Leading Cyberinfrastructure Enterprise: Value Propositions, Stakeholders, and Measurement

Abstract

“Cyberinfrastructure” or CI as used in this paper describes the digital infrastructure for scientific endeavor. It is at the heart of changing practices in science. The impact of CI spans energy, finance, health, humanities, information, environment, security, transportation, and other core aspects of the human condition. Many defining technologies and practices have roots in CI: the Internet, open source software, cloud computing and “big data” are but a few examples. The leadership of CI enterprises – the organizations that develop and support CI – know the value of CI, but have trouble communicating this value to others. Further, there are operational challenges around attracting, developing and retaining the workforce essential for success; serving an increasingly diverse array of customers and users; and operating in the context of a changing social contract with key sponsors and stakeholders.

An NSF-funded workshop was held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on February 15-16, 2013. The workshop brought together CI enterprise leaders with organization scientists to discuss the value and operation of CI enterprise in the face of uncertain funding, ongoing change in technology and other factors, “benchmarking” with respect to peers, and similar concerns. Collaboration between CI enterprise leaders and organization scientists has potential, as in the study of the impact of organizational practices on innovation and knowledge creation. However, the interests of these two communities is seldom well aligned (Berente et al 2012). The workshop sought to explore what stakeholders from these communities need and want from collaboration. Improving understanding and communicating of CI’s value was the objective. This report explains what was learned from the workshop, and what might be done to help CI enterprise leaders.

Keywords: cyberinfrastructure, CI centers, CI enterprise, CI leadership, CI management, workforce, metrics, science executive