News at 11:00 – XSEDE Partners in the News
Industry-Funded Software Research Goes Open Source
Excerpt from Campus Technology (02/01/12)
Several large companies that fund software research on university campuses are engaged in open source research in the hope of drawing a thriving developer community. An example is the Science and Technology Centers (ISTCs) launched by Intel at Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of California, Berkeley. "The preferred [intellectual property (IP)] policy is to conduct open research wherein ISTC researchers, whether from academia or Intel, agree to not file patents and to publish all patentable inventions," Intel says. "All significant software developed in the course of conducting research will be released under an open source license." Each ITSC can support 10 to 15 faculty members and as many as 30 students. Consultant Melba Kurman notes that many companies are beginning to consider longer development timeframes, and she thinks open source is a solid solution in instances where patents are not vital. Kurman also lists other potential advantages of the open source licensing model, including its fit with a university's nonprofit, tax-exempt status, the avoidance of publication delays caused by patent applications, no need to haggle over IP terms between university and company researchers, and allowances for the research sponsor to bring in more companies to sponsor open source consortia. To read further, please visit http://campustechnology.com/articles/2012/02/01/industry-funded-software-research-goes-open-source.aspx.
Google Earth Ocean Terrain Receives Major Update Thanks to UCSD Researchers and Undergraduate Students
Internet information giant Google updated ocean data in its Google Earth application last week, reflecting new seafloor maps assembled by Scripps Institution of Oceanography and other ocean mapping groups from around the world. The updated data corrects a grid-like artifact on the seafloor that was misinterpreted in the popular press as evidence of the lost city of Atlantis. The newest version of Google Earth includes more accurate imagery in several key areas of ocean using data collected by research cruises over the past three years. "The original version of Google Ocean was a newly developed prototype map that had high resolution but also contained thousands of blunders related to the original archived ship data," said David Sandwell, a Scripps geophysicist. "UCSD undergraduate students spent the past three years identifying and correcting the blunders as well as adding all the multibeam echosounder data archived at the National Geophysical Data Center in Boulder, Colorado." To read further, please visit http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/features/google_earth_ocean_terrain_receives_major_update/.
XSEDE Around the World
XSEDE Will Be Appearing at HPCS 2012
May 1 - 3, 2012 - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
John Towns, NCSA Director of the Distributed Cyberinfrastructure Program Office, will provide the keynote address at this upcoming conference. He provides leadership and direction in the support of an array of computational science and engineering research projects making use of advanced computing and data resources. For more information on the conference and to register, please visit http://2012.hpcs.ca/.
Webinars, Seminars and Workshops
2012 Broadening Participation in Data Mining Workshop – Call for Participation
April 27-28, 2012 – Anaheim, California
The primary aim of the workshop is to foster mentorship, guidance, and connections of underrepresented groups in Data Mining, while also enriching technical aptitude and exposure. Graduate students and postdocs from underrepresented groups and those with disabilities are encouraged to apply. To apply for the workshop, please submit your application through our web portal at http://dataminingshop.com/application.php. For further questions or information about the Broadening Participation in Data Mining Workshop, please visit the website at http://dataminingshop.com/ or email questions@dataminingshop.com.
Campus Champions
Campus Champions Data Symposium 2012
Eight National Experts Explore Solutions to Big Data Problems
When: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday, March 1
Where: Blood Research Institute
8733 Watertown Plank Road
Milwaukee, WI
Agenda: For more information, visithttp://www.sewhip.org
SeWHiP (Southeast Wisconsin High Performance Cyberinfrastructure) and the Clinical & Translational Science Institute (CTSI) of Southeast Wisconsin invite you to participate in a one-day symposium to explore the challenges associated with storage, access, visualization, sharing, integration, and scaling of research data. Eight experts from U.S. agencies, national laboratories, and research institutes will present storage options for research communities, federated solutions and tools, visualization and data analysis highlights, and NIH funding agency considerations. The event is free, but registration is required at www.sewhip.org. Search for “Data Symposium 2012”on Facebook and request to join the event or contact david@uwm.edu to receive an invitation.
Campus Champions Fellows Program
The Fellows program partners Campus Champions with ECSS staff and research teams to work side by side on real-world science and engineering projects. Fellows will develop expertise within varied areas of cyberinfrastructure, and they are already well positioned to share their advanced knowledge through their roles as the established conduits to students, administrators, professional staff, and faculty on their campuses. A directory of Fellows will expand the influence even further by creating a network of individuals with these unique skill sets. In addition to the technical knowledge gleaned from their experiences, the individual Fellows will benefit from their personal interactions with the ECSS staff and will acquire the skills necessary to manage similar user or research group project requests on their own campuses. The Campus Champions Fellows program is a unique, rare opportunity for a select group of individuals to learn first hand about the application of high-end cyberinfrastructure to challenging science and engineering problems. Accepted Fellows make a 400-hour time commitment and are paid a stipend for their efforts. The program includes funding for two one- to two-week visits to an ECSS site to enhance the collaboration and also funding to attend and present at a Fellows symposium at an XSEDE conference. For more information, please visit https://www.xsede.org/ccfellows.
