E-CORE RII: Technology for Innovative Visualization, Aggregation & Training in Environmental Preparedness and Resilience for Kentucky

This EPSCoR Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems (E-CORE) project supports a collaboration between Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation (KSTC) and Kentucky State University. The project aims to expedite solutions to existing and rising challenges in climate resilience in Kentucky by increasing the capacity and connectivity of the research ecosystem throughout the state.

The project will improve the state's ability to predict and mitigate the effects of climate-related natural disasters, potentially saving lives and reducing economic losses from severe weather. By establishing statewide climate cyberinfrastructure, the project will make crucial information easily accessible to the public. This will have the potential to empower Kentucky citizens to make informed decisions and better prepare for emergencies.

Additionally, the project's emphasis on STEM workforce development will create new opportunities for Kentuckians to pursue careers related to climate preparedness. Project outcomes will reduce the potential for damage and preserve life, develop new technologies, and contribute to economic growth and job creation. The project will build a more climate-resilient and prosperous future for all Kentuckians through its comprehensive focus on STEM research and education, ensuring the participation of citizens across the state.

The Kentucky Science and Engineering Foundation, an initiative of KSTC, will lead the project, working with partners across the state, including AdvanceKentucky and the state’s only public Historically Black College and University - Kentucky State University. The project will advance scientific knowledge by creating accessible and efficient cyberinfrastructure for sharing data and research findings, thereby improving the understanding of climate change and its effects.

The intellectual contribution of this project is its democratized structure, enabling citizens, researchers, entrepreneurs, teachers, and stakeholders across Kentucky to access, understand, analyze, visualize, and utilize climate-related data in one centralized location. The project will implement a communication platform, a central cyberinfrastructure for climate data, and a new interdisciplinary high school data and environmental science curriculum.

This cyberinfrastructure will be designed for efficient data ingestion and retrieval through high-speed internet switches. To facilitate access and use, the project will develop and deploy software and tools for data analysis and visualization and provide tutorials, workshops, and other training materials. The project directly aligns with the Kentucky EPSCoR Jurisdictional Committee and the Kentucky Science and Technology Plan.

The research activities integrate with workforce development efforts by training high school teachers in using a data bank and new curriculum, exposing students to STEM career paths in climate solutions, and potentially attracting new technology companies to Kentucky. This project is supported by the EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: EPSCoR Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems (E-CORE).

E-CORE supports jurisdictions in strengthening their jurisdiction-wide research ecosystems by fostering interconnected networks, building research infrastructure, and growing research capacity and competitiveness aligned with jurisdictional priorities.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.