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与发展的计算环境，支撑着国家的学术和非营利研究与发展。CI专业人员受雇于全国各地的学术机构，有时一到两个人一组，有些机构的人数要大得多。无论团队规模大小，CI专业人员都必须具有响应能力和创新性。这种压力存在于一个高度动态的基于计算的研究环境中，几乎每天都包含新技术需求，例如人工智能（AI）、边缘/雾计算、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，其目的是在网络基础设施专业人员之间建立一个社区，这些专业人员具有强烈的区域身份，以便共享信息，解决问题，并倡导重要的社区驱动需求。作为一个区域性财团，MWRCD的定位是股权；也就是说，它更好地服务于规模较小、资源较差的机构。它通过创新的网络策略，专注于扩大不同团体和机构的参与，为感兴趣的主题创建资源文档，并促进新的合作，为CI专业人员提供影响。最初的主题包括FAIR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，在这种模式下，该组织从主要作为信息共享中心转变为实现转型目标。为了实现这些目标，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)住院医师计划，3)专业指导计划，以及4)亲缘团体计划。此外，将编制和散发的材料将使研究、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任的环境中共同努力，可以相互帮助，也可以在实地提供帮助。这是通过在共同感兴趣的主题上共同努力，通过在组织使命中发现价值的组织中加入，通过透明地共享信息，以及通过为合作组织中的网络基础设施专业人员提供贡献，接受指导，属于一个队列并成为领导者的机会来实现的。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。

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.