Reflections on science, technology, and computing — leavened by personal experience


The longitudinal value of research data often accrues to disciplines other than those where it was created. We need a new model that judiciously balances investment between the “next big thing” and sustainable cyberinfrastructure, for the latter is itself a crucial enabler of discovery.

The dramatic growth of research data, the collaborative and competitive nature of international science and engineering research, expectations for economic returns from research investments and disciplinary differences all make this a pressing and difficult problem. Our current, ad hoc approaches are inadequate and not sustainable.