Prairie Light: Next Generation Networking for Mid-continent Science

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Proposal Number: EPS -1006860Proposal Title: Prairie Light: Next Generation Networking for Mid-continent ScienceInstitution: University of Kansas Center for Research Inc.This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009(Public Law 111-5).The Kansas Research Infrastructure Improvement Inter-Campus and Intra-Campus Cyber Connectivity project will increase the backbone bandwidth, reliability, and redundancy of the internet connectivity across Kansas. The institutions that will directly benefit include universities, 2- and 4-year colleges, school districts, libraries, hospitals, and museums that are engaged in informal science and technology education. The increased cyber capability provided by this project will facilitate multi-institutional research and research training collaborations and virtual organizations. Emerging cyberinfrastructure initiatives such as remote instrumentation, statewide and regional computing and storage grids, shared real-time sensor data and telepresence activities will be strengthened by this project. Intellectual MeritThe research and education initiatives that will be facilitated by this award are in the areas of ecological forecasting, climate change, and renewable energy sources. Ecological forecasting models are being developed through collaborations among researchers in Kansas and Oklahoma. The proposed upgrades would enable better communication among the researchers in sharing the data from different environmental sensing stations. Climate change studies include social, natural, and physical scientists and engineers from universities in Kansas. The work involves developing new model systems for understanding and predicting climate change scenarios using state-of-the-art modeling techniques that include climate and human variables. Renewable energy research focuses on efficient conversion of solar energy. Nanotechnology based solar energy conversion devices fabricated at different sites would be characterized through remote, interactive sharing of research equipment by collaborating universities. Broader ImpactsThe enhancements to cyber connectivity will positively impact research, research training and education and facilitate interactions among a broad range of educational institutions in Kansas. This project is well aligned with the state interests in climate change and renewable energy issues. The Kansas Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research will be strengthened by the cyberinfrastructure investments. The project activities will train the next generation of network professionals and increase participation by Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics and women in STEM disciplines. The outreach activities will reach beyond the academic sector to public and private sector stakeholders.