Updates | Introduction | Getting Involved | Historical Context | Related Resources
Updates
EPSCoR Cyberinfrastructure the topic of May 2025 NSF EPSCoR Live! Event
The EPSCoR CI Interest Group was asked to present on current status and case studies of cyberinfrastructure in EPSCoR jurisdictions during the May 2025 NSF EPSCoR Live! [external website] event. Presentation slides and a recording of the session may be found under: Past EPSCoR Live! Events | May 2025: Cyberinfrastructure in EPSCoR Jurisdictions
Introduction
NSF EPSCoR jurisdictions have historically underinvested in the cyberinfrastructure (CI, a.k.a. RCD for Research Computing and Data) resources and services required to drive data- and compute-intensive science forward. This has created an uneven distribution and availability of academic CI across the nation. However, the full degree of disparity in CI distribution and availability is unclear because comprehensive baseline data characterizing available CI across EPSCoR jurisdictions and institutions is lacking.
The primary goals of this CaRCC Interest Group are to follow up on the recommendations from the 2023 community workshop report, Minding the Gap: Leveraging Cyberinfrastructure to Transform EPSCoR Jurisdictions and:
- be a forum of exchange for emerging and ongoing best practices in CI ecosystem planning and partnerships for EPSCoR jurisdictions, projects, partners, and the NSF-EPSCoR funding program.
- assemble members/representatives from all EPSCoR jurisdictions to form a CI Council.
- provide group infrastructure for EPSCoR CI Council, Interest Group, and Steering Committee meetings and communications.
The Interest Group provides continuity for the preceding CaRCC EPSCoR CI Workshop WG. The EPSCoR Cyberinfrastructure (CI) group Charter provides context for the IG mission:
The EPSCoR CI Interest Group is a space for those interested in NSF EPSCoR CI to create community and share ideas, practices, and mechanisms around CI planning, coordination, visibility, and partnerships, in support of research and education in EPSCoR jurisdictions.
Getting Involved
For more information and/or to get involved:
The Interest Group (IG) is open to all interested in EPSCoR CI discussions regardless of jurisdictional, institutional, or CI affiliation. IG events and meetings will be announced in advance on this page as well as via email to Interest Group members. If you would like to be directly notified of Interest Group events and meetings, please send a note to epscor-ci-team@carcc.org, or contact the co-Chairs directly: Venice Bayrd (Montana State University), Sean Cleveland (University of Hawai’i System) and Scotty Strachan (Nevada System of Higher Education).
Historical context
Preceding the IG, the goals of the former EPSCoR CI Workshop Working Group (2021-2023) were to host a workshop series to reduce the knowledge gap surrounding CI capabilities, and address a “Call to Action” to increase CI access across EPSCoR (Moore, 2019; cf. “Related Resources” section). To generate the baseline assessment data needed to support these goals, the WG partnered closely with colleagues in the CaRCC RCD CM WG, and encouraged interested participants to complete the RCD Capabilities Model assessment. The assessment formed the core aspect of participation in the workshop series, as baseline data and resulting reports were used as a springboard for workshop discussions. Additional training and workshop activities were intended to inspire ideas around improving CI access, planning, and partnerships. The group produced an initial EPSCoR CI data analysis report (Schmitz, et al., 2022; see below under “Related Resources”), and held both March 2022 preliminary workshops (virtual) and a November 2022 “Cyberinfrastructure in EPSCoR Jurisdictions” Workshop (in-person, co-located with the National EPSCoR Meeting in Portland, Maine). Results from the community input during the workshop series can be found in the 2023 Minding the Gap report.
Related Resources
For those interested in completing the RCD Capabilities Model assessment tool, please see our peer working group webpages which introduce the model, the assessment tool, and associated consulting/community resources.
Reports:
Bayrd, V., Jacobs, G., Schmitz, P., Strachan, S., Clemins, P., & Harris, F. C. J. (2023). Minding the Gap: Leveraging Cyberinfrastructure to Transform EPSCoR Jurisdictions. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8097562
Schmitz, Patrick, Bayrd, Venice, Strachan, Scotty, & Jacobs, Gwen. (2022). A Baseline of EPSCoR Research CI Capabilities. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6395204
Related references:
Moore, Loretta. 2019. Increasing access to cyberinfrastructure for EPSCoR and other underresourced institutions. {Keynote address given at Internet2 National Research Platform Conference.]. http://internet2.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Loretta-Moore_Keynote-NRP-Presentation_rf.pdf
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