CRI: CRD Acquisition of a High-Performance Shared-Memory Computer for Biological and Medical Research in South Carolina

University South Carolina Research Foundation, Columbia SC

Investigators

Abstract

In previous decades, computational science has enabled important discoveries. It plays an increasingly important role in many challenging problems in science and engineering. At the University of South Carolina, Clemson, Medical University of South Carolina, and other universities in the state, there exists a diverse group of researchers engaged in computationally intensive advanced research projects in biology, chemistry, medical imaging, nanotechnology, and computer science. These projects depend not only on the development of new sets of theories and algorithms, but also require the availability of state-of-the-art high performance computing facilities. The acquisition of a high-performance shared-memory computer is proposed as a means of improving the research and educational infrastructure of high performance computing at the University of South Carolina. This computer will be operated and maintained by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of South Carolina. In addition to supporting the projects detailed here, this machine will be made available to researchers in other South Carolina institutes whose research interests deal with biological and medical problems. The proposed shared-memory computer will greatly enhance the computational capabilities of multiple research groups by enabling them to tackle new and more challenging problems, particularly in biological and medical related areas. It will also substantially improve graduate and undergraduate training in the area of high performance computing by providing new research opportunities for students. This computer will also serve as a state-wide resource for researchers in institutes across the state of South Carolina. This computer will provide resources to advance research in the areas of bioinformatics, computational biology, medical research and nanotechnology. By providing a community computing resource, it will also help catalyze further collaborations among researchers who share common interests in South Carolina. This shared-memory machine will also be available to educators in many departments at the University of South Carolina. Education in computational science and high performance computing will be closely integrated with research in several areas (biology, medical imaging, chemical engineering, etc) to take advantage of the equipment. With this new addition to our modest existing computational facilities, students will be afforded significantly better access to the newest high-performance technologies.