MRI: Acquisition of Equipment to Establish a Distributed Intelligent Agent Systems Infrastructure for Research and Education at Trinity University

Trinity University, San Antonio TX

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal #: CNS 08-21585 PI(s): Zhang, Yu Drennon, Christine; Lewis, Mark C.; Massingill, Berna Institution: Trinity University San Antonio, TX 78212-7200 Title: MRI/Acq.: Equipment to Establish a Distributed Intelligent Agent Systems Infrastrcuture for Research and Education Project Proposed: This project, acquiring a computing cluster, a file serve, workstations, and a geographic information systems (GIS) server for the Distributed Intelligent Agent system (DIAS) Lab, enables multi-agent simulation of social systems research and education. Aiming to serve as a national model for undergraduate research in multi-agent systems (MAS) and related fields, the following projects will be conducted: - Cognitive Agents for Social Environments (CASE), - Multi-Agent Simulation for Social Agents (MASSA), - High Performance Computing in Parallel and Distributed Multi-Agent Systems, and - Enabling Multidisciplinary Applications. The former captures the force that makes society and agents evolve as well as the highly cognitive decision-making process for an individual agent that sometimes follows intuitions and bounded rationality. The second provides various services such as representation and visualization of large sets of data of varying types. A multi-agent simulation, called MASSA for the CASE system will also be developed. The third involves the design of load balancing and communication schemes to spread work efficiently among multiple computers, processors, and hard disks. The latter utilizes CASE and MASSA to explore multidisciplinary applications that include urban dynamics, GIS, multi-scale interaction, emergent behaviors, pattern formation, self-organization, and others. This work fosters collaboration of various fields: computer science, sociology, economics, neuroscience, and engineering. Broader Impacts: This project ushers opportunities for undergraduate research, curriculum and course development, recruitment of underrepresented and female students, and local economy. The institution has developed approaches to engage and retain students early on in their studies. The instrumentation strengthens this effort. Revamping the curriculum a senior capstone course on multi-agent systems and a First-Year Seminar course for non-CS students will be created. The institution was awarded a McNair Scholars Program to establish support for first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented minority students. Impact will be felt in the local economy by furthering a partnership with the County and the City to utilize the infrastructure as a tool for understanding urban dynamics.