Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
System Science Education and Research
M. K. Ramamurthy
INTRODUCTION
A revolution is underway in the role played by cyberinfrastructure and modern data
services in the conduct of research and education. We live in an era of an unprece-
dented data volume from diverse sources, multidisciplinary analysis and synthesis,
and active, learner-centered education emphasis. Complex environmental problems
such as global change and water cycle transcend disciplinary and geographic bound-
aries, and their solution requires integrated earth system science (ESS) approaches.
Contemporary education strategies recommend adopting an ESS approach for teach-
ing the geosciences, employing pedagogical techniques such as enquiry-based learn-
ing. The resulting transformation in geoscience education and research creates new
opportunities for advancement and poses many challenges. The success of the scien-
tific enterprise depends heavily on the availability of a state-of-the-art, robust, and
flexible cyberinfrastructure, and on the timely access to quality data, products, and
tools to process, manage, analyze, integrate, publish, and visualize those data.
Concomittantly, rapid advances in computing, communication, and information
technologies have revolutionized the provision and use of data, tools, and services.
The profound consequences of Moore's Law and the explosive growth of the Inter-
net are well known. On the other hand, how other technological trends have shaped
the development of data services is less well understood. For example, the advent of
digital libraries, web services, open standards, and protocols have been important fac-
tors in shaping a new generation of cyberinfrastructure for solving key scientifi c and
educational problems.
This chapter presents a broad overview of these issues, along with a survey of key
information technology (IT) trends, and discuses how those trends are enabling new
approaches to applying data services for solving geoscientifi c problems.
Cyberinfrastructure and data services are transforming the conduct of research
and education in the geosciences. For example, current day weather and coupled cli-
mate system prediction models and a new generation of remote-sensing systems like
hyperspectral satellite instruments and rapid scan, phased-array radars are capable of
generating massive amounts of data each day. Complex environmental problems such
as global change and water cycle transcend disciplinary and geographic boundaries,
and it is widely recognized that their solution requires integrated ESS approaches.
Contemporary education strategies recommend adopting an ESS approach for teach-
ing the geosciences, employing new pedagogical techniques such as enquiry-based
