The ARL/DLF/Duraspace E-Science Institute is currently in its second year. The Institute is a set of designed learning experiences that take small teams of individuals chosen by research libraries though a process that strengthens and advances their e-science support role. The experiences begin mid-year with assignments each team will work on at their institution (coordinated through the program) and culminate in an in-person workshop where the teams produce strategic agendas for e-science/e-research support for their institutions.
For the first year, teams from sponsoring institutions formed a first cohort of teams to engage in the Institute experience. The second cohort was opened to the broader library community through a selective application process. Teams do the local assignments simultaneously, and each team attends the capstone event to allow richer group interaction.
E-Science is a large and complex topic that has developed over many years and touches every branch of science—both natural and social sciences. While the E-Science Institute will not be an education or training forum on e-science in general, it will provide participants with a designed learning experience for developing a sound strategic approach to exploring and supporting e-science research within their organizations.
Sponsor and Supporter institutions from the membership of ARL and CLIR/DLF funded the initial design of the Institute’s program of experiences. Duraspace joined the ALR/DLF partnership in 2012.
Overall Goals for the Institute
To advance research libraries’ capacity to support e-science/e-research by:
- Promoting program development among ARL and CLIR/DLF members
- Enabling development of a community of professionals engaged in this work
- Fostering collaboration between member institutions and also ARL and CLIR/DLF
Outcomes for Institutions that Participate
- Development of a local strategic agenda for e-science support that is near term and action-oriented
- Exchange of community emerging practice
- Connection with a community of staff engaged in program planning and deployment
Institute Leadership
Design leadership
- DeEtta Jones Young, DeEtta Jones and Associates
- MacKenzie Smith, MIT
Institute Coordinators
- Karla Strieb, ARL
- Rachel Frick, CLIR/DLF
