Roots for Resilience Program (R4R)

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The Roots for Resilience program provides training and support to select graduate students on open, reproducible science, computational infrastructure and AI tools to enhance research focused on environmental and societal resilience.

About

Much as roots anchor plants and ecosystems, data are the roots of science and discovery.  The Roots for Resilience program (R4R) provides training and support to select University of Arizona graduate students. R4R encourages interdisciplinary research collaboration at the U of A and provides comprehensive hands-on training in data science, open science methodologies, computational infrastructure, and cutting-edge AI tools. Cohort fellows use the training to enhance their dissertation research capabilities and contribute to the advancement of research proficiency and activities in their department. R4R is funded by the Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF) and is offered only during the Fall semester at the U of A. 

Administered by the Data Science Institute (DSI), CyVerse, and Arizona Institute for Resilience (AIR), R4R plays an important role across the U of A campus in connecting academic departments with data science, AI tools, and environmental and societal resilience-focused research. R4R fosters the creation of interdisciplinary research partnerships that can lead to new proposals for external funding that take advantage of the U of A research strengths in environmental and societal resilience to address challenges facing human and natural communities. 

The deadline to submit a R4R application is May 31, 2025.

R4R Application

Goals

The cohort of graduate students are trained in best practices in open science, computational infrastructure, and AI tools with research and discovery with the intention of increasing environmental and societal resilience focused research capacity across the U of A.

  • Build capacity in data science and AI skills across research groups and departments at the University of Arizona
  • Assist departments in moving forward research activities
  • Build professional networks for addressing large-scale challenges and research questions focused on environmental and/or societal resilience and other campus priorities
  • Encourage interdisciplinary collaborations among AIR, DSI, CyVerse, and other academic units to develop research proposals
  • Create a cohort of departmental ambassadors trained with valuable knowledge provided by CyVerse and DSI that supports research and encourages department engagement
  • Develop an engaged, connected, and supportive R4R cohort that includes Data Science Ambassadors

Cohorts

  • R4R cohort fellows receive a $7,000 stipend. Half of the stipend is disbursed after the start of the program and half at the end of the semester upon successful completion of R4R.
  • Fellows actively engage in weekly sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM during the Fall semester.
    • Tuesdays:  Foundational Open Science Skills (FOSS) workshop sessions led by CyVerse educators
    • Thursdays: meetings led by CyVerse, DSI, and other campus partners 
  • The cohort participates in U of A activities outside of scheduled R4R sessions to help build a strong cohort community and to identify potential cross-disciplinary research projects, activities, and areas of collaboration. 
  • By the end of the semester, each fellow is expected to deliver two presentations: a FOSS capstone project and a departmental presentation outlining how the knowledge gained through R4R applies to their environmental and societal resilience research activities.
  • Upon completing R4R, cohort fellows serve as departmental ambassadors, sharing the valuable knowledge gained from the program.
  • Learn more about previous cohorts and their presentations on the DSI R4R Cohorts site.

Eligibility and requirements

Successful applicants are enthusiastic, collaborative-minded and agree to:

Eligibility

  • Be a University of Arizona PhD candidate who has completed qualifying exams or master’s student in a professional program
  • Pursue a degree or research project related to environmental and societal resilience
  • Complete and submit a R4R application by the deadline date
  • Include an advisor or supervisor signed and dated letter of support with the submitted application
  • Attend the University of Arizona beyond the end of the Fall semester

 

Requirements

  • Actively engage in weekly Tuesday and Thursday sessions during the Fall semester from 11:00 am - 1:00 PM
  • Participate in the Foundational Open Science Skills (FOSS) online workshops taught by CyVerse educators
  • Participate in U of A activities to help build a strong cohort community and to identify potential environmental and societal resilience-focused and cross-disciplinary research projects, activities, and areas of collaboration 
  • Complete the required presentations (FOSS capstone project and department) within deadline dates
  • Submit department presentation material by the end of the semester for online posting 
  • Serve as a department ambassadors for CyVerse and the Data Science Institute

Application process

Exposed roots of a large tree

Completing a R4R application does not automatically admit the applicant to the program. Applicants must complete and submit the online application by the deadline date. The application review committee evaluates applications and selects cohort members based on their potential to benefit from the program—either individually or through the impact on their department. 

Complete and submit the online R4R application   by the deadline, May 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

By no later than the end of July, the R4R applications review committee will contact only those applicants who have been accepted into the program. Applicants, please do not contact the committee inquiring about an application status.

Include the following statement in the letter of support from an advisor or supervisor: 

"As the advisor or supervisor, I recognize that the student's paid participation in the Roots for Resilience Program will require a time commitment of 5–10 hours per week for the duration of the Fall 2025 semester. I will support their success by reducing any other paid work demands on them as needed. In addition, I understand that the intent of this program is not only to support their research but also to help them become a data science, CyVerse, and FOSS ambassador to our department. I will help to ensure that they have an opportunity this Fall to present to our faculty and students about their R4R experience and what they can apply to their research and the department."

ROOTS FOR RESILIENCE APPLICATION

FAQs

To apply for the Roots for Resilience program, complete the R4R application. 

When submitting your application, include your letter of support from your department head or supervisor.  

The deadline to submit an application is May 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

Yes. Each cohort fellow will be awarded a $7,000 stipend.  Half of the stipend will be disbursed after the start of the Roots for Resilience program and half at the end of the semester upon successful completion of the program.

No. Completing a R4R application does not automatically admit the applicant to the program. 

By the end of July, the R4R applications review committee will contact only those applicants who have been accepted into the Roots for Resilience program.

The Foundational Open Science Skills (FOSS) are workshops led by CyVerse instructors. FOSS is both a curriculum and a roadmap to guide computational research and level up teaching, collaboration, proposal writing, and publishing in a supportive atmosphere with peers and project mentors.

The cohort is expected to meet weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 AM -1:00 PM during the semester. 

  • Tuesdays:  FOSS workshop sessions led by CyVerse educators
  • Thursdays:  Meetings led by CyVerse, DSI, and other campus partners 

Also, the cohort is encouraged to meet outside of the scheduled meetings to discover and discuss potential collaborative research activities. 

Yes. The cohort plans and participates in activities outside of scheduled R4R sessions to help build a strong cohort community and to identify potential cross-disciplinary research projects, activities, and areas of collaboration.  Some of the activities will include the Data Science Ambassadors.

Yes. The cohort fellows will make two presentations by the end of the semester that address what they have learned and how they can apply that knowledge to their environmental and societal resilience-focused research, dissertation, and/or department. 

  • The FOSS capstone project presentation will be presented online. 
  • The department presentation is typically presented during a regularly scheduled department meeting. 

Each cohort fellow's presentation material will be posted on the Data Science Institute Roots for Resilience cohort site.

Contact

Thank you for your interest in the environmental and societal resilience-focused University of Arizona Roots for Resilience program with the Data Science Institute, CyVerse, and Arizona Institute for Resilience. We welcome your feedback and comments. 

For participation and program questions, email Tina L. Johnson with the Data Science Institute.

Program Leads

Sharon Collinge, AIR
Tina L. Johnson, DSI
Maliaca Oxnam, DSI
Anna Seiferle-Valencia, AIR

Instructors

Jeff Gillan, CyVerse
Michele Cosi, DSI

CyVerse Mentors

Michele Cosi
Jeff Gillan
Tyson Swetnam