NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute for FY 2012 in New Zealand

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This action funds Nicholas Ryan Hill of the University of Wisconsin-Madison to conduct a research project, entitled "Improving Identification Methods of Pulsating Star Properties," during the summer of 2012 at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. The host scientist is Dr. Karen Pollard.The Intellectual Merit of the research project lies in using a graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated spectral synthesis computer code to study non-radially pulsating stars. To identify properties and pulsation modes of these stars, scientists must generate synthetic spectra to compare to the spectra of an observed star. Since the synthesis is computationally expensive, only limited amounts of spectral data can currently be analyzed. GPU acceleration of this task will thus allow scientists to study more of these stars to better understand their environments and evolution.Broader Impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Additionally, the GPU spectral synthesis code developed during this research project will be made openly available for others to use in their work.