Computing is fundamentally transforming science. We have entered the so- called Fourth Paradigm in which observational data is threatening to overwhelm scientists. There are now numerous examples of the five "V's" of Big Data (Volume, Velocity, Variety, Veracity, and Value) impacting the geosciences. The rapid improvements in scientific instruments have led to a massive growth in data production. As data volumes often prohibit transfer of such Big Data, it is becoming increasingly important to develop sustainable infrastructure, clever data management and reduction analytics, and community, around Geoscience Big Data. The increasing emphasis on sharing and collaborating has led to a growing focus on discovery and variety.

In addition, scientific data, and the processes used to analyze that data, can differ substantially from those encountered with Big Data in other fields. Moreover, educating the next generation of geoscientists is itself becoming a pressing issue.

This workshop focuses on highlighting the state-of-the-art research surrounding Big Data in the geosciences. The Workshop Chairs and Program Committee, with assistance from the Open Geospatial Consortium, seek to engage the scientific community in understanding their big data challenges and problems. Finally, we aim to identify gaps in current technologies as well as gaps in the education of new data scientists. This workshop will provide a venue for participants to showcase innovative tools and services, build new collaborations, and hear from application scientists and educators about the challenges they face.