Next Generation Earth Systems Science at the National Science Foundation (2022) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 13-32
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From page 13... ...
Examples of systems and system interactions that are essential for understanding our planet, predicting how it may change and the impact of uncertainties, and securing a sustainable future include (1) the food–energy–water nexus and associated carbon– energy–water cycles that underpin this nexus; (2)
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The goal is to develop an understanding of the feedback loops, nonlinearities, and emergent properties that contribute to understanding the planet, monitoring processes and predicting change, managing natural resources and hazards, and sustaining life. subsiding and/or eroding coastlines and deltas; and (3)
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. 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE REPORT At the request of NSF, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine established a committee to develop a vision for a robust, integrated approach for studying the Earth's systems and to identify NSF facilities, infrastructure, coordinating mechanisms, computing, and workforce development to support that vision.
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Transdisciplinary research transcends disciplinary approaches to create a new framework and approach involving collaboration among scientists from across disciplines and communities to address a common problem that is often linked to an identified societal need. Convergence research is close to, and often used interchangeably with, trans disciplinary science.
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. BOX 1.2 Statement of Task An ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineer ing, and Medicine will undertake a study that develops a compelling vision for a systems approach to studying the Earth and identifies facilities, infrastructure, coordinating mechanisms, computing, and workforce development needed to sup port that vision.
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Instead, the committee discussed synergies that would enable convergence research and advance Earth Systems Science. The committee organized its analysis of Tasks 3–5 around the key characteristics outlined in its vision, and drew on insights and outcomes from the results of a committee questionnaire; workshops on social and behavioral science, engineering, computation, and education and workforce development; and roundtables to discuss coordination mechanisms and computing and observing facilities (see Appendix A)
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Studies of glaciology, geophysics, and hydrology have helped show how melting of polar ice sheets and ice caps in a warming climate leads to geographically variable sea levels, increases geological hazards, and threatens the persistence of cold-adapted biota. Research on the terrestrial biosphere is primarily the purview of the Biological Sciences Directorate, which covers ecosystem science, evolutionary processes, population and community ecology, organismal biology, systematics and biodiversity sciences, and cellular and molecular biology.
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Research on human behavior has demonstrated how the understanding of social norms can be applied to improve conservation, and how human behavior, institutional actions, and these interactions with the environment influence climate change and climate adaptation. Economists
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The Engineering Directorate touches on studies of the Earth's systems by considering the means through which humans affect their environment, detecting those effects, developing technical solutions to reduce human impacts on the environment, and creating means to mitigate the adverse impacts of the environment on human life. Relevant research areas in the directorate include environmental engineering and sustainability, disasters and the built environment, systems engineering, and the operation and design of complex engineered and socio-technical systems.
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22 FIGURE 1.2 NSF organization chart, showing its seven directorates (names in bold) and their divisions (bullets)
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As part of the "Big Ideas" initiative,3 NSF explicitly recognized the criticality of "investing in bold foundational research questions that are large in scope, innovative in character, originate outside of any particular directorate, and require a long-term commitment." One Big Ideas program that relates to Earth Systems Science is Navigating the New Arctic, which supports convergence research across the social, natural, environmental, and computing and information sciences, and engineering to understand interactions among natural and built environments and social systems.4 1 See https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20579/nsf20579.htm. 2 See https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18545/nsf18545.htm.
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Major facilities and infrastructure projects hosted by the Geosciences Directorate include the National Center for Atmospheric Research, which provides the atmospheric research community with computing resources and data services, and supports a community-developed global Earth systems model. The directorate also supports facilities for airborne, ocean, and Earth surface observations; seismic and geodetic instrumentation; and facilities and operational support in Arctic and Antarctic regions.
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Other high-performance computing is currently funded under the Innovative High-Performance Computing program. Access to these computing systems is supported by the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment project.6 Access to public commercial cloud computing resources is provided through projects such as Cloudbank, which serves as an integrated service provider to the research community through a comprehensive set of user-facing and business operations functions.7 Programs that support the software and algorithm requirements of science communities include the National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes8 and the Cyberinfrastructure for the Sustained Scientific Innovation program.9 In addition, a number of programs support the data science integral to the hardware and software efforts mentioned above.
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at NSF Geosciences Directorate • National Center for Atmospheric Research (F) -- Provides modeling, super computing, data, and research aircraft to support atmospheric science and climate studies • Academic Research Fleet (F)
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-- Supports improvements to biological field stations and terrestrial, marine, estuarine, and freshwater laboratories Directorate of Computer and Information Science and Engineering • Leadership-Class Computing Facility (F) -- Supports Frontera, a high-perfor mance computer aimed at supporting the most computationally challenging science applications • Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (I)
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Scientific ocean drilling using the research vessel JOIDES Reso lution has enabled discoveries on the geologic framework beneath hydrothermal vent systems (Alt et al., 2010) , hydrologic connectivity of the seafloor (Fisher et al., 2003)
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Finally, several NSF programs seek to develop a STEM workforce that will create and capitalize on science and technology innovations. For example, Accelerating Discovery: Educating the Future STEM Workforce18 seeks to develop professionals with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to collaborate across disciplines to advance the 10 Big Ideas for Future NSF investments.
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Training-based Workforce Development for Advanced Cyberinfrastructure20 is intended to nurture the research workforce essential for creating, using, and supporting advanced cyberinfrastructure. The Science of Broadening Participation program21 uses social, behavioral, economic, and learning sciences to better understand enhancements and barriers to expanding participation in education and the workforce.
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Chapter 4 focuses on implementation, including opportunities and barriers in research, computing and observing facilities, and workforce development, as well as recommendations for achieving the vision for next generation Earth Systems Science. The report concludes with a summary of the types of community input to the study (Appendix A)
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2008. Hydrothermal vents and the origin of life.
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