A team led by School of Computing faculty member Robert Ricci has received a $2.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation, plus $1 million in matching funds from the University of Utah, for developing an adaptable testbed for resource-intensive computer science research. This project is in collaboration with the School of Computing’s Flux Group and the Center for High Performance Computing.
This new testbed, consisting of a hardware foundation and a testbed control system, will adapt to user needs through profiles that support computation-based research across science and engineering disciplines. The adaptable profile-driven testbed, or Apt, will help engage a broader community of potential testbed users by allowing them to customize it to their own needs.
“The Apt testbed we will develop and build under this project will be a first-of-its-kind facility with a national scope – it will support a wide variety of research in computer science and computational science,” said Robert Ricci, research assistant professor in the U’s School of Computing. “Apt builds on the technologies and reputation that Utah has built during the past decade, and will further cement Utah’s role as a leader in the field of computing research infrastructure.”
Apt will be accessible from anywhere and will primarily target research communities that are not well served by currently available testbeds, such as big data, computing for emergency preparedness and disaster response, and sustainable energy control systems.
This funding stems from NSF’s Major Research Instrumentation Program, which enables research-intensive learning environments that promote the development of a diverse workforce and next generation instrumentation.