Collaborative Research: CyberTraining: Implementation: Medium: EcoTern: Pioneering a CI Workforce for Sustainable and Transdisciplinary Environmental Science Research

In today's rapidly changing environmental landscape, developing a skilled workforce adept at utilizing advanced cyberinfrastructure is critical for sustainable and transdisciplinary environmental science research. The EcoTern project addresses this need by pioneering the training of the next generation cyberinfrastructure workforce to be capable of integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies into environmental and computer science and engineering research. This collaborative effort, involving Florida International University (FIU), North Carolina State University (NCSU), and the NSF-funded Artificial Intelligence for Environmental Sciences (AI2ES) Institute, aims to develop comprehensive training activities, including new degree programs, curriculum enhancements, reusable course content, summer bootcamps, seminars, and interactive hands-on exercises. These activities will provide trainees with the necessary skills to utilize cyberinfrastructure for predicting and mitigating environmental impacts, such as coastal flooding, hurricane disasters, and marine ecological changes. By promoting the progress of science and supporting national health, prosperity, and welfare, this project serves the national interest by preparing a diverse and knowledgeable workforce to address environmental challenges resulting from a changing climate and other causes. EcoTern’s innovative approach involves weaving cyberinfrastructure training into the new undergraduate Data Science program at FIU and integrating cyberinfrastructure, artificial intelligence, and environmental science training into nine existing graduate courses at FIU and NCSU. Course materials will be shared broadly, and the project will cultivate a network of collaborating institutions engaged in the overlap of environmental science, artificial intelligence, and cyberinfrastructure education. The project will host a two-week summer bootcamp, providing intensive instruction and interdisciplinary research opportunities. A series of specialized workshops and invited lectures from cyberinfrastructure and artificial intelligence experts will further enhance the training program. An online platform will be developed to offer personalized hands-on exercises and real-time learning progress tracking. Research objectives include advancing interdisciplinary environmental and computer science and engineering research, preparing a better scientific workforce for cyberinfrastructure-enabled research, and creating a ubiquitous and scalable educational and training ecosystem for online, dynamic, personalized lessons and certifications. By democratizing access to advanced cyberinfrastructure resources and promoting transdisciplinary collaboration, EcoTern aims to cultivate a diverse, knowledgeable, and skilled community capable of driving innovation and addressing emerging environmental science and engineering challenges. This award by the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure is jointly supported by the National Discovery Cloud for Climate initiative within the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering. 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.