Appendix A
Summary of Outreach Efforts
The committee carefully considered multiple forms of community input in addressing its Statement of Task. These included five virtual workshops, two roundtable discussions, and an online questionnaire. Information about the study and details on each of the events were also shared with the community at regular intervals via an opt-in emailed newsletter.
WORKSHOPS
Five workshop sessions were held in late 2020 and early 2021. Their goals and agenda items are outlined below.
Education and Workforce for Earth Systems Science Framing Session
This framing session brought together experts to explore issues associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Earth systems workforce to better serve the Earth and its people; creating Earth Systems Science learning and working environments for all; statistics and data on the geoscience workforce; and the future of Earth Systems Science education and training. It was intended to help set the stage for future workshops associated with this committee’s work.
November 13, 2020
11:00 AM | Welcome and Purpose for the Workshop |
11:20 AM | DEI Issues in the Earth Systems Workforce to Better Serve the Earth and Its People Raj Pandya, Thriving Earth Exchange |
11:45 AM |
Panel: Creating Earth Systems Sciences Learning and Working Environments for All Moderator: Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, University of California, Merced, Committee Member
|
12:30 PM | Break |
1:00 PM | Statistics and Data on the Geoscience Workforce Sharon Mosher, The University of Texas at Austin |
1:10 PM |
Panel: Thinking About the Future of Earth Systems Science Education and Training Moderator: Fiamma Straneo, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Committee Member
|
1:50 PM | Wrap Up and Closing Remarks |
2:00 PM | Adjourn |
Integrating Earth Systems Science and Engineering
This workshop brought together experts working at the intersection of engineering and Earth Systems Science to share successful strategies and to identify important considerations for bridging these increasingly connected fields. The committee heard from researchers at the boundary of
engineering and Earth Systems Science about the opportunities and challenges of work at this intersection. Discussion also focused on building effective two-way partnerships between engineering and Earth Systems Science, variations in systems thinking approaches between disciplinary areas, and undertaking and operationalizing larger projects connecting Earth Systems Science and engineering.
November 20, 2020
11:00 AM | Welcome and Purpose for the Workshop |
11:15 AM |
Session 1: What Can Earth Systems Science and Engineering Provide for Each Other? Moderator: George Hornberger, Vanderbilt University
|
12:15 PM | Break |
12:45 PM |
Session 2: Approaches to Systems Thinking: Similarities and Differences Between the Sciences and Engineering Moderator: Royce Francis, The George Washington University
|
1:45 PM | Break |
2:15 PM |
Session 3: Lessons and Opportunities for Integrated Engineering and Earth Systems Science at Scale Moderator: Costa Samaras, Carnegie Mellon University
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3:15 PM | Wrap Up and Closing Remarks |
3:30 PM | Adjourn |
Accelerating Integration of the Social Sciences in the Study of Earth System Interactions
This workshop sought feedback from the social science community as well as natural science researchers. Workshop discussion questions included the following: (1) What is the critical role of social science in understanding the Earth system? (2) What is the value of an integrated approach at NSF and the role of social science in studying Earth system interactions? (3) What are current/new exemplars of transdisciplinary research and where are their gaps? (4) What could/should NSF do to accelerate the integration of social science in studies of Earth system interactions? (5) How do we elevate social science?
January 12, 2021
2:00 PM | Welcome and Purpose for the Workshop |
2:05 PM | The Critical Role of Social Science in Understanding the Earth Naomi Oreskes, Harvard University |
2:20 PM |
Panel Conversation: The Value of an Integrated Approach for NSF Moderator: Courtney Flint, Committee Member
|
2:55 PM | Break |
3:00 PM | Discussion with Panelists, Committee, and Audience Moderator: Courtney Flint, Committee Member |
3:50 PM | Wrap Up and Closing Remarks |
4:00 PM | Adjourn |
January 19, 2021
2:00 PM | Welcome and Purpose for the Workshop |
2:05 PM | Exemplars of Transdisciplinary Research Lori Peek, University of Colorado Boulder |
2:20 PM |
Panel Conversation: Exemplars and Operationalizing Stronger Integration of Social Science in Studies of the Earth Moderator: Melissa Kenney, Committee Member
|
2:55 PM | Break |
3:00 PM | Discussion with Panelists, Committee, and Audience Moderator: Melissa Kenney, Committee Member |
3:50 PM | Wrap Up and Closing Remarks |
4:00 PM | Adjourn |
Computing, Data, and Cyberinfrastructure for a Systems Approach to Studying the Earth
This workshop incorporated information on computational, data, and analytic support for Earth systems research, including guidance on harnessing existing, planned, and future NSF-supported cyberinfrastructure. The workshops focused on questions such as (1) What limitations and constraints regarding computing, data, and cyberinfrastructure should a vision for a systems approach to studying the Earth be sure to take into account? (2) What are lessons learned from past cyberinfrastructure deployment efforts related to Earth systems research? (3) How do workforce needs for cyberinfrastructure interact with workforce needs for studying Earth systems broadly? (4) How can the social science dimensions of cyberinfrastructure and data management be effectively incorporated? (5) What needs to happen to ensure that computing and analytic capabilities evolve in ways that continue to meet the needs of Earth systems research? and (6) Are there foreseeable gaps and limitations that could be remedied?
