The National Data Platform (NDP) is a national effort to create a federated, AI-ready data ecosystem that makes research data, computing resources, and AI services easier to discover, access, and use. Rather than replacing existing cyberinfrastructure, the NDP connects resources across institutions, enabling researchers to work with data and computing environments through common interfaces while resources remain locally operated and managed.

Led by the University of California San Diego (through the San Diego Supercomputer Center) in collaboration with partners including the University of Utah, the Texas Advanced Computing Center, the University of Washington eScience Institute, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the NDP is building a national-scale platform for data-enabled and AI-enabled research.

Researchers from UMass Amherst, working within the MGHPCC ecosystem, are contributing to the development and deployment of NDP connector nodes. These software and computing components provide a common layer through which participating institutions can share access to data, computing, and AI services while maintaining local control over their infrastructure, policies, and operations. As the platform grows, MGHPCC is also expected to support hosting and operations for NDP-related infrastructure alongside its participation in other national cyberinfrastructure initiatives.

MGHPCC has long served as a home for shared research computing, storage, networking, and data services that support researchers across the region. Participation in the National Data Platform extends this role, helping connect local and regional research resources to a broader national ecosystem for data-intensive and AI-enabled science.