Computing Community Consortium Blog

The goal of the Computing Community Consortium (CCC) is to catalyze the computing research community to debate longer range, more audacious research challenges; to build consensus around research visions; to evolve the most promising visions toward clearly defined initiatives; and to work with the funding organizations to move challenges and visions toward funding initiatives. The purpose of this blog is to provide a more immediate, online mechanism for dissemination of visioning concepts and community discussion/debate about them.


Big Data Spokes Connect Data Scientists with Regional Challenges

October 6th, 2016 / in Announcements, awards, big science, NSF / by Khari Douglas

Big Data Regional Hub LogoThe National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced giving $10 million in awards to 10 “Big Data Spokes” projects in order to facilitate research on topics identified by the four Big Data Regional Innovation Hubs (BD Hubs).

The BD Hubs, started by NSF last year, attempt to address regional specific needs for big data. For instance the Midwest Hub includes a focus on agriculture, while the South Hub includes coastal hazards. The Spokes cover a range of topics, including agriculture, data sharing, healthcare, and big data for environmental uses.

“The BD Spokes advance the goals and regional priorities of each BD Hub, fusing the strengths of a range of institutions and investigators and applying them to problems that affect the communities and populations within their regions,” said Jim Kurose, assistant director of NSF’s Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate. “We are pleased to be making this substantial investment today to accelerate the nation’s big data R&D innovation ecosystem.”

NSF has also made an additional $1 million available for Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) awards for exploratory work in support of the nation’s big data innovation ecosystem.

The Computing Community Consortium (CCC) has worked with the BD Hubs on an Industry-Academic Collaboration program. The CCC asked each Hub to create a plan that is aligned with their region’s needs and opportunities to foster partnerships, which will enhance the research of early career academic researchers, and which will benefit the Innovation Hub. Featured activities include workshops, faculty internships, student internships, site visits, hackathons, and lecture series. Some of these activities could potentially be further explored through new EAGER proposals.

To learn more about the Spokes check out the NSF announcement and to learn about BD Hubs visit their webpages:

We will be sharing more about the work of the Hubs through the Industry-Academic Collaborations on the blog this fall.

Big Data Spokes Connect Data Scientists with Regional Challenges