This week, CIRES’ Earth Lab celebrates 10 years as a leader in environmental data science and education. CIRES Fellow Jennifer Balch, Research Scientist Chelsea Nagy, and Associate Professor William Travis co-founded the program to elevate environmental data science, and now, fresh leadership is looking to the future with renewed focus and priorities. 

To celebrate, researchers and scientists gathered on CU Boulder’s campus to network, and share flash talks, poster presentations, and reflections on the milestone anniversary. 

“It's awesome to see a vision transformed into reality,” said Virginia Iglesias, Earth Lab director. “It has helped build next-generation scientists who can leverage data in very innovative ways to better understand our planet.”

Earth Lab’s goal is to “harness the power of the data revolution,” creating ways to ensure data is accessible and digestible for the entire scientific community. The center focuses on actionable science, such as a 2022 study that found that warming nights make wildfires burn longer; offering online training through CU Boulder’s Earth Data Analytics Graduate Certificate; and fostering community partnerships, including with the city and county of Boulder, to provide leaders with science that can aid in preparing for natural hazards. 

Balch saw the potential for a national data synthesis center shortly after she arrived at CU Boulder in 2015. As a hub for researchers, data scientists, and environmental advocates, she saw the opportunity for collaboration across sectors: academia, federal, nonprofit, and industry. 

“There are just so many people in this town who care about our planet—and also care about data—that it was really a unique opportunity for Boulder,” Balch said.

With support from Nagy and Travis, she applied to CU Boulder’s Research and Innovation Office’s Grand Challenge. Earth Lab received funding, and two years later, found a home within CIRES. Since then, the lab has brought together researchers across campus, from INSTAAR to the Institute of Behavioral Science, to use data to answer important social and natural scientific questions. 

Earth Lab also works closely with its sister center, the Environmental Data Science Innovation and Impact Lab (ESIIL)—a nationally focused data center that supports environmental data science worldwide. ESIIL is an offshoot of Earth Lab, which Balch and Nagy now direct and manage through its annual summit, working groups, and education programs like ESIIL Stars, a “data for all” initiative. 

Since its inception, Earth Lab scientists have tackled different areas of research: Earth observations, hazards, risk and adaptation, biodiversity, and geomorphology—the study of Earth’s landforms. Today, Iglesias is leading the lab into the future as its new director, with Alison Post as program manager. In addition to continuing Earth Lab’s specialized work, she aims to facilitate open-source cyberinfrastructure to ensure data, workflows, and compute capabilities are accessible to all, while leveraging AI in useful ways. 

“AI is here to stay, and its potential is unlimited,” Iglesias said. “The challenge, and the opportunity, is to leverage it as an accountable and inclusive tool that represents diverse worldviews, and our role is to bridge AI with domain expertise and scientific insight with community needs.”

Through the end of the year, Iglesias is leading a project funded by the National Science Foundation’s ASCEND Engine in Colorado and Wyoming. The project will map the vulnerabilities of the built environment—specifically homes—to wildfires. The work will help inform possible risk and loss in the event of future wildfires. 

Iglesias and Balch celebrated the past, present, and future of Earth Lab with a keynote speech to the nearly 100 people who attended Earth Lab’s 10-year anniversary event. 

“It is wonderful to see Earth Lab thrive under Virginia's leadership,” Balch said. “With her creativity and passion, she will absolutely help the university stay at the forefront of environmental data science over this coming decade.”