Regional Collaborations Supporting Cyberinfrastructure-Enabled Research During a Pandemic: The Structure and Support Plan of the SWEETER CyberTeam

Abstract

CyberInfrastructure enthusiasts in the South West United States collaborated to form the National Science Foundation CC∗- funded SWEETER CyberTeam. SWEETER offers CI support to foster research collaborations at several minority serving institutions in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Its training programs and student mentorship have supported participants, with several taking CI professional positions at research computing facilities. In this paper, we discuss the structure of the CyberTeam and the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on its activities. The SWEETER CyberTeam has a hub-and-spoke structure that adopted a federated approach to ensure that each site maintained its own identity and was able to leverage local programs. It took a "boots on the ground"approach that ensured that services were up and running in a short period of time. To ensure adequate coverage of all fields of science, the project adopted an inclusive fractional service approach that leveraged expertise at the participating sites. The Cyberteam has organized several workshops, hackathons, and training events. Team members have participated in completions and several follow-on programs have been funded. We present the achievements and learnings from this effort and discuss efforts to make it sustainable.