This grant is to fund the acquisition of a linux cluster to be used for interdisciplinary research and teaching activities across two colleges at Marquette University. The system is a cost-effective, distributed memory 64-bit parallel computer consisting of 48 nodes inter-connected by Gigabit networking. It will be a significant increase in the computing power currently in place within the Colleges of Engineering and Arts & Sciences, allowing a number of important cross-disciplinary topics to be investigated, including both fundamental and applied studies. Examples include: homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion, hydrodynamic stability and shock physics, biomedical transport phenomena, stratospheric ozone formation, and electric motor drive fault characterization and prediction. Future topics may also include extreme loading of large structural systems (e.g. earthquakes), antibiotic effects on ribosomal protein synthesis, transport in fuel cells, molecular quantum computers, bioinformatics, atmospheric fluid dynamics, force guided automated assembly and burst processes in cylinder-cylinder intersections. In addition to these research activities, this machine will be used as an integral component for several graduate and undergraduate courses, as well as for teaching and training students in areas such as scientific/high-performance computing, cluster management/operation, and parallel/distributed programming. The system will also be used as a recruiting tool for area middle and high school students, and use of the system will be offered to student organizations such as SWE, NSBE and SHPE to enrich their educational experience.
