Translating Computer Science Into Software-as-a-Service Cyberinfrastructure: A Retrospective Journey of Three Impactful Projects

This article shares the author’s experience and views of the creation, development, and operation of software-as-a-service cyberinfrastructures in an academic laboratory. A journey of three successive examples is reviewed: Purdue University Network Computing Hubs (PUNCH), In-Virtual Grid Organizations (In-ViGO) and Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio). The motivation and impact of each example are described along with their innovative technical characteristics that resulted from translating computer science results and experimental research into useful features. Reflections and recommendations inspired by the author’s journey through these examples are discussed, including the need to fund and sustain different lifespans of translational computer science projects and the importance of creating and retaining interdisciplinary human capacity.