Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) is a community of data and
information technology
Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology system (I ...
practitioners that come together to coordinate Earth science
interoperability
Interoperability is a characteristic of a product or system to work with other products or systems. While the term was initially defined for information technology or systems engineering services to allow for information exchange, a broader defi ...
efforts. Participation in ESIP allows members to enhance their
data management
Data management comprises all disciplines related to handling data as a valuable resource.
Concept
The concept of data management arose in the 1980s as technology moved from sequential processing (first punched cards, then magnetic tape) to r ...
capabilities.
ESIP arranges collaboration through in-person meetings and virtually through
collaboration
Collaboration (from Latin ''com-'' "with" + ''laborare'' "to labor", "to work") is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. Most ...
space on the Web. Partners use these forums for
knowledge exchange and collaboration.
Created by
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
in 1998, ESIP was formed in response to a
National Research Council National Research Council may refer to:
* National Research Council (Canada), sponsoring research and development
* National Research Council (Italy), scientific and technological research, Rome
* National Research Council (United States), part of ...
recommendation calling for the involvement of community stakeholders in the development of NASA’s
EOSDIS
The Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is a key core capability in NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems Program. Designed and maintained by Raytheon Intelligence & Space, it is a comprehensive data and information system de ...
as a critical element of the
U.S. Global Change Research Program The United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) coordinates and integrates federal research on changes in the global environment and their implications for society. The program began as a presidential initiative in 1989 and was codified by ...
(http://www.gcrio.org/USGCRP/LaJolla/cover.html). ESIP includes more than 120 member organizations. ESIP membership includes federal data centers, government research laboratories, research universities, education resource providers, technology developers, and nonprofit and commercial enterprises.
History
ESIP is a community drawn from agencies and individuals who provide handling for Earth and
environmental science
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geograp ...
data and information. ESIP was founded in 1998 by NASA in response to a National Research Council (NRC) review of the Earth Observation System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). The NRC called on NASA to develop a new, distributed structure that would be operated and managed by the Earth science community that would include those responsible for all elements of
Earth observation
Earth observation (EO) is the gathering of information about the physical, chemical, and biological systems of the planet Earth. It can be performed via remote-sensing technologies (Earth observation satellites) or through direct-contact sensors ...
, including observation, research, and ultimately, application and education.
Beginning with 24 NASA-funded partners, ESIP's purpose was to evolve methods to make Earth science data easy to preserve, locate, access and use by
research
Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...
,
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
, and commercial interests. NASA developed the ESIP Federation by starting with a set of working
prototype
A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototyp ...
projects called ESIPs, representing both the research and applications development communities. These prototype projects were joined by nine NASA data archive centers to form the core of the early ESIP Federation and were responsible for creating its governing structures and the collaborative community it is today.
By 2001, the ESIP Federation created a
non-profit corporation
A nonprofit corporation is any legal entity which has been Incorporation (business), incorporated under the law of its jurisdiction for purposes other than making profits for its owners or shareholders. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, a ...
called the Foundation for Earth Science (Foundation). Through a
Memorandum of Understanding with the ESIP Federation, the foundation provided management support to the ESIP Federation as it moved from an operational prototype to an independent organization.
In 2002, Foundation staff were hired to support the work of the ESIP Federation. The foundation helped create operating policies for the ESIP Federation and facilitated the development of its first strategic plan, adopted by the ESIP Federation’s Assembly in 2004. NOAA’s
data centers joined the ESIP Federation.
Beginning in July 2007 in
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...
, a Strategic Planning Working Group was formed to develop a new vision of the ESIP Federation in its second decade.
The ESIP Federation’s partner organizations include all
NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...
, NASA and
USGS
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, a ...
Earth observing data centers, government research laboratories, research universities, modelers, education resource providers, technology developers, nonprofits and commercial enterprises.
In 2009 and 2010 new ESIP Federation communities formed around data preservation and
stewardship,
information quality
Information quality (IQ) is the quality of the content of information systems. It is often pragmatically defined as: "The fitness for use of the information provided". IQ frameworks also provides a tangible approach to assess and measure DQ/IQ in a ...
, and
data visualization
Data and information visualization (data viz or info viz) is an interdisciplinary field that deals with the graphic representation of data and information. It is a particularly efficient way of communicating when the data or information is num ...
.
Partners
ESIP is made up of more than 170 partner organizations that span NASA, NOAA,
EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
, USGS and DOE research-funded groups. ESIP's partners represent earth science data and technology interests. There are four types of partners; Type I includes Data Centers, Type II are data and information product providers, Type III are commercial and non-commercial organizations that develop tools for Earth Science and Type IV are the funding providers, NASA, NOAA and USGS. A full listing of ESIP Partners is at the organization'
website
Interests
Technology
:*Semantic technologies
:*Cloud Computing
:*Web Services
:*Metadata
:*Standards
:*Emerging technologies
:*Modeling
Science
:*Atmospheric
:*Climate
:*Terrestrial
:*Oceanography
:*Hydrology
:*Environmental
:*Geology
:*Ecology
Applied science
:*Air quality
:*Water resources
:*Natural disasters
:*Carbon management
Activities
* Visualization programs
* Standardized QA/QC processes
* Standardized metadata initiatives
* Educational outreach to provide
public school
Public school may refer to:
* State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government
* Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...
teachers with quality science units
* Semantic web and ontology development
* Energy and climate initiatives
References
*National Academy Press (1995). A Review of the U.S. Global Change Research Program and NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth/Earth Observing System. http://www.gcrio.org/USGCRP/LaJolla/cover.html
*http://wiki.esipfed.org/images/9/95/StrategicPlan_2009-2013_FINAL.pdf
{{DEFAULTSORT:Federation Of Earth Science Information Partners (Esip Federation)
Earth sciences organizations
Earth sciences software infrastructure organizations
International scientific organizations
Climate change organizations based in the United States
Meteorological organizations
Scientific organizations based in the United States
Scientific organizations established in 1998
1998 establishments in the United States