后和大型团队合作产生了新的发现，跨行业的合作伙伴关系通过创新峰会和地球黑客马拉松催化了受使用启发的研究。ESIIL的合作伙伴包括行业、政府和非营利性合作伙伴，促进具有环境政策、管理和技术应用的科学的联合生产。国家生态观测站网络(NEON)、长期生态研究网络(LTER)和临界区合作网络(CZ NET)是战略数据合作伙伴。ESIIL促进团队科学的最佳实践，并对不同科学团队内的科学生产力和创造力的相关性进行基础研究。ESIIL通过支持社区开发的高价值软件和数据立方体(例如，来自不同天文台和平台的地面、空中和卫星数据)来加速科学研究。这些工具、经过管理的数据集以及可复制和可重复使用的工作流程部署在ESIIL的开放式网络基础设施上。ESIIL Stars实习计划支持来自机构的学生和教职员工，这些机构促进STEM中代表性不足的群体，提供数据技能培训、研究经验和职业指导。最初的合作伙伴包括奥格拉拉·拉科塔学院、联合部落技术学院和丹佛市州立大学。ESIIL领导者计划通过培养环境数据科学和团队科学的领导技能，为来自代表性不足社区的新兴科学家提供支持。与文化相关的课程为培训模块提供信息，并提供一本介绍环境数据新分析的开放教科书。通过在现有的学习门户上托管开放教育资源，每月有超过200,000名用户，ESIIL教育扩展到全球受众。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Environmental Data Science Innovation & Inclusion Lab (ESIIL) is a next-generation NSF synthesis center led by the University of Colorado Boulder in collaboration with NSF’s CyVerse at the University of Arizona and the University of Oslo. ESIIL enables a global community of environmental data scientists to leverage the wealth of environmental data and emerging analytics to develop science-based solutions to solve pressing challenges in biology and other environmental sciences. ESIIL holds inclusion as a core principle and method for diversifying environmental data science at a time when society needs all perspectives, and science needs to serve all. ESIIL’s research community generates discoveries and novel approaches through: 1) cutting-edge team science, 2) innovative tools and collaborative cyberinfrastructure, 3) data science education and training, and 4) building inclusive participation and diverse groups. These activities advance the frontier of environmental data science, a rapidly evolving discipline bridging the computational, biological, environmental, and social sciences. ESIIL’s open Collaborative and Scalable Environment (CASE) cyberinfrastructure lowers barriers to scientific collaboration through tailored user experience, seamless connection to critical data sources, and premier cloud computing. ESIIL’s education program facilitates broad access to environmental data science skills and helps develop the next-generation data-capable workforce. Partnerships with Tribal Colleges and Minority-Serving Institutions increases data skills and knowledge sharing among underrepresented groups. The ESIIL Network, a diverse community of over 2,000 researchers and students, is a 21st-century team committed to generating data-inspired discoveries that enhance societal and ecosystem resilience. ESIIL’s vision is that cultivating a diverse and inclusive community of practice is needed to produce innovative breakthroughs in environmental data science. Innovation Summits explore Grand Challenges such as continental-scale ecology, artificial intelligence for the Earth, environmental justice and big data, and adapting to our changing world. Incubator Working Groups, postdocs, and large-team collaborations generate new discoveries, and cross-sector partnerships catalyze use-inspired research through Innovation Summits and Earth Hackathons. ESIIL collaborations include industry, government, and non-profit partners, facilitating the co-production of science that has environmental policy, management, and technological applications. The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) network, and the Critical Zone Collaborative Network (CZ Net) are strategic data partners. ESIIL facilitates best practices in team science and conducts basic research on the correlates of scientific productivity and creativity within diverse scientific teams. ESIIL accelerates scientific inquiry by supporting community-developed and high-value software and data cubes bridge, for example, ground, airborne, and satellite data from diverse observatories and platforms. These tools, curated datasets, and reproducible and reusable workflows are deployed on ESIIL’s open cyberinfrastructure. The ESIIL Stars internship program supports students and faculty members from institutions that promote underrepresented groups in STEM, providing data skills training, research experience, and career mentorship. Initial partners include Oglala Lakota College, United Tribes Technical College, and Metropolitan State University of Denver. The ESIIL Leaders program supports emerging scientists from underrepresented communities by fostering leadership skills in environmental data science and team science. Culturally-relevant curricula inform training modules along with an open textbook that introduces novel analytics for environmental data. By hosting open education resources on an existing learning portal, with a following of over 200,000 users per month, ESIIL education scales to a global audience.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.