MRI: Acquisition of Thorny Flat Next Generation Cluster for High-Performance Computing in West Virginia

该项目将使西弗吉尼亚大学（WVU），西弗吉尼亚州（WV）的旗舰土地赠款大学（拥有超过31,000名学生）获得一个名为“棘手的平面”的高性能计算（HPC）集群。该项目将利用该资源支持从宇宙学到神经科学的广泛研究工作，并将该资源的利用范围扩大到系统生态学和生物识别学等非传统学科。此外，该项目的一个重要目标是在西弗吉尼亚州培养一批新的高性能计算用户，这是一个迫切需要经济多样化的地区。此外，该项目计划利用高性能计算集群建立合作关系，以扩大和转型WV经济，将重点放在高水平技术领域，这是这一弱势地区的迫切需求。具体来说，新的高性能计算集群将加速生物物理化学研究项目，对药物输送和诊断成像有影响；最先进的材料优化代码开发；以及为未来LIGO引力波观测模拟双中子星并合。此外，该资源还将促进阿巴拉契亚流域动力学、商业分析和该大学蓬勃发展的定量神经科学项目的新努力，并计划在2017年招聘六名新员工。该大学在引力波天文学、STEM教育、水安全、区域健康差距和负责任的天然气利用方面建立了卓越研究中心，正在投入新的资源来利用神经科学和网络安全方面的现有优势。高质量的基础设施的可用性，如荆棘平原，对于许多这些由35名教师与180名博士后、研究生和本科生共同领导的计算密集型工作的成功至关重要。此外，该项目致力于利用高性能计算集群为大学和全州的研究社区提供培训和支持。例如，来自不同学科的课程将利用集群作为重要的培训资源，该项目计划与每年为期一周的高性能计算暑期学院相结合，为来自全州的用户提供实践培训。此外，该项目将扩大对非传统计算领域的高性能计算资源的需求，以解决水安全、鸦片成瘾和医疗保健差距等关键大数据问题。与此同时，该项目将培养下一代HPC编码员，并通过7名女性教师导师使团队多样化。此外，基础设施的扩大和高素质HPC工作人员的发展将促进大学与地区联邦实验室以及地区工业伙伴建立更多的伙伴关系。

This project will enable West Virginia University (WVU), the flagship Land Grant University for the state of West Virginia (WV) with over 31,000 students, to acquire a High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster called Thorny Flat. The project will use the resource to support a broad spectrum of research efforts from cosmology to neuroscience, as well as expand utilization of the resource to non-traditional disciplines like systems ecology and biometrics. In addition, an important goal of the project is to nurture a cohort of new HPC users across West Virginia, a region in acute need of economic diversification. Moreover, the project plans to use the HPC cluster to establish collaborations that will serve to expand and transition the WV economy toward a focus on the high-level technology sector, a critical need in this disadvantaged region.Specifically, the new HPC cluster will accelerate research projects in biophysical chemistry studies with implications for drug delivery and diagnostic imaging; state-of-the-art code development for materials optimization; and simulations of binary neutron star mergers for future LIGO gravity wave observations. As well, the resource will catalyze new efforts in Appalachian watershed dynamics, business analytics, and the university's burgeoning quantitative neuroscience program, with six new hires planned for 2017. With established Centers of Research Excellence in gravitational wave astronomy, STEM education, water security, regional health disparities, and responsible natural gas utilization, the university is devoting new resources to leverage existing strengths in neuroscience and cybersecurity. The availability of high quality infrastructure, such as Thorny Flat, will be essential to the success of many of these computationally intense efforts, led by 35 faculty in conjunction with 180 postdocs, graduate students, and undergrads.Moreover, the project is committed to using the HPC cluster for training and support for both the university and state-wide research communities. For example, courses from a diverse set of disciplines will utilize the cluster as a vital training resource, and the project plans to integrate with an annual week-long HPC Summer Institute providing hands-on training to users from across the state. Furthermore, the project will broaden demand for HPC resources from less traditionally computational areas to address critical big data issues in water security, opiate addiction, and health care disparities. In parallel, the project will be cultivating the next generation of HPC coders and diversifying the pool with 7 female faculty mentors. In addition, the expanded infrastructure and development of a well-qualified HPC workforce will promote additional university partnerships with regional federal labs, as well as with regional industrial partners.