Massively Parallel Platform for the Center of Computational Materials Theory

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This award from the Major Research Instrumentation Program will allow California State University Northridge to expand and strengthen the computational facilities at the Computational Materials Theory Center at California State University Northridge. The general goals of the Center are: (1) To conduct fundamental and applied research that enhances our knowledge in materials properties and processing through theory, modeling, simulation, visualization and computation; (2) To educate and train students through a program of studies and research activities on current and future materials-related technological challenges; and (3) To stimulate and develop strong industrial-university-national laboratory partnerships in materials research. The research programs include the electronic and mechanical properties of metals and intermetallics, the properties of strongly correlated electrons, the Quantum Hall effect and high temperature superconductivity, the optical and magneto-optical properties of materials, catalysis, and the Quantum Hall effect, the optical and magneto-optical properties of materials, catalysis, and magnetic and electronic properties of nanostructure materials in general. The award will provide a parallel computing paradigm capability allowing the center (1) to treat large numbers of atoms ab initio electronic structure codes, (2) to sample a larger number of configurations in Monte Carlo simulations and (3) to decrease the time steps in molecular dynamics simulations. The Center comprises of faculty, postdoctoral fellows, visiting scientists and students.This award from the Major Research Instrumentation Program will allow California State Northridge to enhance the parallel computing capability at the Computational Materials Theory Center at California State University Northridge. This award will be leveraged substantially using funds from other federal agencies. The resulting massively parallel platform state-of-the-art facility will allow enhanced capability to investigate problems that are beyond current capabilities at the institution, such as bridging different length scales, increasing the configuration space in Monte Carlo simulations, and decreasing the time scale in molecular dynamics simulations. The facility will train students, including underrepresented minority students, and educate them in materials related technological challenges of the next century. The University was ranked first among master's degree-granting institutions in the number of baccalaureate graduates who went on to complete the Ph.D. in science and engineering fields.