This is exciting news for the scores of faculty and students who depend on the center to conduct research. Since 2001, the center has enabled more than 1,400 faculty and students to conduct essential research. With more than 200 research user accounts added in 2009, the supercomputing project is supporting $13.5 million in active federal research grants and contracts at four institutions of higher learning, for a 17-to-1 return on investment.
The upgrade to Sequoia, a multicore SGI computer cluster, was possible thanks to a National Science Foundation grant, one of six five-year, multimillion-dollar Research Infrastructure Improvement grants awarded to Mississippi’s public universities this year.
“Big computers are my research lab,” said Gregory Tschumper, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry who serves as the primary investigator and project director at UM. “Having MCSR here allows me to do research that’s competitive with any other in the nation and the world. Without its resources, it would be difficult to compete with other institutions in the region.”
Tschumper isn’t the only researcher who depends heavily upon the center.
“Ninety-six university courses at six IHLs benefiting approximately 1,500 students have used MCSR resources,” said Jason Hale, interim director of the center. “Hundreds more receive extracurricular computational training from MCSR each year to develop more of the skills they need to be industry-ready on graduation day.”
MCSR has “efficiently” supported the many research projects and educational activities of the computationally oriented Jackson State University faculty and students, said Jerzy Leszczynski, professor and Presidential Distinguished Fellow of computational quantum chemistry at JSU.
As a recent example of an MCSR/JSU collaboration, last summer MSCR hosted a two-day mini-camp for 12 students attending the Summer Institute at the JSU Interdisciplinary Center for Nanotoxicity. During the sessions, the students learned how to build and use computational models of chemicals and reactions.
Besides benefiting researchers and students, MCSR saves the state money in several ways, Hale said.
“The supercomputing project’s small, expert staff, centralized data center infrastructure and statewide mission allow the state to avoid the inflated costs of replicating essential research computing facilities and services at individual institutions and departments,” Hale said. “MCSR also lowers the cost-per-unit of research computing software by negotiating and supporting cross-institutional licenses.”
The center has “a tremendous positive impact” as a core resource for the state’s entire research and education community, said Alice Clark, UM vice chancellor for research and sponsored programs.
“MSCR is a great example of a collaborative resource for Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning,” she said.
For more information about MCSR, visit http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu.