MRI: Acquisition of High-Resolution Visualization Instrumentation to Support Collaborative, Interdisciplinary Research and Education

许多复杂的问题很难从单个学科的范围内解决，因为它们需要许多专家的参与，每个专家都从自己独特的学科角度来看待问题，并围绕共享的数据和知识进行合作。当跨学科的工作涉及大量不同类型的数据时，理解和分析数据的宝贵方法是数据可视化。德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校(UTEP)正在获取高分辨率的协作可视化仪器，这些仪器将安装在新建的跨学科研究大楼中。该仪器将是UTEP在科学与工程融合研究方面既定努力的重要资源，例如，通过NSF资助的CREST CyberShare卓越中心和“通过机构整合进行创新”倡议。受收购仪器影响的研究将有助于NSF在量子计算、数据革命、融合研究和包括在内的十大想法。预期的结果是提高研究生产率，通过整合和操纵可视化以及检查多个视角来提供洞察力。因此，可视化仪器可以有助于提高我国在量子计算和数据分析方面的研究能力，以及与边境地区特别相关的领域，以及与服务不足的人口众多的地区相关的主题领域(例如，健康和环境、能源-水问题和边境安全)，以及其他领域，如网络安全和国防。该仪器还将提升学生研究人员的教育和培训，特别是占UTEP学生总数80%的拉丁裔学生，在国家需要的领域。研究生和参与培训和相关课程工作的学生将毕业时拥有解释、管理和可视化数据的领域专业知识和知识；在跨学科团队中工作的经验；以及使用最先进的可视化方法推进发现和产生新知识的能力。皮盖茨领导着由NSF资助的拉美裔服务机构计算联盟(CAHSI)，该联盟唯一的成员是专注于在计算领域实现拉美裔代表平等的联盟。该联盟将有助于传播和吸收其他机构参与教育和研究培训工作，并促进建立研究能力的伙伴关系。可视化仪器也将是社区的重要资产，特别是那些受到UTEP研究影响的社区，以及通过参与可视化活动来激发初中生学习STEM的外展努力。综合研究仪器由集成的子系统和由总分辨率为1.24亿像素的超高清显示器组成的可视化墙组成，这将使人们能够以前所未有的详细程度查看数据，因此将支持从各种类型的数据(结构化和非结构化的、不同种类的和不同质量的数据)中分析和发现新的见解。窗口子系统将允许研究人员输入和分析同时运行的多个数据集，并提供实时并排比较数据集的能力，而视频会议子系统将支持与远程利益相关者、政策制定者、其他学者和政治领导人的合作。该工具将创建连接数据、计算和可视化的基础设施，以促进大学内部和外部的协作。特别是，该基础设施将使研究人员能够交流不同角度的信息和知识；分析大型综合数据集；操纵现象的多维模型(例如地质结构、分子和先进材料工程)；查看将社会和自然系统组件整体结合在一起的模拟模型；查看对可能懂技术或不懂技术的利益攸关方有用和可用的数据和模型；并支持有目的的参与式研究过程，促进研究人员和利益攸关方之间的协作推理，使不同视角能够融合。凭借UTEP在机器学习、语义技术、可视化、团队科学和数据分析方面的专业知识，研究人员将能够获得加快研究进展所需的技术和必要的培训。事实上，多样化的团队努力产生了更大的科学影响、创新、生产力和覆盖范围，因为成员能够相互借鉴专业知识。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Many complex problems cannot be addressed easily from the confines of individual disciplines because they require participation of many experts, each viewing the problem from their distinctive disciplinary perspective, and collaborations around shared data and knowledge. When interdisciplinary efforts involve massive amounts of different types of data, an invaluable approach to understand and analyze data is data visualization. The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is acquiring high resolution, collaborative visualization instrumentation that will be housed in the newly constructed Interdisciplinary Research Building. The instrumentation will be a vital resource for UTEP’s established efforts in convergence research across science and engineering, e.g., through the NSF-funded CREST CyberShARE Center of Excellence and “Innovation through Institutional Integration” initiative. The research impacted by the acquired instrumentation will contribute to NSF’s Big 10 ideas in quantum computing, data revolution, convergence research, and INCLUDES. The expected outcome is increased research productivity resulting from insights afforded by the integration and manipulation of visualizations and examination of multiple perspectives. As such, the visualization instrumentation can contribute to advancement of our nation’s research capabilities in quantum computing and data analytics, as well as areas that are particularly relevant to border regions and in topical areas relevant to a region with a large under-served population (e.g., health and the environment, energy-water issues, and border security), and other areas such as cybersecurity and national defense. The instrumentation will also elevate the education and training of student researchers, in particular Latinx students who comprise 80% of UTEP’s student population, in areas of national need. Research students and those involved in training and associated coursework will graduate with domain expertise and knowledge in interpreting, managing, and visualizing data; experience in working in interdisciplinary teams; and an ability to use state-of-the-art visualization methods to advance discovery and generate new knowledge. PI Gates directs the NSF-funded Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI), the only INCLUDES Alliance focused on achieving parity in representation of Hispanics in computing. The Alliance will be instrumental in disseminating and involving other HSIs in education and research training efforts and facilitating partnerships to build research capacity. The visualization instrumentation also will be an important asset for the community, in particular those impacted by UTEP’s research, and for outreach efforts in exciting middle- and high-school students about studying STEM through engagement in visualization activities. The comprehensive research instrumentation is composed of integrated subsystems and a visualization wall composed of ultra-high-definition displays with an overall resolution of 124 megapixels that will enable viewing data at unprecedented levels of detail, and, as a result, will support analysis and discovery of new insights from various types of data (structured and unstructured, heterogeneous, and data with varying levels of quality). The windowing subsystem will allow researchers to input and analyze multiple datasets running simultaneously and provide the ability to compare datasets side-by-side in real time while a video conferencing subsystem will support collaboration with remote stakeholders, policymakers, other academics, and political leaders. The instrumentation will create the infrastructure that bridges data, computation, and visualization to grow collaborations across the university and externally. In particular, the infrastructure will provide researchers with the ability to communicate disparate perspectives of information and knowledge; analyze large, integrated data sets; manipulate multi-dimensional models of phenomena (e.g., geological structures, molecules, and advanced material engineering); view simulation models that holistically combine both social and natural system components; view data and models that are useful and usable by stakeholders who may or may not be technically savvy; and support a purposeful participatory research process that facilitates collaborative reasoning among researchers and stakeholders, enabling convergence from different perspectives. With UTEP’s expertise in machine learning, semantic technologies, visualization, team science, and data analytics, researchers will have access to technologies and the requisite training needed to accelerate advances in their research. Indeed, diverse team efforts result in greater scientific impact, innovation, productivity, and reach because of the ability of members to draw on each other’s expertise.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.