Educator Curriculum and Opportunities
Share Your Passion for Science Education at the NSTA National Conference
March 29-April 1, 2012 – Indianapolis, Indiana
Join thousands of science educators at the National Conference on Science Education in Indianapolis. A robust program is planned for building new skills and broadening your content knowledge, learning strategies, and talking about the issues. Nearly 2,000 sessions comprise the offerings intended to stimulate and inspire you. Renowned presenters Bill Nye, author David Macaulay, and many others will share their stories and expertise. Networking with these experts and your peers means accessing fresh ideas and resources, making new friends, and sharing your passion. For K–16 science educators and administrators, this conference shouldn’t be missed. For more information, program highlights and to register, http://www.nsta.org/conferences/2012ind/
Do You Know a Deserving School of Distinction?
Application Deadline – February 23, 2012
Every year, Intel honors U.S. public or private schools that implement innovative, replicable programs that inspire their students and lead to a positive educational outcomes in the areas of math and science. Up to three schools at each level—elementary, middle and high school—will be named as finalists in the math and science categories. The 18 schools will receive a cash grant of $5,000 from the Intel Foundation and a trip to Washington, D.C., for a four-member team from their school and district. Six winners will be selected from the finalists and will receive an additional $5,000 cash grant for a total of $10,000. One of these winners will be selected as the "Star Innovator" and will receive an additional $15,000 grant for a total of $25,000. All five winning schools and the Star Innovator will also receive products and services from program sponsors. In 2011, a California school won the Star Innovator Award, Valley Christian Middle School in San Jose and another California school won the High School Science Award, Lynbrook High School in San Jose. Click the links to see their videos. Don’t miss this opportunity to have your favorite school apply online at www.schoolsofdistinction.com. Share the word! Application questions can be directed to Intel Education Manager Julie Dunkle at 408-621-1111.
Johns Hopkins University Offers Summer Teaching Opportunity for Computer Science Teachers on East and West Coast
Session 1: June 21 - July 14, 2012
Session 2: July 14 - August 4, 2012
The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY) is seeking instructors and teaching assistants for our summer programs. CTY offers challenging academic programs for highly talented elementary, middle, and high school students from across the country and around the world. Positions are available at residential and day sites at different locations on the east and west coasts (California, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington).
They are currently seeking individuals with graduate course work and expertise in a number of Computer Science related subjects:
* Introduction to Robotics
* Foundations of Programming
* Fundamentals of Computer Science
* Data Structures and Algorithms
For detailed course descriptions, please visit http://cty.jhu.edu/summer/employment/math_cs.html. More information on the CTY program can be found at http://www.cty.jhu.edu/summer.
Instructor position (job description, terms of employment, desired qualifications) information can be found at http://cty.jhu.edu/summer/employment/inst.html. Teaching assistant position (job description, terms of employment, desired qualifications) can be found at http://cty.jhu.edu/summer/employment/ta.html. For a full list of locations and dates, please visit http://cty.jhu.edu/summer/employment/sites_dates.html. CTY also have an international program in Hong Kong. Questions? Please call (410) 735-6185 or ctysummer@jhu.edu. Follow them on Facebook for updates on open positions and opportunities! Facebook.com/CTY.SummerEmployment.
Learning With Hackasaurus
Hackasaurus is a set of open tools that allow anyone to see and play with the building blocks of the Web. Designed to introduce young people to coding and basic HTML, Hackasaurus takes advantage of youth interest in tinkering and remixing. One of the tools, Web X-Ray Goggles, is a plug-in that reveals the HTML tags on any webpage. As the cursor moves over the various page elements, Web X-Ray Goggles shows each element's HTML tags, exposing the underlying structure of the page. To start playing with Web X-Ray Goggles, simply drag the bookmarklet provided at the Hackasaurus page onto your bookmarks bar and activate it on any site by clicking the bookmarklet. For more information, please visit http://digitalis.nwp.org/resource/2180.
Student Engagement and Opportunities
Affordable Online Graduate Courses from American Museum of Natural History
Spring Session – March 19- April 29, 2012
Registration Deadline – March 1, 2012
For over a decade, Seminars on Science and the American Museum of Natural History have been offering science-rich, online graduate courses to educators from around the globe. Each course connects classroom teachers to scientists engaged in current, real-world research. Authored by leading scientists in their fields, all courses are co-taught by an experienced educator and a researcher; courses include Climate Change; The Ocean System; Genetics, Genomics, Genethics; Evolution; and more. All courses run for six weeks and are fully online. Each participant receives a CD of course resources suitable for classroom use. Affordable graduate credit is available for all courses (see website for details). For a complete course listing and to register, please visit http://www.amnh.org/learn/.
Summer Undergraduate Program at CalIT2, UC San Diego
Application Deadline – March 12, 2012, noon PT
If you are a registered UC San Diego undergraduate frown any acadernic discipline, you are
encouraged to apply to be a Ca|it2 Scholar. Incoming students registered for fall quarter and graduating seniors are also eligible. The student must find their own faculty advisor and will perform hands-on research under their advisor’s guidance for 10 weeks. The student can either assist on an ongoing project or propose a new one. Students will be required to attend weekly seminars and presentations for research and career development. For more information and to apply, please visit http://ucsdstudents.calit2.net/.
