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。新的集群旨在促进六个研究项目，以及卡尔文的研究培训活动，包括一个新成立的数据科学项目。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Macalester、St.Olaf和Wheaton学院。通过支持新的研究以及加强卡尔文现有的研究和研究培训活动，该集群有望提高美国网络劳动力的技术能力，每年向数百名学生提供计算机科学、数据科学、数学、统计和科学方面的特定领域的高性能计算技能。具体地说，该集群将使以下研究成为可能：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，以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的光物理性质的新计算化学模型；提高各种经济模型的精确度；为急救人员提供3D路线系统；为国土安全人员在紧急情况下使用改进的3D狙击手视线模型；以及增强Sivvu.org，这是一项流行的计算化学技术ERFA(平衡限制因素分析)的新网络服务。此外，卡尔文学院、麦卡利斯特学院、圣奥拉夫学院和惠顿学院的教职员工和学生研究项目也将使用新的集群。此外，该集群将使卡尔文大学开设新的数据科学和统计学学位课程。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，该群集还将增强现有课程，例如CS 374，这是一门高性能计算(HPC)课程，学生将使用该群集学习如何使用MPI、OpenMP、CUDA和类似的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.