Collaborative Research: Research Infrastructure: Shared Unified Research Fleet IT Support for the ARF, Pilot Project (SURF-IT)

The University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) in collaboration with the University of Washington (UW) and University of Rhode Island (URI) propose to pilot a Shared Unified Research Fleet IT Support (SURF-IT) program for the US Academic Research Fleet (ARF). SURF-IT aims to establish a Managed Service Provider (MSP) to deliver essential IT and cybersecurity support to the ARF. By leveraging shared resources among UAF, UW, and URI, SURF-IT proposes to provide cost-effective, centralized technical services. This initiative will enhance operational efficiency, ensure robust cyberinfrastructure, and address the gap in dedicated IT support within the ARF. Oceanographic research vessels in the ARF provide at-sea laboratories that support scientists, engineers, post-doctoral scholars, graduate and undergraduate students as well as technicians and teachers as they pursue fundamental research in the marine environment. The principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 23-525). It will provide fundamental support for cybersecurity and cyberinfrastructure to technicians, science, and crew for NSF-funded oceanographic research projects (which individually undergo separate review by the relevant research program of NSF). 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.