Bruce E. Wilson, Ph.D.
Bruce E. Wilson

Bruce E. Wilson, Ph.D.

Earth Science Data Systems • Scientific Cyberinfrastructure • FAIR Data

About

I am a scientist and technologist with over four decades of experience designing, building, and managing information systems that enable scientific discovery. My career spans the chemical, material, Earth, data, information, and computer sciences—an unconventional breadth that reflects the interdisciplinary nature of modern Earth science.

For most of the past two decades, I focused on making Earth science data as Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) as practical. As Manager of the NASA-funded ORNL Distributed Active Archive Center (ORNL DAAC), I led one of 12 centers in NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS), serving hundreds of thousands of users worldwide. The ORNL DAAC achieved the top customer satisfaction scores across NASA EOSDIS for 2020, 2021, and 2022.

I retired from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in September 2025 as a Distinguished Staff Scientist. I currently serve on the NASA DARES Task Force 2 (Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy) and hold an Adjunct Faculty appointment at the University of Tennessee's Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.

Areas of Expertise

Earth Observation Data Systems

NASA EOSDIS architecture, ORNL DAAC management, Daymet gridded climate data, terrestrial ecology data stewardship, remote sensing data integration.

FAIR Data & Cyberinfrastructure

Data architecture for findability and reuse, DataONE distributed data infrastructure, data citation practices, AI/ML-ready data preparation.

Strategic Planning & Review

NASA DAAC efficiency review (chair), Planetary Data Ecosystem IRB (co-chair), NSF LTER cyberinfrastructure review (chair), NOAA data strategy.

Interdisciplinary Science

Spectroscopy (UV/vis, IR, Raman, mass spec), chemometrics, phenology, high-throughput research informatics, material science data systems.

Professional Experience

Distinguished Staff Scientist, ORNL DAAC Manager & Group Leader
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
2018–2025
Led NASA's archive center for biogeochemical dynamics and terrestrial ecology data. Managed data systems serving hundreds of thousands of global users. Also served as ORNL DAAC Manager 2008–2010.
Lead Enterprise Architect
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
2012–2018
Designed information systems architecture for a $2B/year DOE laboratory with the broadest research portfolio among Office of Science labs.
Adjunct Faculty
University of Tennessee, Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Studies
2019–present
Graduate advisor in the Data Science and Engineering program. Ph.D. thesis advisor for research applying machine learning to scientific applications.
Technical Leader, High Throughput Research Informatics
The Dow Chemical Company
2001–2006
Led 41-person team across 4 countries developing informatics tools for high-throughput research in material science, formulations, and catalysis.

Service & Leadership

NASA DARES Task Force 2 Member
2025–present
Contributing to NASA's Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy, with focus on digital infrastructure for astrobiology research.
NASA Planetary Data Ecosystem IRB Co-Chair
2020–2021
Co-chaired independent review board and led the Data Mining and Automation Subcommittee. Produced recommendations for improving NASA's planetary data systems.
Co-Chair, NASA DAAC Managers Council
2020–2022
Co-chaired the coordinating council for NASA's 12 Distributed Active Archive Centers.
NASA DAAC Efficiency & Effectiveness Review Panel Chair
2015–2016
Chaired review panel producing recommendations for improving the Distributed Active Archive Center component of EOSDIS.
DataONE Cyberinfrastructure Co-Lead
NSF Data Observation Network for Earth
2008–2016
Co-led cyberinfrastructure for this multi-institution NSF project providing federated access to environmental data across multiple repositories. Also served as University of Tennessee institutional PI (2008–2013).
Proposal Reviewer
Ongoing
Reviewer for approximately 40 proposal review panels across NASA, NSF, DOE, and USGS.

Selected Publications

P.E. Thornton, R. Shrestha, M. Thornton, S.-C. Kao, Y. Wei, B.E. Wilson. "Gridded Daily Weather Data for North America with Comprehensive Uncertainty Quantification." Scientific Data (2021). doi:10.1038/s41597-021-00973-0
S. Vannan, R.R. Downs, W. Meier, B.E. Wilson, I.V. Gerasimov. "Data Sets Are Foundational to Research. Why Don't We Cite Them?" Eos 101 (2020). doi:10.1029/2020EO151665
A. Rosemartin, E. Denny, J. Weltzin, L. Marsh, B.E. Wilson, H. Mehdipoor, R. Zurita-Milla, M. Schwartz. "Lilac and Honeysuckle Phenology Data 1956–2014." Scientific Data (2015). doi:10.1038/sdata.2015.38
D. Wang, W.M. Post, B.E. Wilson. "Climate Change Modeling: Computational Opportunities and Challenges." Computing in Science & Engineering 13, 36–42 (2011). doi:10.1109/MCSE.2010.147
S.K.S. Vannan, R.B. Cook, B.E. Wilson, S.K. Holladay, L.M. Olsen, U. Dadi. "A Web-Based Subsetting Service for Regional Scale MODIS Land Products." IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Earth Observations and Remote Sensing 2(4), 319–328 (2009). doi:10.1109/JSTARS.2009.2036585
J.T. Morisette, A.D. Richardson, A.K. Knapp, J.I. Fisher, E.A. Graham, J. Abatzoglou, B.E. Wilson, D.D. Breshears, G.M. Henebry, J.M. Hanes, L. Liang. "Tracking the Rhythm of the Seasons in the Face of Global Change: Phenological Research in the 21st Century." Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 7(5), 253–260 (2009). doi:10.1890/070217
K.P. Peil, D.R. Neithamer, D.W. Patrick, B.E. Wilson, C.J. Tucker. "Applications of High Throughput Research at The Dow Chemical Company." Macromolecular Rapid Communications 25(1), 119–126 (2004). doi:10.1002/marc.200300160
B.E. Wilson, W. Lindberg, B.R. Kowalski. "Multicomponent Quantitative Analysis Using Second-Order Nonbilinear Data: Theory and Simulations." Journal of the American Chemical Society 111(11), 3797–3804 (1989). doi:10.1021/ja00193a006

View full publication list on Google Scholar →

Education

Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry
University of Washington, Seattle
B.S. with High Honors, Chemistry and Mathematics
Michigan State University

Selected Awards & Recognition

NASA Agency Award for Group Achievement (2022)
Senior Member, Association for Computing Machinery (2020)
Department of Energy Outstanding Mentor Award (2008)
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow (1985–1988)
Phi Beta Kappa (1985)