WildWEST: Connecting the “Last 100 Miles” for Field Science
Wild-area-networks Wireless Enabling Science Team (WildWEST) is a project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that develops new talent to solve modern connectivity and technology problems for field science in the western USA.
We are a partnership between the state R&E (Research & Education) networks in Nevada, Utah, and Arizona that formed in 2024 with key field station stakeholders and the NSF to establish new cyberinfrastructure professional roles for field wireless engineering and end-to-end science data transport. Tag along as we dive into core research support projects, best-practices development, and national research community engagement!
Novel Approach to Research Cyberinfrastructure
We are establishing a new professional career track for science support that focuses on connectivity, power systems, and information technology (IT) solutions in remote, harsh environments.
Facilitating Cutting-Edge Science
Embedding technology experts with field know-how into research projects “in the wild” revolutionizes data quality, reliability, and timely delivery.
New Regional Research IT Roles
Our project creates new mission areas within regional network organizations with specific focus on helping scientists and educators with edge technologies.
Immediate Research Engineering Engagement
Core WildWEST science partners have ready-made use cases for the new team to tackle.
Cooperative Testbed Environment
Distributed field station sites across Nevada, Utah, and Arizona serve as development and demonstration locations for new engineering solutions.
National Community Integration
Our team engages the research cyberinfrastructure community via expert consulting, training, and reference material distribution.
Transforming Traditional Field Science
Integration of modern technology, network connectivity, and support systems can rapidly accelerate knowledge generation in earth and environmental sciences.
Principal Investigator Organizations
The NevadaNet, Utah Education & Telehealth Network (UETN), and Arizona Sun Corridor Network (SCN) RENs with their research and university partners, propose to create a boundary-spanning team of CIPs to collectively impact near real-time science across vast geographies of the western United States.
