Written by 
We are pleased to announce the establishment of InterNodes, Inc., a U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity created to provide a permanent organizational home for the Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative (GFBI) and Science-i.
The establishment of InterNodes marks an important new stage in the development of our global research community. Over the past decade, GFBI and Science-i have grown from international scientific collaborations into a large, interconnected research infrastructure supporting forest data, collaborative science, advanced computing, and global scientific exchange. InterNodes provides the institutional foundation needed to sustain and expand these activities over the long term.
Under the new structure, the identities and complementary missions of GFBI and Science-i will remain distinct.
GFBI will continue to serve as our global forest data infrastructure, bringing together forest inventory data contributed by researchers and institutions around the world and providing a framework for responsible data access, harmonization, and collaborative analysis.
Science-i will continue to serve as our research cyberinfrastructure and global collaboration platform, connecting researchers, supporting international projects, facilitating advanced data analysis and computing, and strengthening scientific communication and community engagement.
InterNodes will provide the nonprofit organizational, administrative, technological, and financial infrastructure supporting both communities.
New benefits for GFBI data contributors
Certified GFBI data contributors will be eligible for a complimentary GFBI professional email account under the GFBI domain.
Each qualifying account will include:
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a personalized @gfbinitiative.org email address;
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5 GB of individual storage;
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access to Google Workspace services associated with the account;
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a durable professional identity connected with the GFBI community;
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participation in GFBI communications, data initiatives, working groups, and collaborative opportunities; and
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continued access to a global network of forest scientists and data contributors.
These accounts are intended not simply as communication tools, but as a tangible benefit recognizing the scientists and institutions whose data contributions make GFBI possible.
New benefits for Science-i members
Researchers holding full Science-i membership will similarly be eligible for a complimentary Science-i professional email account.
Each qualifying account will include:
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a personalized @science-i.org email address;
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3 GB of individual storage;
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access to associated Google Workspace applications;
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a permanent professional identity linked to the Science-i research community;
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participation in Science-i projects, scientific communications, working groups, training, and community activities; and
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access to an expanding international network for collaborative research.
Science-i accounts will also make it easier for project teams to communicate and collaborate using a common institutional environment rather than relying exclusively on individual university accounts that may change as researchers move between institutions.
More than email
The new digital infrastructure is only one part of what InterNodes makes possible.
InterNodes will provide a common institutional platform through which GFBI and Science-i can develop shared research resources, collaborative workspaces, project infrastructure, computing capabilities, training activities, conferences, and community services.
It will also strengthen our ability to pursue external funding, establish institutional partnerships, support international research teams, maintain long-term scientific infrastructure, and develop new services for members and data contributors.
At the same time, GFBI’s established data-governance role will remain central. The GFBI Steering Committee will continue to oversee and evaluate data requests, helping protect the interests of data contributors and ensuring responsible use of the shared database.
The Science-i Committee will focus on future scientific directions, research collaboration, and community engagement, helping identify emerging opportunities and shape the development of the platform.
Building a permanent global research community
One of the central purposes of InterNodes is continuity.
Scientific collaborations are often built around individual grants, institutions, or temporary projects. GFBI and Science-i have grown beyond that model. InterNodes creates an independent institutional framework capable of supporting the community across funding cycles, research projects, universities, and generations of scientists.
This structure will also provide the foundation for the planned GFBI/Science-i Global Congress in 2027, tentatively scheduled for May. The Congress will bring members together to discuss the future of the community, update governance and bylaws, elect new committee members, develop new scientific priorities, and strengthen connections among researchers and data contributors worldwide.
A community built by its members
GFBI and Science-i exist because hundreds of scientists around the world have contributed data, expertise, research ideas, leadership, and time. InterNodes is being established to protect that collective investment and create additional value for the people who make the network possible.
The transition therefore represents more than an organizational change. It is a step toward building a permanent, researcher-centered global infrastructure for forest data, advanced computation, collaborative science, and scientific exchange.
Additional information will be provided to eligible GFBI data contributors and Science-i members regarding activation of their complimentary email accounts and access to the growing suite of InterNodes-supported resources.
We look forward to building the next generation of GFBI and Science-i together.
