Central Computer Network at the University of Montana Field Research Station at Fort Missoula

该合同将为一个核心计算机网络提供资金，该计算机网络将作为位于米苏拉堡的蒙大拿大学新的野外研究站的“中枢神经系统”。空间站位于100公顷的土地上，距离大学主校区约15分钟车程，将在现有的大学研究设施和较低48个州的大学周围最大的荒野之间架起一座桥梁。该设施目前缺乏计算机，因此不能完全发挥作用。借助该合同建立的计算机网络由一个中央高功率高速服务器组成，该服务器将在外地设施运行局域网，并允许备份和存储大型数据文件。这台中央计算机将连接到一个工作站网络，允许不同的用户同时收集、存储、检索和分析海量数据集。第二台计算机服务器将允许世界各地的研究人员访问有关北美鸟类的分布、筑巢栖息地和繁殖成功的几个数据集。这些数据库是世界上最大和最重要的此类信息来源之一。主要研究人员对鸟类生物学有共同的兴趣，他们的研究项目跨越了一系列不同的学科，包括行为学、飞行生物力学、生活史战略、群落生态学、生理学、通信和信号以及保护生物学。除了显著加强这些研究人员的研究外，计算机网络还将允许在涉及动物设计、生活史和行为活动模式的广泛问题上进行史无前例的、创新的、多学科的合作。此外，这一设施和相关教员预计将成为吸引休假教授、暑期研究人员、博士后助理和优秀研究生的磁石。计算机网络和相关的研究设施还将加强教师、私营行业和政府组织之间已经存在的合作，以及广泛的社区推广计划，并发展与地区K-12科学教师的教育合作。在将用这些资金购买的设备的帮助下，实地研究站将完全纳入蒙大拿大学的教育优先事项，以提供学生指导的研究机会。

This award will provide funding for a core computer network that will serve as the "central nervous system" for the new Field Research Station of The University of Montana located at Fort Missoula. The station is located on 100 hectares of land about 15 minutes away from the main University campus, and will provide a bridge between the existing University research facilities and the largest expanse of wilderness surrounding any university in the lower 48 states. The facility currently lacks computers, and thus is not fully functional. The computer network to be established with the aid of this award consists of a central high-power and high-speed server, which will run a local area network (LAN) at the field facility, and allow backup and storage of large data files. This central computer will be linked to a network of workstations that will allow different users to simultaneously collect, store, retrieve, and analyze massive data sets. A second computer server will allow researchers throughout the world access to several data sets on the distribution, nesting habitat, and reproductive success of birds in North America. These databases are among the largest and most important sources of such information in the world. The principal investigators share interests in avian biology, and their research programs span a diverse set of disciplines that includes behavior, flight biomechanics, life history strategy, community ecology, physiology, communication and signaling, and conservation biology. In addition to significantly enhancing these investigators' research, the computer network will allow unprecedented, innovative, multi-disciplinary collaborations on a wide range of questions pertaining generally to animal design, life history, and behavioral activity patterns. Moreover, this facility and associated faculty is expected to serve as a magnet for attracting sabbatical professorships, summer researchers, post-doctoral associates, and outstanding graduate students. The computer network and associated research facility will also enhance the already existing collaborations between the faculty, private industry and governmental organizations, as well as broad community outreach programs and developing educational collaborations with regional K- 12 science teachers. With the aid of the equipment to be purchase with these funds, the Field Research Station will be fully integrated into the University of Montana's educational priorities to provide student-directed research opportunities.