Improving Connectivity between the University of Vermont and the Vermont State Colleges for STEM Research and Education

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AbstractProposal Number: EPS-1107945Proposal Title: Improving Connectivity between the University of Vermont and the Vermont State Colleges for STEM Research and EducationInstitution: University of Vermont & State Agricultural CollegeProject Director: Judith Van HoutenProject DescriptionThis RII Inter-Campus and Intra-Campus Cyber Connectivity (RII C2) proposal from Vermont (VT) EPSCoR is focused on improving the inter-campus connections from the University of Vermont (UVM) to the Vermont State College (VSC) network at their Waterbury headquarters in order to support research and cyber-enabled science education and collaboration. This work strongly complements the previously funded RII Track-2 networking support, which has enabled a 6x10 Gbps connection between UVM and Internet2?s network backbone.The proposed improvements include:- A 10-year Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU) for 10Gbps service between UVM and the VSC Waterbury hub, through which the schools that are connected include 12 campuses of the Community College of Vermont (CCV), 4 campuses of the Vermont Technical College, and 3 colleges that are part of the State College system, collectively referred to as the VSC. This upgrade will enable VSC students and faculty to more fully participate in collaborative research with UVM scientists and educators.- An upgrade for the VT EPSCoR Research Center adjacent to the campus from a 2 Mbps connection to Internet2 to a direct 1Gbps to the UVM main campus. This will support the RII Track-1 and Track-2 researchers and the Center for Workforce Development and Diversity (CWDD).Intellectual Merit The proposed upgrades in network connections will greatly improve the capacity of VSC faculty to carry out research. At Lyndon State College (LSC), the meteorologists will be able to reach research sites in real time, which currently is not possible. At Johnson State College (JSC), researchers carrying out a funded metagenomic project of microorganisms at an asbestos superfund site will be able to transfer data by the Internet instead of mailing hard drives to UVM. Metagenomics researchers at JSC and bioinformaticians and water specialists at UVM will be able to more successfully collaborate through better video conferencing. Video conferencing will also be used by other VT EPSCoR researchers working with JSC faculty members who provide RII Track-1 watershed research data on bacterial ribotypes and water analyses. The proposed connection will also allow the EPSCoR Research Center RII Track-1 and Track-2 personnel to use UVM?s compute services and better access networked data resources throughout the country. The described approach is strongly complementary to the State Science and Technology (S&T) plan and leverages other funded networking projects, including those from NSF, the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), USDA, and the Gates Foundation.Broader Impact The proposed activity will promote teaching, training, and learning through investments in cyberinfrastructure and staff to assist in the use of the upgraded infrastructure. The proposed project will support a cyber-knowledgeable Campus Champion, similar to those funded through the NSF TeraGrid project, who will assist in the data-intensive applied bioinformatics course to be organized at JSC and offered VSC-wide. The networking is also being upgraded to the EPSCoR Research Center, which houses RII Track-1 and Track-2 researchers as well as the CWDD. The CWDD is a new VT EPSCoR entity that oversees the Streams Project and coordinates overall integration of research with workforce development and diversity efforts as part of the RII Track-1 project, which focuses on the Lake Champlain basin. The project proposal includes a plan to use kiosks for external outreach to schools and museums. The diversity plan focuses on attracting underrepresented minorities to STEM through the VSC schools as well as work with the Abenaki Indian Nation.