Title: A Conversation about EResearch and the Supporting Cyberinfrastructure
1A Conversation aboutE-Research and the
Supporting Cyberinfrastructure
- Daniel E. Atkins
- School of Information Department of EECS
- University of Michigan, U.S.A.
- atkins_at_umich.edu
Invited Address Forum to Consider the
Implications for Research Libraries and Research
Institutions October 15, 2004, Washington, D.C.
2http//www.communitytechnology.org/products.html
3University of MichiganSchool of Information
www.si.umich.edu
4(No Transcript)
5public library
6library
7Talk Overview
- Background, Concepts, Definitions
- Functional Components of Cyberinfrastructure
- Some implications for research libraries.
- Prototype CKCs, e.g. the NVO
- Broader Implications and Hopes
- Questions and Discussion
8NSF Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on
Cyberinfrastructure
a new age has dawned in scientific and
engineering research, pushed by continuing
progress in computing, information, and
communication technology, and pulled by the
expanding complexity, scope, and scale of
todays challenges. The capacity of this
technology has crossed thresholds that now make
possible a comprehensive cyberinfrastructure on
which to build new types of scientific and
engineering knowledge environments and
organizations and to pursue research in new ways
and with increased efficacy.
- http//www.cise.nsf.gov/sci/reports/toc.cfm
9Terms
- Cyberinfrastructure
- infrastructure
- cyber
- Cyberinfrastructure-enabled
- knowledge communities (CKCs)
- learning, research, engagement
10Converging Streams of Activity
ACLS Panel
11Cyberinfrastructure Goals
- More applications, capabilities, efficiency
- Reuse and multiple-use of designs capture of
commonality - Spread of best practice
- Achieving interoperability
- Provision of tools and services
- Shared facilities
- Assistance and expertise
12Networked Information(Knowledge) Society
Visions Needs of Individuals, Communities)
Institutions Libraries Archives Museums
Application of Distributed Computing
13Some Names for CKCs
- Co-laboratory, Collaboratory
- Grid Community
- e-X Community (as in e-science)
- Cyber-X Community (as in cyberscience)
- Community Gateways or Portals
- Virtual Community, Virtual Organizations, e.g.
(Inter) National Virtual Observatory
14Big Ideas
- Global cyberinfrastructure (CI) can become a
platform for routine, effective
distance-independent activities of knowledge
communities. These CI-enabled virtual communities
are becoming functionally complete. (Goal is not
to eliminate same time and place collaboration,
but rather to augment it.) - World-scale collaborative teams can be common
place. - Cyberinfrastructure offers new options for what
is done, how it is done, and who participates. - The digital library community has made large
contributions to creating this vision. - We now have the opportunity (and responsibility)
to help make it real.
15Cyberinfrastructure
16NSF Middleware Initiative
trust fabric
http//www.nsf-middleware.org/
17Core Middleware
- Identity and Identifiers namespaces, identifier
crosswalks, real world levels of assurance, etc. - Authentication campus technologies and
policies, interrealm interoperability via PKI,
Kerberos, etc. - Directories enterprise directory services
architectures and tools, standard objectclasses,
interrealm and registry services - Authorization permissions and access controls,
delegation, privacy management, etc. - Integration Activities open management tools,
application of virtual, federated and
hierarchical trust, enabling common applications
with core middleware
18Mellon Foundation Higher-Ed Open Source Projects
http//rit.mellon.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/Pubcooki
eTwiki
19Cyberinfrastructure
20Japanese Earth Simulation Center
21Top 5 Supercomputers
From http//www.top500.org/list/2003/11/
22Virginia Tech Terascale Cluster (1,100 Mac G5s)
http//computing.vt.edu/research_computing/terasca
le/
23Cyberinfrastructure
24NEESgrid Earthquake Engineering Collaboratory
U.Nevada Reno
www.neesgrid.org
25Reconstructions of Dendritic Spines by High
Performance Parallel Electron Tomography
This 3MeV Electron Microscope in Osaka Japan is
the Biggest in World
26Embedded Sensors RD and Use
Ocean Research Interactive Observatory Networks
http//www.cens.ucla.edu/index.html
National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON)
http//www.coreocean.org/Dev2Go.web?Anchororion_h
ome_pagernd17953
http//www.nsf.gov/bio/neon/start.htm
27Cyberinfrastructure
28Electronic Visualization Lab
http//www.evl.uic.edu
Tele-Immersive Collaboration in the CAVE Research
Network
29Cyberinfrastructure
30Time-Space Collaboration
Time
Different
Same
Same
Place
Different
distance matters
beyond being there
31Cyberinfrastructure
32Increased Demand for Data Curation Services
- Supercomputer simulations of complex systems
require multidisciplinary expertise,
computational models and data. - Increased power of data mining.
