9224741 Livny This is the first year funding of a three-year continuing award. Over the last decade, a dramatic increase has been observed in the ability of individual experimental scientists to generate and store data. This increase has not been matched by an equivalent development of adequate data management tools. The goal of this project is to develop an Experiment Management System (EMS) that meets the needs of experimental scientists from a wide range of disciplines. Located on the scientist's desk, the EMS serves as the sole interface between the scientist and the data. Throughout the life cycle of an experimental study, the EMS can be used to design the study, order experiments, manage the generated data, and analyze the results. Graphical user interfaces and integration of database systems with experimentation environments are the fundamental database research challenges addressed by this project. While the EMS under development is generic in many aspects, specific emphasis is given to the special requirements of a plant growth simulation environment, an Integrated Microscopy Resource, and a simulation laboratory. Once placed on the desk of scientists who use these experimental environments, the new data management technology encapsulated in the EMS will improve scientists productivity and establish a new paradigm in managing experimental studies. ***
