Leveraging research infrastructure for better environment outcomes: The digital journey towards a Shared Environmental Analytics Facility (SEAF)
Luke Edwards1,2, Chris Gentle2,3 1Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre, Perth, WA, Australia2Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI), Perth, WA, Australia3Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute (WABSI), Perth, WA, Australia
Abstract
In Western Australia, WAMSI and WABSI have been on a digital journey to accelerate the move to devolved, robust, repeatable, and transparent decision making for environmental assessments. This journey has led to data being captured and shared as well as data being integrated and curated. The final step is to develop tools and analytics with this data that describe, at any point in time, the state of our environment, the pressures and cumulative impacts upon it and the predicted risks associated with future development.
The proposed Shared Environmental Analytics Facility (SEAF) aims to leverage research to facilitate cumulative environmental impact assessment and support national environmental value chains, which were a key recommendation from the Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
A pilot project is now well underway within the Westport / Cockburn Sound Science Program (https://westport.wa.gov.au/environment/marine-science/). It is a collaborative project aiming to make use of Federal and State Government investments, including research infrastructure, to work with universities and private industry to produce an integrated ecosystem modelling framework including analytics for Cockburn Sound.
This presentation will show results of this globally recognised journey and discuss the next steps with the eResearch community.
Biography
Luke works at Pawsey, where amongst many things, is the Facilities Manager for the ASDAF (Australian Space Data Analysis Facility – http://asdaf.space/). They enable Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and researchers to accelerate innovation in their products and services. He also works part-time as Data Manager for the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI).
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8590-3361