Integrating R in a distributed scientific workflow via a Jupyter-based Environment

The Research Infrastructure Lifewatch Italy has

developed a Virtual Research Environment for studies on phytoplankton

ecology that includes computational services based

on R, a programming language widely used for data science

and ecology. Here we have verified the feasibility of a Jupyterbased

research environment, the NaaVRE, which has so far been

tested only with Python, for running R code in a workflow on the

Cloud. The successful execution demonstrated the potentialities

of R in Cloud-based research environments. However, further

investigation is needed, in particular, to overcome the issue of

the lack of dependencies declaration in R. The possibility of

performing analyses in a workflow, combined with the computational

resources of remote infrastructures, will support scientists

in carrying out FAIR and innovative research in a more efficient,

integrated and collaborative way.