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216 | BEYOND SPUTNIK What Is Scientific Infrastructure and Why Is It Important? Infrastructure is an essential, but underappreciated, component of successful scientific research. The word infrastructure is sometimes used interchangeably with the word facilities, in the sense of brick-and-mortar buildings . However, infrastructure can also refer to wiring and communications systems, plumbing, even copiers; or it can mean the administrative framework that allows staff to issue salary checks and to complete and submit paperwork required to meet federal regulations. Because modern science is ever more complex, the tools, machines, computer networks, instrumentation, and administrative structures needed to support it have also become increasingly complex.1 Projects may need massive computing capability, high-speed Internet connections , temperature-controlled labs, containment space for biological and radioactive agents, animal facilities, machine shops, electronics shops, libraries, videoconferencing facilities, shared instruments, and more. As more complex problems are being attacked, larger and larger scientific instruments are also required, ranging from laser arrays and spectrometers all the way to particle accelerators spanning many hundreds of square miles. In addition, given the scope of modern research, special entities are required to deal with such matters as radioactive waste and animals used in research, if a research institution is to allow its scientists to conduct their work efficiently while conforming to federal and state regulations. But although such resources are necessary for the conduct of research, it is obvious that individual researchers cannot be expected to provide them on their own. Resources such as libraries or laboratories are likely to be shared. While it may not be feasible for a single research project to hire a veterinarian and veterinary technicians to care for the small number of lab animals used in a single project, the university may hire several veterinarians and a team of technicians to support a large campus-based animal research effort. In fact, research campuses with large biological and biomedical research programs often maintain an entire unit or department to care for research animals and train new researchers in their proper care and use. Similarly, it is not feasible to expect every scientist who needs a state-of-the-art microscope to buy one for his or her lab. It makes much more sense for scientists to share access to such instrumentation and to jointly support a staff dedicated to working with that particular instrument. This shared-technology approach is a more efficient use of funding and instrumentation, since instruments in a shared facility may be used more frequently than they would be if their use was limited to researchers on a single project. What counts as scientific infrastructure? It is easy to lump almost anything that aids research into this category . For example, good roads between a scientist’s home and laboratory are certainly a shared resource that will enhance the number of hours that the researcher will be able to work. Such a definition is too broad for our purposes , however. Instead, we will adopt the definition proposed in a recent National Science Board (NSB) study on the state of the nation’s scientific infrastructure: “Research infrastructure” is a term that is commonly used to describe the tools, services, and installations that are needed for the science and engineering (S&E) research community to function and for researchers to do 216 CHAPTER 13 Scientific Infrastructure Scientific Infrastructure | 217 their work. For the purposes of this study, it includes: (1) hardware (tools, equipment, instrumentation, platforms and facilities), (2) software (enabling computer systems, libraries, databases, data analysis and data interpretation systems, and communication networks), (3) the technical support (human or automated) and services needed to operate the infrastructure and keep it working effectively, and (4) the special environments and installations (such as buildings and research space) necessary to effectively create, deploy, access, and use the research tools.2 Why is infrastructure important to science policy? In many ways, a nation’s ability to carry out modern research depends upon the robustness of its scientific infrastructure . A strong infrastructure permits scientists to advance their fields, rather than spending time struggling with basic services and administrative tasks. A noted research biologist, for example, would be much better deployed trying to understand the dynamics of the proteome than setting up a network connection or hooking up a printer. The latter should be part of the available infrastructure. Research infrastructure poses a host of policy issues. Who should provide infrastructure funding and coordination ? How should federal agencies cooperate to meet national infrastructure needs? How should we determine the responsibilities with...

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