National Ecological Observatory Network

Greetings,

Happy Spring! I’d like to share some personal news with our broader community. I’ve decided to retire from NEON, with my last day planned for June 1. This transition comes at a moment of strength for NEON and is made with deep appreciation for the collective efforts that have shaped the Observatory and its impact. We are proud to manage NEON for the U.S. National Science Foundation and ambitious in the mission to collect and freely share critical ecological data, samples, and infrastructure with researchers and the public to advance understanding of ecological processes and inform the sustainable management of U.S. ecosystems. It has been my privilege to help build a strong foundation, grow an engaged and broad user community, and envision and realize NEON’s continued evolution and impact. The Observatory is well positioned for ongoing success, and I look forward to remaining fully engaged through this period of transition.

This month I had the pleasure of attending the annual Imageomics Conference, put on by the Imageomics Institute. Imageomics is a close partner of NEON’s, using NEON data for image-based AI research, AI challenges (e.g., the beetle challenge), and education (using NEON’s field site in Hawaii for the Experiential Introduction to AI and Ecology course). I participated in a panel entitled “Imageomics on the Horizon: Mapping the Next Decade of Discovery” where we discussed how various fields, including ecology, might be images, transformed using AI, computer vision, ontologies and the massive high quality environmental data from NEON. Many of the discussions and ideas generated at this conference looked to NEON as a testbed for AI and new technologies and for high-quality data. Beyond NEON data are the services that we are excited to provide for academic and commercial entities, including nation-wide field support, sensor installation and maintenance, and value-add data products. Please contact NEON Research Support Services anytime through our Contact Us form.

New applications and opportunities for NEON remind me of how grateful we are to our Science, Technology & Advisory Committee (STEAC). The STEAC provides insightful expertise and thoughtful guidance to NEON. The nomination period for STEAC members is currently open. NEON seeks U.S.-based, passionate, forward-thinking professionals who represent various institution types, post-graduate career stages, and areas of expertise, particularly in the categories listed on the STEAC web page. I encourage you to submit a nomination for yourself or a colleague to become a member of the STEAC.

Other developments this month included:

• The Airborne Observation Platform (AOP) Data Viewer on the Data Portal was replaced with the AOP Google Earth Engine Data Viewer app.

AOP has been adding more datasets to Google Earth Engine (GEE) and this app was developed as an interactive tool that helps users explore and use NEON remote sensing data products. Learn more about the AOP GEE app and its utility in the Data Notification.

• Now available is a recording of the “Samples for Science: Orientation to the NEON Biorepository” webinar that was given in April.

If you missed the webinar and would like to learn more about the NEON Biorepository, the video recording is available on the NEON Science YouTube channel, the About the NEON Biorepository web page, or the Science Seminars and Data Skills Webinars web page.  

• The launch of NEON’s seasonally deployed buoys following ice-off at the more northern aquatic sites.

As water begins to flow, we are featuring aquatic sites and data throughout this newsletter.

We hope the resources will be useful to you and look forward to continuing to support the community.

Sincerely,

Paula Mabee, Chief Scientist and Observatory Director at NEON, Battelle