REU Site: Cyberinfrastructure (CI) Research 4 Social Change

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

The world is increasingly more dependent on computational power, augmented by larger and larger networks of sensors and instruments. To fuel innovation across multiple disciplines, advanced computing (data, high performance computing, analytics) is required to keep pace with and accelerate the rate of scientific discoveries. In response to the National Science Foundation's mission to promote the progress of science; advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; and secure the national defense, the Cyberinfrastructure (CI) Research 4 Social Change REU project is actively engaging ten undergraduate students each summer for nine-weeks in solving real-world problems of national relevance, teaching them to not only be critical thinkers, but to be creative and reflective as well. The REU project is preparing the future scientific workforce to use advanced CI resources, thus building capacity in research areas that support major advances in understanding across a broad range of societal challenges. Students have a strong desire to have an impact in their communities, a strong desire to have a sense of belonging, and a strong desire to be materially part of something larger than themselves. Connecting social change principals to real-world problem solving is key to long-term success for recruiting and retaining underrepresented communities to computational fields and for preparing students to leverage the national CI. The REU aims to meet three objectives: (1) train students to use the national CI by integrating learning of computational science, data-enabled science and multi-disciplinary science in preparation for graduate programs and the workforce; (2) train students to apply advanced computational skills, critical thinking, and creativity to address problems relevant to society; and (3) increase the number of diverse and computationally competent students in the STEM pipeline. The enriching and transformative experience at a world-class supercomputing center includes: training in High Performance Computing (HPC), visualization, and data intensive computing; mentoring by The University of Texas (UT) at Austin researchers; social and team-building activities on the UT Austin campus; professional development and graduate school preparation; and leadership development and opportunities to develop and enhance communication skills. Research projects emphasize advanced computing as a tool to power discoveries that will impact social change for future generations. Using the CI, students conduct cutting-edge research in engineering, science, and computational medicine: helping automate processes in support of cleaner energy sources for production of biofuel; enhancing research resources for modeling/prediction of porous material properties in fields of petroleum, civil and environmental engineering as well as geology; using data science and visualization to illustrate interfaces between science, traditional culture, and pressing societal problems in the Pacific region; developing and analyzing numerical algorithms for multiphysics, multiscale flow and transport problems in storm surge, tides, and coastal circulation; and developing and analyzing machine learning algorithms for individualized medicine. The REU recruits at least 50% underrepresented students. Targeted recruitment also includes women, first-generation college students, and majority students from institutions with limited research opportunities, including Minority-Serving Institutions. 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.