SCIPE: Cyberinfrastructure Pacific Professionals (CI-PP)

Led by the University of Hawaii (UH) System, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Chaminade University of Honolulu, University of Guam and the Texas Advanced Computing Center, this project supports the enhancement of cyberinfrastructure (CI) professional training for science research, education, and practice in the Hawaii/Guam Pacific region. Through the formation of a regional cyberinfrastructure network for technical assistance and resource sharing, the partner institutions focus on addressing unique CI human capacity needs and building supportive collaborations. The project offers services, training, education, and research programs to engage faculty, researchers, and students in advanced cyberinfrastructure, creating pathways for increased adoption and capacity and supporting the long-term growth of regional research. Additionally, the initiative develops a model for regional collaboration and shared support across Hawaii/Guam/US-Affiliated-Pacific-Island institutions connecting to national cyberinfrastructure projects. This project promotes research and education in cyberinfrastructure technologies that boost competitiveness at established and emerging research institutions and aligns with Hawaii and Guam jurisdictional missions by promoting research and education in STEM fields. The project's impact extends beyond the region as best practices and strategies are shared with other communities and institutions nationwide. The CI-PP project strengthens Hawaii-Pacific regional research capabilities by hiring cyberinfrastructure professionals embedded at partner institutions and cultivating a workforce skilled in advanced cyberinfrastructure technologies and methods. The research workforce in CI is strengthened through more than 200 undergraduate and 15 graduate recruited across the regional institutions and directly trained in CI. Further, the availability of 100 new workshops and embeddable curriculum modules increase CI awareness and skills across research domains and education, supporting project goals of a skilled workforce addressing regional needs and driving innovation in fields like life sciences, data science, environmental studies, and engineering. A portfolio of services, training, education, and research programs in advanced CI is offered for faculty, researchers, and students. This initiative also engages the regional community in conversations on CI needs, human capacity, and strategy. These lead to the formation of a network for technical assistance and linkages to resources that foster a professional ecosystem and to the development of a model for building CI human capacity and shared support across the Hawaii/Guam/US-Affiliated-Pacific-Islands (USAPI) region with integrations to the national CI ecosystem. This Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC) award is jointly supported by the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE). 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.