NSF Award
2411460
The relative abundance of different stable isotopes of an element in natural materials and human-made products can provide valuable information about the material’s origin and history. As a result, stable isotope data plays a crucial role in many scientific disciplines from the Earth and Life Sciences to Archaeology, Nutrition, and Forensics. Unfortunately, the analysis of stable isotope data is complex and time-consuming, which limits the scope, utility, and reuse of isotopic data across scientific disciplines. This collaborative project thus aims to create open-source data tools, collectively known as the ISOVERSE, to enhance the processing of stable isotope data. The ISOVERSE project seeks to address the challenges of processing and sharing stable isotope data by providing efficient, transparent, and reproducible data analysis tools accessible to the broader scientific community. The significance of this project lies in its potential to foster new discoveries and advancements in stable isotope research through improved data analytics capabilities. By ensuring open access to data and promoting reproducible data processing, the ISOVERSE project can facilitate collaborations, methodological progress, and data sharing across disciplines. The ultimate goal is to create a common computational ecosystem that supports and trains researchers in overcoming obstacles in stable isotope analysis, data exchange, and reuse. <br/><br/>The core of the ISOVERSE ecosystem consists of four modules: isoreader, isoprocessor, isoconnector, and isoexplorer. These modules provide core functionalities for stable isotope data input/output, computational tasks, data reporting, and graphical user interfaces, and will be built on a flexible framework for future extensions. The ISOVERSE will be implemented in R, a popular open-source programming language, and will be hosted on GitHub and distributed globally through the Comprehensive R Archive Network. The ISOVERSE will be developed using a user-centered design and team science approach, with continuous engagement from the stable isotope research community. This ensures that the ISOVERSE meets the needs of its users and that it is well documented, effective, and easy to use. Additionally, ISOVERSE will be integrated into education and research programs to train students and scientists in the use of stable isotope data. By creating a comprehensive and user-friendly platform, the project will empower researchers at all career stages and skill levels.<br/><br/>This award by the Geoinformatics and Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities programs within the Division of Earth Sciences is jointly supported by the Infrastructure Capacity for Biological Research program within the Division of Biological Infrastructure.<br/><br/>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.
