In 2003, The Geological Society of America (GSA) was approached by the Biogeosciences Working Group and asked to prepare a proposal to design, build and host an independent, stand-alone Web site in support of the entire biogeoscience community. In Year One (2004), biogeosciences.org was created as a conduit through which information flows to the biogeoscience community from funding agencies, program managers, societies, and contributing members from the scientific community. Biogeosciences.org also supports community building and dialog that can help guide and shape scientific discourse. At this time, GSA seeks funding for Years Two through Four of the project, in which biogeosciences.org will be enhanced and internationalized, promoted, assessed, and supported to achieve the full potential that was developed in Year One.
Prior to biogeosciences.org, there was no single source of information about biogeoscience funding opportunities, current research, centers of activity, and other important resources. There was a need for a clearinghouse, a principal source of information about the biogeosciences. A wealth of information can now be accessed through this easy-to-use source of up-to-date information.
In Years Two through Four, the major activities will be to: 1) enhance and internationalize biogeosciences.org, 2) promote the site, 3) develop and use appropriate metrics for monitoring site activities, and 4) create a stable, independent funding base for the site.
Intellectual Merit: When fully realized, Biogeosciences will play an important role globally in catalyzing advances in the science by connecting students and researchers with current information on publications, discoveries, jobs, funding, and people in relevant fields of study.
Broader Impacts: With the work planned for Years Two - Four, biogeosciences.org will achieve its full potential. It will continue to serve this emerging science worldwide by attracting new students and researchers to the biogeosciences, supporting those already in the field, and helping both the biogeosciences and its scientists flourish.
