Overview
The Winthrop University Research Computing Network (WURCN) represents an exciting opportunity to build a research computing network (cyber-infrastructure) that supports the Winthrop University research environment, fosters new collaborations and addresses interdisciplinary scientific topics. To build a research computing network, we need an analysis of existing research and computing infrastructure.
The initial plan is to convene a series of interviews with investigators who will comprise the cyber-infrastructure advisory council (CIAC). The CIAC will work together to identify networking and computing infrastructure needs related their specific research. Moreover, working with cyber-infrastructure professionals the CIAC will create a research computing network alignment work plan. The alignment work plan represents a complete technical solution that aligns current research with the updates and changes to the current instructional, general academic and administrative computing network infrastructure.
Intellectual Merit
We propose that the CIAC, comprised 3 physical scientist, 1 molecular scientist, a chemist along with two cyber-infrastructure and networking practitioners, generate a conceptual network model that represents an overall the design for improved campus research computing networking. The new Winthrop University Research Computing Network (WURCN) complements and extends the existing instructional, general academic and administrative computing environments to include a computing and networking infrastructure that will benefit researchers working at the University, and their collaborators.
Broader Impacts
The WURCN will have a variety of broad impacts. WURCN will involve undergraduates, graduate students and faculty from under-represented groups in all activities. Planned CIAC members include women and people from a diverse economic and ethnic background who will be involved in building the research computing network. Additionally, the CIAC working with existing campus investigators will conduct existing research and build new research utilizing the computing network. The WURCN will support all campus community including, sociologist, geographers, political scientist, historians, anthropologist, mathematicians, economist, computer scientist, geologist, artist and practitioners. The aforementioned individuals will disseminate new knowledge through conferences, papers, and subsequent research.
Problem Statement and Project Goals
The goal of this project is to examine the existing academic computing network environments’ ability to support the campus investigators ongoing research projects. With a focus on research, the project investigators will commission a Cyberinfrastructure Advisory Council. The Council is charged with building out a complete technical cyberinfrastructure solution that will align research activities with academic computing power and the cyberinfrastructure. Delivered though this project is the Winthrop University Research Computing Network implementation project plan.
==== Project Description+++
The Winthrop University Research Computing Network (WURCN) represents an exciting opportunity to build a research computing network (cyber-infrastructure) that supports the Winthrop University research environment, fosters new collaborations and addresses interdisciplinary scientific topics. To build a research computing network, we need an analysis of existing research and computing infrastructure.
The initial plan is to convene a series of interviews with investigators who will comprise the cyber-infrastructure advisory council (CIAC). The CIAC will work together to identify networking and computing infrastructure needs related their specific research. Moreover, working with cyber-infrastructure professionals the CIAC will create a research computing network alignment configuration work plan. The alignment work plan represents a complete technical solution that aligns current research with the updates and changes to the current instructional, general academic and administrative computing network infrastructure.
We present a model for building the plan that emphasizes internal partnerships and effectively leveraged cyber professional services to create a WURCN implementation plan. We request funding to support the coordination and cultivation of the WURCN implementation work plan.
