RCN:CIP: Midwest Research Computing and Data Consortium

网络基础设施(CI)专业人员通过创新和维护科学和工程研究和开发的计算环境，为国家的学术和非营利性研究和开发提供支持。CI专业人员受雇于全国各地的学术机构，有时是一到两人一组，有些机构的人数要多得多。无论团队规模大小，CI专业人员(S)都必须反应迅速，勇于创新。这种压力存在于高度动态的基于计算的研究环境中，几乎每天都有新的技术需求，例如人工智能(AI)、边缘/雾化计算、公共云的功能即服务。中西部研究计算和数据联盟(MWRCD)是中西部研究计算和数据基础设施专业人员的中心，其目的是在具有强烈地区认同感的网络基础设施专业人员之间建立一个社区，以便共享信息、解决问题并倡导重要的社区驱动需求。作为一个地区性财团，MWRCD的定位是股权；也就是说，它更好地为规模较小、资源较少的机构提供服务。它的定位也是对传播与信息专业人员产生影响，它通过创新的网络战略做到了这一点，侧重于扩大不同群体和机构的参与，创建关于感兴趣主题的资源文件，并促进新的合作。最初的主题包括公平数据、人工智能网络基础设施和网络基础设施的投资回报。该项目致力于数据收集和评估，这将有助于更广泛地研究CI专业人员在团队科学中的作用。中西部研究计算和数据联盟的组织和计划建立在社区参与模式的基础上，在该模式下，组织从主要充当信息共享中心转向实现转型目标。为实现这些目标，MWRCD将使用一套方案机制，优先考虑包容性和扩大代表性，这些机制被称为方案加速器。这些加速器包括1)学生研究员影子计划、2)实习计划、3)专业导师计划和4)亲和力小组计划。此外，将开发和传播的材料将使研究、计算和数据专业人员能够更有效地与主要利益攸关方进行沟通。MWRCD努力的主题是，区域利益攸关方在可信的环境下共同工作，可以相互帮助，也可以帮助实地。这是通过在共同感兴趣的主题上共同合作，通过在组织的使命中发现价值的入职组织，通过透明地共享信息，并通过为合作组织中的网络基础设施专业人员提供机会来做出贡献、接受指导、属于一个队列并成为领导者。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。

Cyberinfrastructure (CI) professionals underpin the nation’s academic and non-profit research and development by the innovation and maintenance of computational environments for science and engineering research and development. CI professionals are employed at academic institutions throughout the country, sometimes in groups of one to two people, and at some institutions in numbers considerably larger. The CI professional(s) must be responsive and innovative regardless of group size. And this pressure exists in a highly dynamic environment of computationally-based research that encompasses new technology needs almost daily, e.g. artificial intelligence (AI), edge/fog computing, function-as-a-service of public clouds. The Midwest Research Computing and Data Consortium (MWRCD) is the Midwestern hub of research computing and data infrastructure professionals, and its purpose is to build a community among cyberinfrastructure professionals who share a strong regional identity in order to share information, solve problems, and advocate for important community-driven needs. As a regional consortium, the MWRCD is positioned for equity; that is, it better serves smaller, less well-resourced institutions. It is positioned for impact for the CI professional as well, which it does through innovative networking strategies, focusing on broadening participation across diverse groups and institutions, creating resource documents on topics of interest, and fostering new collaborations. Initial topics include FAIR data, AI cyberinfrastructure, and return on investment of cyberinfrastructure. The project is committed to data collection and evaluation that will contribute to the broader study of the role of the CI professional in team science.The Midwest Research Computing and Data Consortium’s organization and plans are founded upon the Community Participation Model in which the organization moves from principally serving as an information sharing hub to achieving transformational objectives. To actualize the goals, MWRCD will use a set of programmatic mechanisms, which prioritize inclusiveness and broadening representation, which are referred to as programmatic accelerators. These accelerators consist of a 1) Student Fellows Shadow program, 2) Residencies Program, 3) Professional Mentorship Program, and 4) Affinities Group Program. Additionally, the materials to be developed and disseminated will enable and empower research computing and data professionals to communicate more effectively with key stakeholders. The theme of MWRCD efforts is that regional stakeholders working together in a trusted setting can help each other and the field. This is by working collectively on topics of mutual interest, by onboarding organizations that find value in the mission of the organization, by sharing information transparently, and by providing opportunities for cyberinfrastructure professionals in collaborating organizations to contribute, to be mentored, to belong to a cohort, and to become leaders.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.