The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) conducts and supports activities in computational science, a third fundamental method for conducting scientific research (in addition to laboratory experimentation and theoretical investigation). Computational Science is defined as using computers (in this context, high performance computers) and related computing technologies (such as applications software, high speed networking, scientific visualization technologies, and large data storage systems) to visualize, analyze, and simulate natural and social phenomena.

Foster the incorporation of high performance research tools for scientific investigation into the undergraduate curriculum to better prepare learners for post-Baccalaureate activities where

• collaborative, interdisciplinary teams,
• sophisticated computer tools, and
• effective communication among the team members and with others

are used in research and problem solving.

 

• Computer time is available from the remaining SDSU Block Grant of time on the Cray T90 (vector supercomputer) and Cray T3E (parallel supercomputer). This can be obtained by submitting a short application (www.rohan.sdsu.edu/0520Cray.pdf) designed for start-up investigations (maximum 5 hours of Cray T90 time). October 1 signaled the start of NPACI and no new time will be allocated to the SDSU Block Grant. NPACI Resources are allocated quarterly. Education applications are looked upon favorably when on an appropriate platform; research applications are peer-reviewed. A first time, 50 hour allocation, can be obtained through the expedited review process, submitted anytime.

Examples of collaborations already formed by EC/CSE

• vBNS proposal coordinated by CSU Chancellor's office. Participatation by SDSU, CalPoly Pomona, and CSU/SB within the CSU (currently under negotiation)
• Collaboratory use of GIS over the Internet in instruction (together with NPAC - Syracuse, Dr. Geoffrey Fox), and the experiment in distance teaching of GIS and spatial analysis over the Web (EC/CSE, SDSU  to Geography, WMU, on-going)
• NPACI partnership "contract" with the Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities (IATH), NPACI partner in Virginia
• NSF proposal by Doug Deutschman (SDSU Biology), on chaparral ecosystem simulation modeling and visualization with the SORTIE-like model (with interfaces tuned to student exploration, in particular) - involves EC/CSE (January 1998)
• Industrial partnership with Mathworks (MATLAB, which now has MapTools) (November 1997)
• National Endowment for the Humanities proposal with Dr. Bob Hoffman (SDSU Ed Tech) on using VRML to simulate the California mission so that 4th grade students can become docents of the mission and conduct virtual tours. (October 1997)
• EC/CSE was client in SDSU's ET 644 Instructional Design course (Roxanna Springer & Lance Larson) (Fall 1997); the methodology of "bridging environments" for high performance computing instruction is further explored in CS205 "Computational programming and visualziation" taught by Stewart this Spring
• NSF CAREER proposal by Janet Bowers (SDSU Math & Computer Science) on developmental research in technology-enhanced classrooms to support the devlopment of individual and collective conceptions of algebra and geometry (July 1997)
 

• The Education Center staff (Dr. Kris Stewart, Dr. Ilya Zaslavsky and Ms. Dolores Candelario) have prepared descriptions of the opportunities that SDSC and the NPACI offer to the nation, with a focus on identifying opportunities to enhance undergraduate education (accessible from Ed. Center web pages)

• regular reviews of NPACI and SDSC research and resources are published online at NPACI Online and enVision (formerly Gather/Scatter)

The NPACI "all-hands" meeting (early January'98)  brought together all NPACI partners, to identify collaborations between institutions in both research and outreach activities, in particular focused on molecular biology, neurosciences, collaborative environments, etc.

Next meeting of the National EOT -PACI (focused heavily on biology-related collaboratories) is February 19-21. The next joint NPACI-NCSA  Education Workshop will occur in late Spring'98.

Travel funds are available to allow the Ed. Center staff to travel to CSU campuses to make focussed presentations to your interested faculty.

The presentations and workshops can be followed by individual collaboration with faculty on selected projects related to undergraduate teaching. To date, we have presented at the CSU GIS Committee meeting (in addition to numerous presentations at SDSU), and to CSU Math and Computer Science Chairs meeting; we are scheduled to present to Social Science Research Instructional Council (SSRIC). We have also presented to SDSU departments of Biology and Geology.

Graduate and undergraduate student assistants are available to help faculty and their instructional support staff with educational projects related to high-performance computing in the undergraduate curriculum.

Information about us:

• Web site: ../index.html
• CSU Newsletter "Exchanges"
• NPACI Online
• SDSU "Weekly"

What can the EC/CSE do for you?