Building the right infrastructure and relationships for research translation

Abstract:

Research in the earth sciences and allied fields often generates large datasets that can only be evaluated, manipulated, and analyzed by highly skilled practitioners. Efforts to democratize access to these data -- through services like Mapbox, Carto, OpenStreetMap and OpenLayers, and Google Maps -- have been instrumental in moving research to action. However, to translate the richness of these data into user-friendly applications, there is a need for both infrastructure and relationships. Here we describe experiences from two very different approaches. First is the launch of a start-up company, Atlas AI, to commercialize and provide long-term support for the research outputs of the Sustain Lab at Stanford University. This venture is creating reliable infrastructure, support services, and customer relationships on the ground in developing countries. As a result, Atlas AI has the potential to enable agriculture, international development, and emergency response operations across a range of government agencies, non-profits, and businesses. Second is the development of open source web applications through the Center for Effective Global Action, an academic center at UC Berkeley. This effort provides free access to one-time mapping products and analyses with limited support.