February 4, 2021
12:00 PM | Welcome and Purpose for the Workshop |
12:05 PM | Overview and Stage-Setting Remarks Dan Reed, The University of Utah |
12:20 PM | Launching and Sustaining Multi-Stakeholder Consortia to Advance the Cyberinfrastructure in the Geosciences Joel Cutcher Gershenfeld, Brandeis University |
12:35 PM | Hydrology, Cyberinfrastructure for Observations Systems Jeffrey Horsburgh, Utah State University |
12:50 PM | Seismology, Needs of Subfields Moving Forward Jeroen Tromp, Princeton University |
1:05 PM | Discussant Remarks Kerstin Lehnert, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University |
1:15 PM | Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A Moderator: Courtney Flint, Committee Member and Workshop Organizer |
1:55 PM | Wrap Up and Closing Remarks |
2:00 PM | Adjourn |
February 12, 2021
12:00 PM | Welcome and Purpose for the Workshop |
12:05 PM | AI for the Earth Bruno Sánchez-Andrade Nuño, Microsoft |
12:25 PM |
Climate Modeling
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12:55 PM | Lessons Learned from Developing a Comprehensive Cyberinfrastructure for Natural Hazards Ellen Rathje, The University of Texas at Austin |
1:10 PM | Workforce Needs Susan Winter, University of Maryland |
1:25 PM | Break |
1:40 PM | Discussant Inez Fung, Committee Member and Workshop Organizer |
1:50 PM | Discussion and Audience Q&A Moderator: Jerry Mitrovica, Committee Member and Workshop Organizer |
2:50 PM | Wrap Up and Closing Remarks |
3:00 PM | Adjourn |
Education and Workforce for Earth Systems Science Follow-Up Discussion
This workshop brought together experts to explore issues associated with education and workforce development goals, theory of change, preparing a more equitable Earth Systems Science workforce, and partnerships and collaborations that have been successful in bridging disciplines. It was intended to help wrap-up the series of workshops associated with this committee’s work.
April 16, 2021
11:00 AM | Welcome and Purpose for the Workshop |
11:10 AM |
Panel 1: Addressing Systemic Issues in Education and Workforce Development for Earth Systems Science Moderator: Melissa Burt, Colorado State University, Committee Member
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12:25 PM | Break |
12:35 PM |
Panel 2: Highlighting Programs That Support Earth Systems Sciences Education and Workforce Development Moderator: Kristen St. John, James Madison University, Committee Member
|
1:45 PM | Concluding Remarks Travis York, American Association for the Advancement of Science |
2:00 PM | Adjourn |
In total, more than 400 individuals participated in the workshops. After each workshop, participants were provided with (1) the committee’s vision; (2) a few exemplars, which described a science topic and outlined some of the connections to social science, natural science, engineering, computation, observing and experimental facilities, and education and workforce development; and (3) a questionnaire with the following prompts:
- What other input would you like to share with the committee?
- What facilities or infrastructure could help support integrated [workshop theme] and Earth science topics?
- How can we build a workforce capable of working on integrated Earth science problems?
- Please comment on the committee’s vision.
- How can the exemplars be improved to accelerate an integrative understanding of Earth systems?
ROUNDTABLES
Roundtable discussions focused on a range of NSF facilities and coordination mechanisms. These included the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), McMurdo Station, Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI), Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE), the Long-Term
Ecological Research (LTER) Network, and the Center for Advancement and Synthesis of Open Environmental Data and Sciences. These discussion-focused roundtables provided the committee with an opportunity hear from facilities’ principal investigators, NSF and other program leaders, and scholars, who discussed the key features of their facilities/programs and potential synergistic opportunities. Specifically, speakers addressed the successes, challenges, and barriers that they face, as well as potential next steps toward integrated Earth Systems Science.
May 14, 2021
11:00 AM | Welcome and Purpose of Roundtable |
11:10 AM |
Remarks from Panelists
|
11:45 AM | Open Discussion and Q&A with Committee Members |
12:50 PM | Wrap Up and Closing Remarks |
1:00 PM | Adjourn |
May 28, 2021
11:00 AM | Welcome and Purpose of Roundtable |
11:10 AM |
Remarks from Panelists
|
|
|
12:00 PM | Open Discussion and Q&A with Committee Members |
12:50 PM | Wrap Up and Closing Remarks |
1:00 PM | Adjourn |
ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE
A questionnaire intended to gather insights on the breadth and scope of Earth systems research was distributed to a wide audience via newsletters and listservs. The questionnaire was also shared with many National Academies boards and committees, email distribution lists, scientific societies, blogs, and online networks. Recipients were asked the following questions:
- Give 3 examples of urgent research questions that need to be addressed to understand how the Earth system works.
- Provide 3 benefits that will be derived from expanding our systems approach to Earth science.
- What new science or technological advances are enabling new approaches for tackling Earth Systems Science questions?
- What are the 3 biggest barriers to achieving a systems approach for Earth science at NSF?
- Provide an example of an interdisciplinary, integrative, exciting research project that serves as a successful example of a systems approach to Earth science.
- Provide examples of NSF facilities, infrastructure, and/or other coordinating mechanisms that are currently (or could possibly be) leveraged for a systems approach to Earth science. Are there any underutilized items?
- Provide an example of success in computation, data, and/or analytic support in Earth system research.
- How might NSF improve computational, data, and analytic support for systematic approaches to Earth Systems Science?
- Provide an example of success or an approach with proven outcomes in training and/or workforce development in Earth systems research.
- What are the new approaches to support the education and training of an inclusive and diverse workforce that will be needed to advance Earth systems research?
- Are there any additional comments you would like to share with the committee?
A total of 149 responses were received from researchers covering a wide range of topics and disciplines. The committee considered the questionnaire responses during its deliberations. The anonymized responses are available in the Public Access File for this study.
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