9724237 Wilhelms, Jane University of California, Santa Cruz Acquisition of a UCSC Scientific Visualization Laboratory The University of California, Sanat Cruz (UCSC) will be acquiring a high-speed multi-processor graphics system with associated large disk array, video equipment for high-quality illustration, and a virtual workbench for large stereo display to support research in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science and engineering, earth science, ocean science, physics, and science communication. This facility will support the development of new scientific visualization techniques to speed up visualization, to analyze validity and usefulness of final images, to compare formally alternative visualization methods, to represent data uncertainty, and to explore physically justified data-interpolation methods. Collaborative and remote visualization systems will be developed, along with appropriate user interfaces. The equipment will be available to graduate students and undergraduate students working on research in computer science and the natural sciences. An existing teaching laboratory will be connected to the scientific visualization laboratory for classes and laboratories. USCS has experience in outreach to the larger public audience through film and TV documentaries using computer visualizations of simulations and data. The scientific visualization equipment will enhance these existing efforts.
