Collaborative Research: Human Infrastructure for a National Geochronology Consortium: Micro-Funding an Inclusive Community Grassroot Effort to Better Understand the Earth System

该项目支持推进的地球年代学科学、空间和系统(AGES-Cube或AGeS3)倡议：(1)增加对地球年代学数据和地质年代学专门知识的获取，以加深我们对统一地球系统的理解；(2)实施一个平台，吸引未被充分代表的少数群体参与地球科学；以及(3)在包容和合作科学的前沿测试基层想法。地质年代学数据提供了从地球深处到地表过程的协同科学所需的时间信息。然而，美国国家科学院的报告一再强调地质年代学数据获取、技术创新和培训方面的挑战。该项目通过三个战略性微奖励计划满足了这些需求。成熟年龄-毕业生计划支持研究生、实验室和家庭机构导师之间的高影响力协作科学项目。原型AGES-DIG(地质年代学多样性)计划为试点计划提供资金，以增加那些在地球科学中代表性不足的人获得地质年代学的机会。新的AGEs-TRACE(培训和社区参与)计划支持社区领导的努力，以应对地质年代学方面新出现的挑战。该计划的微额奖励为人类基础设施引擎提供动力，使重要的科学进步得以实现，这些进展可能不会在更经典的赠款范围内发生。推进地球年代学科学、空间和系统(AGES-Cube或AGeS3)项目建立在AGES-Grad子计划的成功和合作精神的基础上，通过推出小额赠款机会，为自我确定的地球年代学需求提供众包解决方案。该计划通过促进协作科学和评估基层社区领导的解决方案，更广泛地解决地球年代学和地球科学方面的当前挑战，利用地球科学的专业知识和创造力。项目活动宣传了一系列新的关系，使更大的地球科学界能够在地球过程和系统的动态和复杂性方面取得变革性的科学进展。该项目资助了三个子项目中的150多个战略微奖项，以吸引地球科学领域的数百人参与协作科学、培训、审查和治理活动。更广泛的参与和整合将通过年度、虚拟、完全开放的AGE社区会议、一个将托管项目博客和交付成果的网站以及正式的治理模式来实现，其中包括指导和审查委员会，其成员轮流担任，旨在平衡经验和新的参与。评估和评价活动将提供形成性反馈，以在其弧线上形成倡议。归属感、可获得性、正义、公平、多样性和包容性被注入到所有活动中，通过包容和可获得性的做法寻求多样化参与的结果，这些做法也促进了社区的连接感和归属感。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project supports the Advancing Geochronology Science, Spaces, and Systems (AGeS-cubed or AGeS3) initiative to: (1) increase access to geochronology data and geochronology expertise to further our understanding of unified Earth systems, (2) implement a platform attracting underrepresented minorities to the geosciences, and (3) test grassroots ideas at a frontier of inclusive and collaborative science. Geochronology data provide the temporal information required for synergistic science spanning the deep Earth to surface processes. Yet National Academy reports have repeatedly highlighted challenges for geochronology data access, technical innovation, and training. This project addresses these needs through a trio of strategic micro-award programs. The mature AGeS-Grad program supports high-impact collaborative science projects between graduate students, labs, and home institution mentors. The prototype AGeS-DiG (Diversity in Geochronology) program funds pilot initiatives to increase access to geochronology for those underrepresented in the Earth sciences. The new AGeS-TRaCE (Training and Community Engagement) program supports community-led efforts to address emerging challenges in geochronology. The micro-awards of this program powers the human infrastructure engine, enabling important scientific advances that may not happen within the silo of more classic grants.The Advancing Geochronology Science, Spaces, and Systems (AGeS-cubed or AGeS3) project builds on the success and cooperative spirit of the AGeS-Grad subprogram through the launch of micro-grant opportunities to crowd-source solutions for self-identified geochronology needs. The program harnesses expertise and creativity across the Earth sciences by enabling collaborative science and evaluating grassroots community-led solutions to current challenges in geochronology and geosciences more broadly. The project activities propagate a web of new relationships that position the greater geoscience community to make transformative scientific advances on the dynamics and complexity of Earth processes and systems. This project funds over 150 strategic micro-awards across three subprograms to engage hundreds across the Earth sciences in collaborative science, training, review, and governance activities. Still broader engagement and integration will be achieved through annual, virtual, fully open AGeS community meetings, a website that will host project blogs and deliverables, and a formalized governance model that includes steering and review committees with rotating members designed to balance experience with new engagement. Assessment and evaluation activities will provide formative feedback to shape the initiative over its arc. Belonging, accessibility, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusivity are infused throughout all activities, and outcomes of diverse participation will be sought via inclusive and accessible practices that also promote a sense of connection and belonging in the community.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.