Nirav Merchant

Nirav Merchant, a CyVerse Co-PI and the director of the University of Arizona's Data Science Institute, oversees the comprehensive computational cyberinfrastructure for biomedical research, and supports diverse projects ranging from large scale clinical NGS analytics platforms to mobile health (mHealth) interventions. Within CyVerse, he advises on CI strategy, leads the technology assessment effort, and oversees day-to-day operations of CyVerse's Core Software and Cloud Native teams. Mr. Merchant also co-teaches an interdisciplinary course in Applied Cyberinfrastructure Concepts, designed with CyVerse, XSEDE, and FutureGrid infrastructure. 

Over the last two decades his research has been directed towards developing scalable computational platforms for supporting open science and open innovation, with emphasis on improving research productivity for geographically distributed interdisciplinary teams. Nirav is also a self-described "unicorn farmer" who cultivates a growing herd of mythical creatures who capably do data science within domain science, as modern computational research now demands.

His interests include data science literacy, large-scale data management platforms, data delivery technologies, managed sensor and mobile platforms for health interventions, workforce development, and project-based learning (when he's not making great pizza in his BBQ grill).