- Enormous data streams from smart sensor arrays.
- Data validation and metadata quality enhancement
over time.
33Information Services for CKCs
- Online access to complete credentialled, archival
literature. - Stewardship and curation services for enormous
collections of scientific data. - Digital repositories for diverse digital objects
as instructional material and works in progress. - Digitized special collections.
- More continuous (vs. batch) and open forms of
scholarly communication. - Individual and community customization
information services.
34Challenges in Digital Archiving and Long-Term
Preservation
http//www.si.umich.edu/digarch/
http//www.digitalpreservation.gov/index.php
Includes Preserving Our Digital Heritage report
Time report.
Research Issues!
35Cyberinfrastructure is a First-Class Tool for
Science
36We are at an inflection point in the curve of IT
impact...
- CKCs are being developed by science communities
not merely to do faster-better-cheaper what they
have been doing. - CKCs support doing new things, new ways.
- Long-term, billion dollar projects are being
pursued that cannot be done without advanced
cyberinfrastructure.
37The Initial Facility at Sondrestrom, Greenland
The University of Michigan Upper Atmospheric
Research Collaboratory (UARC)
38UARC Interface
computational models
Real-time instruments
dynamic work rooms
annotation
team chat
Session replay
Journals
Archival data
39Evolved into a Network of Instruments (one global
instrument)
40UARC Patterns of Communication
1998 Smithsonian Science Award
41Vignettes from UARC/SPARC
- Shared, tele-instruments expertise.
- Rapid response, opportunistic campaigns.
- Multi-eyes, complementary expertise.
- Isolated instruments became a global instrument
chain. - Cross-mentoring/training.
- New earlier opportunities/exposure for grad
students. - Enhanced participation. Legitimate peripheral
participation. - Support for authentic, inquiry-based learning at
UG and pre-college level. - Distributed workshops for post-campaign data
analysis. - Session re-play for delayed participation.
- Data-theory closure.
- A living specification to stretch vision of
possibilities.
42Potential for CKCs
- Reduced constraints of time and space Can use
all four combinations of time and place. - Enhanced sharing, re-use and multi-use of
resources. - New computationally based tools for modeling,
simulation, visualization. (third mode) - New levels of comprehensive access to archival
and real-time multimedia data, information,
knowledge - Facilitation of experiential learning
- Rapid response to the unexpected.
- Acceleration of cycles of discovery.
- Capture of process not just end results
- More open forms of publications and artifact
sharing. - New and-and organizational forms.
43Crab Nebula in 4 spectral regionsX-ray, optical,
infrared, radio
http//www.us-vo.org/
Virtual Observatory Prototype Produces Surprise
Discovery. Early demo project identifies new
brown dwarf.
http//www.us-vo.org/news/brown-dwarf.html
44CI-enabled Learning, Engagement And Research
(CLEAR)
Pasteurs Quadrant
Numerous collaboratories
Global Seminars
Increasing
CKC Movement
Openess Movement
45Creation of knowledge basic, curiosity-driven
research
Application of knowledge
Classic Research Model
46Could CKCs be the basis for new types of world
research universities (WRU)?
Something to think about.....
- Could a WRU be much more inclusive in who
participations? - Can we find new synergy between global
commonality and regional diversity (cultural)? - Could a WRU be a strategic force for social good?
- Is it worth exploring this topic further? How?
47Stakeholder Alliances Required
Borromean Rings
Creators Providers
CISE SBE RD PACIs, Res. Libs., CNI, ARL,
Educause, UCAID, IT Industry, Acad. IT Orgs.
Open Source Comm.
Three symmetric, interlocking rings, no two of
which are interlinked. Removing one destroys the
construct.
Sponsors Funding Policy
Users Transformative Application
Disciplinary and Project Groups, Universities,
NGOs, Int. Devel. BOP Projects
NSF, NIH, DoE, JISC, EU, CSIR, Mellon, Hewlett,
Kellogg, Moore, IDRC, MS-CA, State Gov.,
Universities
48Questions, Discussion