Greater San Diego Science and Engineering fair
March 20-25, 2012 – Balboa Park, San Diego, California
Our mission of the Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair is to maintain a continuous process that encourages and rewards professional excellence, promotes educational enrichment, and provides unique opportunities for independent achievement in science and technology for the thousands of seventh through twelfth grade students of all private, parochial, and public schools of the Greater San Diego Region wishing to participate. For more information, applications and volunteer opportunities, please visit http://www.gsdsef.org/home.asp.
2012 Collegiate Inventors Competition No Accepting Entries
Submission Deadline – June 15, 2012
You've invented something that has a good chance of impacting the world. The Collegiate Inventors Competition has a 21-year history of honoring inventions like yours through the Collegiate Inventors Competition program. So why not see if your idea is up to the challenge. If your invention is chosen among the best, we will bring you to the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington to present your idea to a panel of some of the most important and influential inventors and invention experts in the nation. Last year's judging panels included National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees Jim West, Don Keck, Ted Hoff, Morton Mower, Al Langer, and Tom Fogarty. You'll also meet other top young inventors from around the country, have your idea showcased on a national stage, and compete for over $100,000 in prizes including a $15,000 top prize for graduate students and $12,500 for undergraduate students. For more information and submission guidelines, please visit, http://www.invent.org/collegiate/.
Research Features
Green IT: In Search of an Energy Yardstick
Excerpt from Computerworld (01/30/12)
The most widely used metric for measuring data centers' energy consumption is the Green Grid's Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) measure, but it does not reveal the amount of energy used per unit of work. The Green Grid and other industry groups are currently working on metrics that analyze the measurement of productive energy consumption. Many companies are using combinations of the available metrics, as well as developing their own metrics, to describe data center efficiency and productivity. "While not perfect, PUE does a good job of achieving a snapshot of how much electricity is powering what the data center is there to do," says Forrester Research's Doug Washburn. To read further, please visit http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/359273/In_Search_of_an_Energy_Yardstick.
Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center and Drexel Light High-Performance Cross-State Link
The Three Rivers Optical Exchange (3ROX), the high-performance Internet hub operated and managed by the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC), and Drexel University in Philadelphia are now directly connected via high-performance, fiber-optic network. They have connected via the FrameNet service of National LambdaRail (NLR), a non-profit organization that links more than 280 U.S. universities and private and government laboratories. The new link provides a direct connection, with bandwidth of 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 billion bits per second), about 100 times faster than current high-end download rates (10-15 megabits per second) for most residential Internet service. This upgraded link between 3ROX and Drexel augments current service, two five gigabit connections, provided by the 3ROX/Drexel Internet2 hub, formed in early 2011. This 3ROX/Drexel partnership provides network services to universities, research sites and K-12 schools in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia along with Drexel and its affiliated research sites and the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities. To read further, please visit http://psc.edu/publicinfo/news/2012/013112_3rox_drexel.php.
Last but Not Least – Odds and Ends of Interest
Are the Days of Hands-Off Internet Policies Numbered?
Excerpt from Government Computer News (02/01/12)
The Internet will be a major topic of discussion when world leaders meet in December at the World Conference on International Telecommunications to review and revise the International Telecommunications Regulations, which were put into place in 1988 and at the time largely dealt with systems that linked telephones and peripheral devices such as fax machines. "There is an increasing amount of attention" on how the Internet should be governed and what the role of government and international bodies should be," notes former Bush administration United Nations (UN) representative David Gross. Some developing countries, including India, would like international bodies such as the UN's International Telecommunications Union to regulate the Internet, while nations such as China and Russia want a greater degree of control over the Web. Gross says the United States favors an open, cooperative approach. "The U.S. position has been the expectation, willingness, and desire that the entire world would come along for the ride," he says. The International Telecommunications Regulations have acted as international law since 1988, but a major issue at the December conference will be if and how the regulations should be applied to the Internet. To read further, please visit http://gcn.com/articles/2012/02/01/internet-governance-world-conference-changes.aspx.
Program or Be Programmed: Why Programming Should be Taught in Schools
Excerpt from Edutopia
Just recently I was lucky enough to attend a Hackjam session at the wonderful Educon conference here in Philadelphia. After we hacked Monopoly by reinventing the game, we were introduced to the tool Hackasaurus, which allows students to not only see, but manipulate the code on a website. Some people may question the ethics behind teaching kids about "hacking" websites, but in this context, the idea is not for students to take down websites à la Anonymous, but rather to see that web pages are not magic. As computers, phones, tablets and web tools become more and more user-friendly, it becomes easier to forget that there is a human being behind all of the software, games, apps and websites that we use. Hackasaurus shows students the code behind websites, and how you can alter the site by altering the code. To read further, please visit http://www.edutopia.org/blog/program-or-be-programmed-mary-beth-hertz.
