Strategies for integrated modeling: The community surface dynamics modeling system example

Authors:
Irina Overeem;Maureen M. Berlin;James P. M. Syvitski
Affiliations:
Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System Integration Facility, University of Colorado, 1560 30th Street, UCB 450 Boulder, CO 80309, USA;Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System Integration Facility, University of Colorado, 1560 30th Street, UCB 450 Boulder, CO 80309, USA;Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System Integration Facility, University of Colorado, 1560 30th Street, UCB 450 Boulder, CO 80309, USA
Venue:
Environmental Modelling & Software
Year:
2013

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Abstract

The Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System (CSDMS) is a community of earth scientists promoting the modeling of earth surface processes by developing and disseminating integrated software modules that predict the movement of fluids, and the flux of sediment and nutrients in landscapes and their sedimentary basins. Members of CSDMS are largely from academic institutions (~75%), followed by federal agencies (~17%), and oil and gas companies (~5%). As an organization that relies on volunteer participation, CSDMS faces unique challenges to scientific collaboration. Encouraging volunteerism among its members to provide and adapt metadata and model code to be sufficiently standardized for coupling is crucial to building an integrated community modeling system. CSDMS must provide the appropriate technical tools and cyberinfrastructure to support a variety of user types, ranging from advanced to novice modelers. In addition, application of these advances in science is key, both into the educational realm and for managers and decision-makers. We here present data on community contributions and novice user engagement and evaluate the effectiveness of CSDMS' strategies toward these two challenges over the first 5 years based on member and user data, surveys, computing logs and web log analysis. Analysis shows that sponsored member participation in annual meetings (~30%) is relatively high. Direct CSDMS governance relies on ~4% of members. About 15% of members contributed code and metadata, and a similar 15% use the common supercomputing resources. Technological development and documentation lie predominantly in hands of the funded members, and a small number of others (~3% together). Potential new users are trained in clinics and courses, with positive effects on self-efficacy and recruitment of new advanced developers.