MRI: Acquisition of a Multidisciplinary Beowulf Cluster

该项目将用更新、更灵活的集群取代卡尔文学院老化的计算集群，以进行多学科研究。新集群旨在促进卡尔文的六个研究项目以及研究培训活动，包括新生的数据科学项目。 该资源还将提供灵活性，以支持当地校园以外的研究活动，特别是在马卡莱斯特学院、圣奥拉夫学院和惠顿学院。 通过启用新的以及增强卡尔文现有的研究和研究培训活动，该集群预计将每年为数百名学生提供计算机科学、数据科学、数学、统计和科学领域特定领域的高性能计算技能，从而提高美国网络劳动力的技术能力。具体而言，该集群将支持以下方面的研究：线程安全图形库（TSGL），用于创建并行算法的实时可视化；基于代理的经济模型，用于评估从不可再生能源向可再生能源过渡期间不同政策的影响；用于探索常见香豆素光物理性质的新计算化学模型；各种经济模型的准确性；用于急救人员的 3D 路由系统以及国土安全人员在紧急情况下使用的改进的 3D 狙击视线模型；并增强 Sivvu.org，这是一种针对 ERFA（平衡限制因子分析）（一种流行的计算化学技术）的新网络服务。 此外，卡尔文学院、麦卡莱斯特学院、圣奥拉夫学院和惠顿学院的教师和学生研究项目也将使用新集群。此外，该集群还将为卡尔文学院提供数据科学和统计学方面的新学位课程。这些项目的学生将使用新的集群来存储和处理大型数据集。 此外，该集群还将增强现有课程，例如 CS 374，这是一门高性能计算 (HPC) 课程，学生将使用该集群来学习使用 MPI、OpenMP、CUDA 和类似 HPC 工具进行编程。

This project will replace Calvin College's aging computational cluster with a newer, more flexible cluster for multidisciplinary research. The new cluster is designed to facilitate six research projects, as well as research training activities at Calvin, including a nascent Data Science program. The resource will also offer the flexibility to support research activities beyond the local campus, specifically at Macalester, St. Olaf, and Wheaton Colleges. By enabling new, as well as enhancing existing research and research training activities at Calvin, the cluster is expected to improve the technological capabilities of the United States cyber-workforce by equipping hundreds of students each year with domain-specific high-performance computing skills in computer science, data science, mathematics, statistics, and the sciences.Specifically, the cluster will enable research in: a thread safe graphics library (TSGL), used to create real-time visualizations of parallel algorithms; an agent-based economic model to evaluate the effects of different policies during transitions from non-renewable to renewable energy sources; new computational chemistry models used to explore the photophysical properties of common coumarins; accuracies of various economic models; 3D routing systems for first-responders and improved 3D sniper-line-of-sight models used by homeland security personnel in emergency situations; and enhancing Sivvu.org, a new web service for ERFA (Equilibrium Restricted Factor Analysis), a popular computational chemistry technique. In addition, faculty and student research projects at Calvin, Macalester, St Olaf, and Wheaton colleges will also use the new cluster.Furthermore the cluster will enable new degree programs in Data Science and Statistics at Calvin. Students in these programs will use the new cluster to store and process large data sets. Additionally, the cluster will enhance existing courses, such as CS 374, a course in High Performance Computing (HPC) where students will use the cluster to learn to program with MPI, OpenMP, CUDA, and similar HPC tools.