RCN:CIP: A Connect.CI-based Community-Wide Mentorship Network (CCMnet) for the Advancement of Science and Engineering Research and Education

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Cyberinfrastructure (CI) has become ubiquitous in science and engineering research, partly due to the unprecedented acceleration and availability of high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities enabling many breakthrough discoveries. To advance scientific discovery, many researchers are faced with transitioning their work from local machines or departmental servers to large-scale CI, which requires developing new technical skills. Research computing facilitators, research software engineers, and other CI professionals (CIP) are an essential workforce needed to advise researchers on how to reshape the way they perform research, optimize workflows, educate and assist in the use of new technologies, and serve as information resources. However, it is a challenge for this community to keep abreast of the extensive array of tools, techniques, and specialized approaches needed to pursue today’s complex research questions. The CIP community relies on peer-to-peer knowledge sharing; this valuable knowledge is widely dispersed and difficult to find. A strong, collaborative mentor network is critical to successfully sustaining and advancing the CIP workforce to meet future scientific challenges. The Connect.Cl-based Community-wide Mentorship Network (CCMNet) is developing this network of subject matter experts from across the country, leveraging the Connect.Cl portal as the network's central coordination hub. Through these efforts, CCMNet is strengthening researchers’ and CIPs’ confidence in their abilities, enabling the exploration of new questions, and facilitating more rapid scientific discoveries and advancements.The CCMNet program is building a mentor network that spans the broader CIP community by (a) developing a portal for making connections and exchanging knowledge, (b) forming partnerships with other mentor-centric programs in the community to advance support for all CIPs, (c) reaching out to under-served groups to create a more inclusive and diverse CIP community, and (d) developing best practices and guidance on mentorship for the benefit of the entire community. These efforts bring novel structure and consistency to the development of the CIP workforce, enabling a more advanced CIP workforce better able to support today’s research needs, as well as anticipate future needs.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.