The paper examines the origins of cyberinfrastructure (CI) and the present science- enabling context for CI. Although the education-enabling aspects of CI have received mention, those aspects have not been developed to the same degree as the science drivers. The educators and cyberinfrastructure specialists are developing their agenda for future efforts. This paper attempts to inform that agenda by examining research aspects of CI and it impacts on how academia is organized, how it functions, and of what it produces. In addition, the important global context of the new world economy and technology revolution is discussed to place the education and CI in a proper context for the development of an effective and forward-looking agenda.