CC* Network Design: Network Infrastructure for Improved Student Engagement in Science Discovery and Innovation

Depauw University, Greencastle IN

Investigators

Abstract

DePauw University has a strong history of undergraduate participation in science research and education through its rich science curriculum, experiential programs in science and technology, high-impact teaching practices, and nationally recognized teaching and mentoring. DePauw graduates in science, technology, and mathematics are well-prepared to successfully enter graduate school and careers, many receiving prestigious postgraduate scholarships or fellowships. This project improves DePauw's cyberinfrastructure and internet connectivity in three areas to reduce limitations that hinder effective data exchange and use of remote applications in the process of scientific discovery and education, by increasing the campus connection to national research networks through Indiana's regional network provider, ILight, from 1Gpbs to 10Gbps; creating internet redundancy via a secondary fiber optic link to I-Light; and implementing a re-architected network border prioritizing science data flows with high performance data transfer and PerfSonar nodes. These improvements address immediate research needs for DePauw projects in computer science, biology, and chemistry that are improving understanding of tools for developing interactive documents that blend text and data-driven arguments, adding to general understanding of heart regeneration with the potential to influence treatments for heart-attacks, helping the scientific community better understand how cutting-edge DNA sequencing technology can help patients with rare genetic diseases, and supporting women computer science students to persist in computational fields by decreasing feelings of isolation through online interaction with mentors and role models. Further, these improve access to national research networks and resources that enables DePauw to expose a greater number of undergraduate students to participation in innovative science research and discovery.