HUBzero cyberinfrastructure for scientific collaboration

Over the next several months we will be exploring various aspects of international research collaboration. For example, a new entry on the EU’s new international science and technology cooperation framework will be posted shortly.*  We will also identify some new(ish) technologies that enable collaboration between geographically dispersed researchers and research teams.

Purdue University’s HUBzero, developed with National Science Foundation (NSF) support (via the multi-university Network for Computational Nanotechnology), is an example of one such technology. My university just posted news of a seminar on HUBzero.  I’ll report back in December after the event has been held.  For now, though, note that:

HUBzero™ allows you to create dynamic web sites that connect a community in scientific research and educational activities. HUBzero™ sites combine powerful Web 2.0 concepts with a middleware that provides instant access to interactive simulation tools. These tools are not just Java applets, but real research codes that can access TeraGrid, the Open Science Grid, and other national Grid computing resources for extra cycles.

This 4m15s video provides a summary of what HUBzero has to offer:

A high resolution version is available here.

See here for further information on HUBzero. It is important to note that hubs are “web-based collaboration environments” with the following features:

• Interactive simulation tools, hosted on the hub cluster and delivered to your browser
• Simulation tool development area, including source code control and bug tracking
• Animated presentations delivered in a light-weight, Flash-based format
• Mechanism for uploading and sharing resources
• 5-star ratings and user feedback for resources
• User support area, with question-and-answer forum
• Statistics about users and usage patterns

Sample “hubs” include, according to HUBzero:

• centerforassistivetechnology.org
  helping people with disabilities  more details…
• cceHUB.org
  cancer care engineering  more details…
• manufacturingHUB.org
  advanced manufacturing techniques  more details…
• GlobalHUB.org
  global engineering education  more details…
• pharmaHUB.org
  pharmaceutical product development and manufacturing  more details…
• thermalHUB.org
  heat transfer  more details…
• IndianaCTSI.org
  accelerating clinical and translational research in healthcare  more details…
• nanoHUB.org
  granddaddy of all hubs focused on nanotechnology  more details…

This document* outlines costs and details to establish a hub using this technology.

* McLennan, Michael (2008), “The Hub Concept for Scientific Collaboration,” http://hubzero.org/resources/12

Kris Olds

* Note: see ‘Europe’s new Strategic Framework for International Science and Technology Cooperation’