CyVerse: The Digital Backbone of Open Science in the 21st Century

Redacción HC
07/08/2024

In a world where data-intensive research is becoming the norm, the ability to access scalable, open, and interdisciplinary infrastructure is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity. CyVerse, a cyberinfrastructure platform originally launched to support life sciences, has become a cornerstone of open science around the globe. With over 124,000 users in 160 countries, 1,600+ scientific publications, and a return on investment (ROI) of up to 9×, CyVerse demonstrates that democratizing access to data, computing, and training can yield extraordinary benefits.

Born in 2008 as the iPlant Collaborative and backed by the U.S. National Science Foundation, CyVerse has evolved into a dynamic, multi-purpose engine for research collaboration, education, and innovation. A recent study published in PLoS Computational Biology traces this evolution and outlines how CyVerse became an international model for digital science infrastructure.

A Solution to the Data-Driven Research Challenge

The rise of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and massive datasets has put pressure on scientists to rethink how they store, analyze, and share information. The core question driving CyVerse is this:

How can we build a digital infrastructure that is scalable, open, and sustainable across disciplines, technologies, and national borders?

CyVerse tackles this by offering a suite of tools for data storage, computing, sharing, and analysis—designed to scale with evolving technologies and remain accessible to researchers at all career stages.

How CyVerse Works: From Infrastructure to Impact

1. A Global Community of Researchers

CyVerse is more than a platform—it's an ecosystem. It has supported over 45,000 researchers and students since 2011 and appears in more than 1,600 peer-reviewed publications. Its tools serve not just biologists but also scientists in fields like astronomy, hydrology, environmental science, and public health.

2. Advanced Technologies for Open Science

CyVerse integrates a range of modern tools, including:

• Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Software as a Service (SaaS) deployments for flexible scaling
• Compatibility with commercial and academic cloud providers (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, TACC)
• Seamless data transfer between ecosystems using standardized workflows

These technical features make it possible for researchers to work across platforms, collaborate remotely, and reproduce results more easily.

3. Return on Investment and Public Value

Perhaps most compelling is the financial impact: CyVerse’s resources have supported between 25% and 73% of NSF-funded projects in life sciences. The estimated ROI ranges from 6× to 9×, based on citations, grant proposals, and collaborative letters of support—suggesting that every dollar invested yields six to nine in scientific value.

A Replicable Model with Global Reach

CyVerse’s success is not confined to the United States. Its model has been replicated in the UK, Austria, Canada, and Australia, proving that it can adapt to different regulatory contexts (including GDPR compliance) while retaining core functionality.

Key Features of the Replication Model:

• Use of open-source software and shared workflows to reduce implementation costs
• Customization for local data governance policies
• Capacity-building through localized training and infrastructure investment

This makes CyVerse a compelling model for regions with limited research infrastructure—including Latin America, where scientific capacity-building remains a development priority.

More Than Just Storage: CyVerse and Open Science Innovation

CyVerse aligns with key global standards for responsible data stewardship. It is built around the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and CARE (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) principles, ensuring that data is both technically accessible and socially responsible.

It also contributes to the democratization of scientific computing by training tens of thousands of students and early-career scientists—closing the digital divide and fostering a more equitable global research community.

Lessons for the Future of Scientific Infrastructure

The CyVerse experience offers concrete lessons for governments, universities, and scientific organizations aiming to scale up research capacity:

• Start with modular, open tools that can evolve with your needs
• Train people alongside deploying infrastructure—users are the true foundation
• Measure what matters: track publications, training outcomes, and funding success

As the scientific landscape becomes more collaborative and data-driven, platforms like CyVerse will be central to both discovery and equity.

Conclusion: A Digital Commons for Global Science

CyVerse is not just a platform—it's a proof of concept for how public investment in cyberinfrastructure can yield outsized returns for research, education, and innovation. With its global user base, open-source approach, and impressive ROI, it exemplifies how science can—and should—be a collaborative, borderless endeavor.

As more nations and institutions look to expand their research capabilities, CyVerse offers not just tools, but a blueprint for building digital research ecosystems that are open, inclusive, and future-ready.

Topics of interest

Open Access Technology