Ecosystem for Next Generation Infrastructure, also known as ENGIN, is an initiative focusing on human-centered development of next-generation infrastructure.

ENGIN reflects the recognition that open science and open source software are key drivers of next-generation and digital infrastructure. Carnegie Mellon University supports this work through the University Libraries’ open science program, established in 2018 as one of the first - if not the first - open science program in an academic library in the U.S. In July 2022, the Libraries received a grant of $650,000 from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to establish the Carnegie Mellon University Open Source Program Office (OSPO) and has since received additional funding to launch community building efforts to support and grow open source initiatives in academia and research institutions.

At an event in December 2023 for the Community of University and Research Institute OSPOs (CURIOSS) from the US and Ireland, Provost Jim Garrett announced the launch of ENGIN. Examples of ENGIN’s early programs include addressing climate change and decarbonization by working with the Open Energy Outlook, and enhancing cybersecurity by working with the Software Engineering Institute at CMU.

Recognizing the importance of the human dimension of infrastructure, ENGIN will also support educational experiences with open source software at all three of Carnegie Mellon’s campuses in Pittsburgh, Doha, Qatar, and Kigali, Rwanda. The initiative is focused on building mentorship capacity on a global scale.