Thinking Like a Science Executive: A Workshop Curriculum for Cyberinfrastructure Leaders

Abstract

Leaders of cyberinfrastructure enterprises (“CI enterprises”) are under increasing pressure to think strategically and to demonstrate their impact on a diversity of stakeholders. Most CI enterprise leaders are scientists or engineers with strong project management skills. Few have been exposed to practices, frameworks, and theories from organization science that can potentially improve the effectiveness of their enterprises. In short, as CI enterprise leaders evolve into executives, they do so with minimal formal guidance.

To help in thinking about cyberinfrastructure and CI enterprises strategically, the NSF Division of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (ACI) funded a project to develop a “science executive” curriculum for leaders of CI enterprises, to help these leaders think strategically, align their activities with key stakeholders, and to understand and communicate their value. This document summarizes this curriculum – developed in 2013 and stemming from two planning workshops and then delivered in 2013 to 22 leaders of CI enterprises, and subsequently evaluated and amended.

Key areas of focus include: - the changing nature of science and the role of CI enterprises - CI enterprise stakeholder analysis and stakeholder alignment - value propositions of CI enterprises for stakeholders - metrics: understanding and communicating the value of CI enterprises

Keywords: Cyberinfrastructure enterprise, science executive education