Battelle Organized Workshop Advances International Environmental Research Collaboration, Big Data Interoperability, Terrestrial Carbon Research

BOULDER, Colorado (July 18, 2019)—Battelle representatives are participating this week in the TERENO NEON Carbon Workshop 2019 in Düren, Germany, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to environmental research infrastructure (RI), data sharing and interoperability, worldwide research collaboration and building the next generation of researchers.

The workshop focuses on using big data from the Terrestrial Environmental Observatories (TERENO), Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) and the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)—which is operated by Battelle for the National Science Foundation—with the goal to improve our understanding of atmospheric, ecosystem and below-ground carbon processes; the drivers of these processes, and societally relevant decision-making associated with the local-to-global terrestrial carbon budget.  

This unique, big-picture workshop is focused on the integration of theories, observations, models, experiments and techniques to develop new knowledge. It is aimed at early career scientists from the United States and around the world who include advanced PhD students, postdoctoral candidates and junior faculty. World-renowned European Union and U.S. carbon scientists are presenting the emerging issues of carbon cycle science and how to use big data from large networks of observatories.

In addition, practical use cases and scientific hands-on approaches are taught to further develop the skill sets needed for the next generation of scientists to use big data to tackle society’s most challenging environmental problems. Because scientists now are able to integrate carbon data across whole continents, participants can ask new questions. To further this training, groups of participants develop, conceive and present novel and transformative hypothesis-driven research proposals. These projects challenge the participants to tackle frontier research questions, as well as provide new applied knowledge for societal benefit.

Hank Loescher, Battelle’s director of strategic development for environment and infrastructure, and Melissa Genazzio, (COOPEUS staff scientist, NSF Science Across Virtual Infrastructures staff scientist) organized the workshop. They and Cove Sturtevant, NEON research scientist, are representing Battelle at the workshop.

“It is truly exciting when the international community recognizes the need for integrated, big environmental data to tackle society’s most challenging questions, and having Battelle and NEON take leadership in providing the required training to foster the world’s next science leaders,” said Loescher.

The event marks the third and final workshop related to the COOPEUS program, which is supported by the EU and NSF with the goal to help enhance data interoperability and knowledge transfer between environmental researchers and research infrastructures around the world.

About NEON

The NEON program, managed by Battelle for the National Science Foundation, is a continental-scale ecological observation facility that collects and provides open data from 81 field sites across the United States that characterize and quantify how our nation's ecosystems are changing. The data will contribute to a better understanding and more accurate forecasting of how human activities impact ecosystems and how society can more effectively address critical ecological questions and issues. The data is available for any researcher to use. Learn more at neonscience.org.

About Battelle

Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org.