EAGER Cloud-Ecosystem in Box (CEB)

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA

Investigators

Abstract

Contemporary scientific discovery depends upon easy access to data, and associated sophisticated tools and applications, to enable consequential research and education. Researchers who once worked in local, isolated laboratories now routinely collaborate on a global scale. Technological advances in data analysis techniques and cloud computing have enabled numerous science research communities to advance and accelerate scientific discovery. The Cloud-Ecosystem in a Box (CEB) project creates a community of practice among minority serving institutions. CEB assists in training investigators and students in diverse communities to migrate their scientific research activities to both National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported experimental cloud computing research testbeds, and to private sector cloud computing systems. This project will train diverse communities in rich and complex emerging sources of data and new advances in data analysis techniques, expanding the nation's information technology workforce. CEB will develop a collaborative community, initially composed of 10 institutions, which will generate conceptual and methodological innovations in cloud computing research leveraging NSF funded cloud and industry ecosystems. The activity will also create a means of: 1) enabling and fostering innovative change within cloud computing training; 2) sharing knowledge and resources as innovation takes place; 3) enabling heightened outreach to diverse communities to build a vibrant pipeline for students aspiring to enter information technology professions; and 4) strengthen the ability to evaluate new research strategies leveraging these resources. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.