Project Director: Sara J. Graves
This proposal will be awarded using funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
This Inter-campus and Intra-campus Cyber Connectivity (RII C2) project would further the goals of ConnectingAlabama and would support upgrades to existing networks as well as the development of new cyber connectivity components to better realize research potential and improve competitiveness within the state. Specific RII C2 objectives are: Establish the ALEPSCoR RII-Industry State Nano-Bio-Sensors Database Initiative to connect the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology (HudsonAlpha), Alabama A & M University (AAMU) and Alabama State University (ASU) via dark fiber to the Alabama Research and Education Network (AREN) backbone for improved connectivity with schools throughout the state and to national and international research and education networks.
Establish Interactive Digital Centers at the EPSCoR RII Track-1 research Centers of Excellence to improve computational modeling capabilities, facilitate dissemination of research results, support remote Center-related virtual seminars and classes to enable non-local students to participate, allow remote access to Center instrumentation for long-distance education and research, and promote the Centers to attract the best and brightest students to Alabama for Center-related research. The proposed upgrades to the video-conferencing services and desktop video¬conferencing services seek to broaden participation with other universities, government laboratories, and high technology companies.
Intellectual Merit Enhanced broadband access to AREN would permit creation of the ALEPSCoR RII Industry State Nano-Bio-Sensors Database Initiative (ISDI), a formal structure for scientific collaboration between Hudson Alpha (a biotechnology company resulting from prior RII funding (EPS-0447675) and the four RII research Centers of Excellence of Alabama?s current RII Track-1 (EPS-0814131). The Centers and a brief description of their mission are: 1) The Center for Environmental and Cellular Signal Transduction (CECST) is identifying mechanisms of adaptation to natural and manmade environmental challenges and enabling development and testing of nanomaterials and devices; 2) The Center for Optical Sensors and Spectroscopy (COSS) is developing new optical and molecular sensing technologies for applications in environmental monitoring, counter-terrorism, and industrial process control; 3) The Alabama Center for Nanostructural Materials (ACNM) is developing new materials with enhanced thermal, physical, mechanical, and biodegradable properties; and 4) The Center for Interdisciplinary Discovery and Engineering (CIDEN) is applying cutting-edge nanoengineering to develop molecular sensors, regimented nanomaterials and nanostructures. The collaborative ISDI will expand and accelerate existing EPSCoR RII research areas of: Cancer, Genomics (DNA), and Scientific Nano-Bio Interface, e.g., improved DNA analysis through use of nanoscale grated biosensor chips; Homeland Defense, e.g., residual effects in water and wastewater of emerging prion contaminants, environmental impacts of byproducts from sustainable energy sources; and Advanced Materials and Nanocomposites, e.g., green bioproduct pharmaceutical delivery systems, and diet and environmental causes of cardiovascular disease. Connectivity enhancements will facilitate strategic planning and assessment; new project stimulation; rapid transfer, sharing, and analysis of data; real-time, remote participation in experiments; and delivery of courses, lectures, and demonstrations to distributed audiences.
Broader Impacts Interactive Digital Centers (IDC) at RII centers would disseminate the latest center research advances and results more effectively, facilitate remote center-related virtual seminars and classes to enable non-local students to participate, allow remote access to center instrumentation for education and research, and promote the centers to attract the best students to Alabama for related research. Upgrades to videoconferencing services would broaden participation of universities, community colleges, government laboratories, and high technology companies.
NSF EPSCoR C2 "Alabama Cyber Connections in Nanotechnology, Bioscience and Sensors" Broadband access and cyber connectivity are fundamental requirements for leading-edge collaborative research, education, workforce development and competitiveness in all areas of research and education. The NSF Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Connectivity Inter-Campus and Intra-Campus Cyber Connectivity (C2) program, "Alabama Cyber Connections in Nanotechnology, Bioscience and Sensors" supports Alabama research and education efforts in nanotechnology, bioscience and sensors for Alabama universities and community colleges by strengthening research and education through investments in advanced broadband networks and cyberinfrastructure tools and technologies. The C2 program is a multi-institutional effort bringing together individuals with diverse areas of expertise including scientists in the fields of bioscience, nanotechnology and information science. Dr. Sara J. Graves, Director of the Information Technology and Systems Center (ITSC) at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) led the collaborative effort with researchers and partners from the University of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Alabama A & M University, Tuskegee University, Auburn University, Alabama State University, Central Alabama Community College (CACC), and the Alabama Supercomputer Authority. Alabama’s Science and Technology plan recognizes the emerging, interdisciplinary fields of nanotechnology and bioscience as areas ripe for development and economic growth. New equipment was implemented at UAB, Tuskegee, UAH and Auburn to provide remote access to instrumentation, enable more effective collaboration and support the rapid transfer, sharing, and analysis of data. The infrastructure improvements enabled through the C2 program builds upon previous efforts to reach a broader community for education, enhances research collaborations and trains a new generation of science and technology students in the fields of nanotechnology, bioscience, and related sensor technology. The Interactive Digital Centers (IDCs) in nanotechnology, bioscience and sensors serves to improve computational modeling capabilities, support remote virtual seminars and classes enabling non-local student participation, and promote activities to help attract the best and brightest students to Alabama for research and education. The IDCs help to disseminate the latest research advances and results more effectively, allow remote access to instrumentation for education and research, and help attract the best students to Alabama universities for related research. High-performance network connections for Alabama A & M University (AAMU), Alabama State University (ASU) and the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology (HudsonAlpha) to the Alabama Research and Education Network (AREN) were implemented to provide improved connectivity with schools throughout the state and to national and international research and education networks. This connectivity also permits scientific collaboration between HudsonAlpha and Alabama research centers in biotechnology, nanotechnology and sensors. HudsonAlpha, a biotechnology company created with prior NSF RII funding, collaborates with Alabama researchers in many areas of genomics-based research and also provides resources for next generation biotech research and education. AREN, which provides internet access for Alabama four-year universities, two-year colleges, and K-12 schools and libraries, is operated by the Alabama Supercomputer Authority. Enhanced broadband access to AREN permits creation of the Nano-Bio-Sensors Database Initiative (ISDI) for scientific collaboration between HudsonAlpha and participating educational institutions. The initiative expands and accelerates existing research in the areas of cancer; genomics; scientific nano-bio interfaces such as improved DNA analysis through use of nanoscale grated biosensor chips; homeland defense applications such as residual effects in water and wastewater of emerging prion contaminants; environmental impacts of byproducts from sustainable energy sources; advanced materials and nanocomposites such as green bioproduct pharmaceutical delivery systems; and diet and environmental causes of cardiovascular disease. Central Alabama Community College implemented CACCnet to provide free Wi-Fi access for students and the general while on any CACC campus. The improved connectivity has enabled the creation of the Nano-Bio Data Utilization and 3D Visualization (NBDV) Program and provides increased opportunities for training and participation in advanced simulation and modeling using visualization. Connectivity enhancements are strengthening efforts in strategic planning and assessment; new project stimulation; the rapid transfer, sharing, and analysis of data; real-time, remote participation in experiments and delivery of courses, lectures, and demonstrations to distributed audiences. Together, these new capabilities help to broaden participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), attract the best and brightest students, spur economic development, provide new opportunities for workforce development in Alabama, and allows Alabama institutions to compete for funding more effectively.
