9353225 Blackmon This project extends the highly successful Affiliates program at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications to include educational affiliates. The program is essentially underway and includes well over one-hundred institutions nationwide. These institutions designate a representative who interfaces with NCSA for support and resources. Under this project, the program is extended to educational organizations. The initial four Educational Affiliates would be the Montana State Mathematics Network, the Texas Education Agency, the Kansas ShareNet and one school system. Through working with these organization, NCSA will learn what types of supports are necessary for educational institutions using technology. The goals of the program are to insure computer literacy and integration of networking and visualization into normal school activities, to improve science and mathematics education for all students, and to provide opportunities for interested students and teachers to engage in special research or exploration projects using HPCC technology. The project provides local first level awareness; integrates this support with regular activities available for teachers, students and schools; and creates a mechanism for additional activities. The cost sharing includes salaries of the Principal Investigators, the space, access to NCSA responses, and space/staff for workshops, institutes and seminars. It is estimated at 20%
