A workshop on Research Infrastructure in Support of NSF Surface Earth Processes Grand Challenges

A workshop will be convened to discuss infrastructure needs over the coming 5-10 years in support of Earth surface processes research. Understanding how Earth's terrestrial surface functions and evolves in response to changes in climate, sea level, vegetation, uplift/subsidence, and human influence is of broad importance, not least because this is where humans live. Research in this realm is underpinned by a range of infrastructure that includes instrumentation, experimental facilities, analytical capabilities, data and modeling resources, computing capacity, and more. Infrastructure needs evolve over time as new capabilities and new pressing questions emerge.

The workshop will bring together a diverse group of experts that spans the breadth of surface processes science to assess how the research community's needs will evolve in the coming decade. The workshop will draw on recent NRC and other prominent community documents to highlight the Grand Challenge science topics that would rely on this research infrastructure. The workshop outcomes will be discussed at major science meetings and a white paper and article will be produced to broadly disseminate the ideas.