EAPSI: Understanding cyberinfrastructure in international scientific research

Echenique Andy, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

Computing resources and communication technologies have become the technological backbone promoting innovation in cutting-edge international scientific research. As they evolve, so do the social structures that make collaboration and communication possible. These 'socio-technical systems' - or cyberinfrastructure - have enduring effects on the scientific community and provide the framework for advances in a wide array of important scientific projects. This research will investigate how cyberinfrastructure mediates work and knowledge practices between Japanese research laboratories and their international collaborators. This research will provide a foundational understanding of which current technological systems assist international collaboration and researchers' methods of utilizing and integrating shared information. This involves understanding methods of data transfer, data analysis, and integrating distance work, as well as the systems that mediate and manage these modes of collaboration. This research will be conducted at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) at their Tsukuba headquarters, providing access to the AIST's Joint Robotics Laboratory, a cutting-edge robotics laboratory advancing the capabilities of autonomous, humanoid robots and with deep international collaborations. This research will be performed in collaboration with Dr. Hideaki Kuzuoka at the University of Tsukuba in Japan. Our findings will extend current research in cyberinfrastructure by providing a method of understanding the effects of temporal rhythms within large, socio-technical systems. Temporal rhythms denote the ways in which work is structured by time, with examples ranging from applications used (calendars, meeting planners) to conflicts in publication and career rhythms. Results from this research will thus demonstrate how temporal rhythms shape interactions within larger socio-technical systems. This research will enable the design of future cyberinfrastructure to take into account these temporal rhythms, thus enhancing future international collaborations in areas vital to the public good. This NSF EAPSI award is funded in collaboration with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.