Florida Atlantic University (FAU) is planning to join the existing Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) entitled "Center for Advanced Knowledge Enablement" (CAKE) which was established as a single-university Center in 2008 at Florida International University (FIU).
CAKE conducts research in performance studies, benchmark evaluations, and the application of novel algorithms, routines, data models, network analyses and software tools to large-scale data sets. The goal of the FAU site is to provide the synergy to the Center, include additional industry partners, and provide collaboration between FIU and FAU researchers, and industry partners. The FAU faculty of the proposed I/UCRC site will carry out research in existing and new technologies for various Web-based applications, video compression and communication, video transcoding systems and servers, next generation of hardware/software development techniques and tools for mobile devices, and RFID-based automation systems. The research plans at the FAU site are well laid out and promise high likelihood of success.
The activities proposed have a wide ranging impact on the industry for improved application of data management and access. The addition of FAU as a research site helps the Center expand the interaction of researchers, students, and industry members beyond one university, and broadens participation of underrepresented groups in several ways. FAU plans to expand opportunities of mentoring and graduating computer scientists from under-represented populations at the BS, MS, and PhD levels, and will extensively involve female students via its faculty affiliation with the FAU's Women in Computer Science student organization. FAU also plans to include other US universities and international collaboration in the framework of the Latin American Grid Project, an existing NSF PIRE project, and other collaborations with European, South American, and Asian universities.
