PSC, Notre Dame to Supply Computer Infrastructure for Global Malaria Eradication Project

Monday, April 29, 2013

Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC) and the University of Notre Dame have received up to $1.6 million in funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a system of computers and software for the Vector Ecology and Control Network (VECNet), an international consortium to eradicate malaria. The new VECNet Cyber-Infrastructure Project (CI) will support VECNet’s effort to unite research, industrial and public policy efforts to attack one of the worst diseases in the developing world in more effective, economical ways.

“VECNet is about bringing order out of chaos,” says Tom Burkot, VECNet’s principal investigator and professor and tropical leader at James Cook University, Australia. “The challenge we have is that we’re trying to control and eliminate malaria in a world in which, for example, there are 40 or 50 dominant mosquito species that are important for its spread.” The CI project, he adds, is intended to decrease the complexity of engaging in the problem so that malaria researchers, national malaria control officials, product developers, and policy makers can all contribute to solutions.

Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center Scientists Patent Software for Protecting Supercomputing Results Against System Failures

PITTSBURGH, April 8, 2013 — Scientists at Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC) have patented ZEST, a piece of software that takes a rapid “snapshot” of a supercomputer’s calculations as it works. ZEST greatly speeds the ability to store complex calculations as a hedge against a system failure, saving precious supercomputing time and slowing calculations down far less than current methods.

Building a Better Carbon Trap

Blacklight Helps Researchers Develop Better Materials for Carbon Capture

Read the University of South Florida press release.

In the aftermath of the infamous "Climategate" leak of scientists' emails, it’s becoming clear that the climate science never really was in question. Human generation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses is altering the global climate. Which leaves us with a difficult question. Today’s world is very dependent on carbon-dioxide-generating fossil fuels. How do we make our economy “carbon neutral” while still having an economy?

Research Internships in Big Data Available at PSC

The Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC), a joint project of Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh, and Westinghouse Electric Company, has openings for two undergraduate student interns to gain research experience relating to graph analytics for big data. The Sherlock project (www.psc.edu/sherlock) explores novel approaches to large-scale analytics, especially graph analytics and the development of sophisticated, heterogeneous workflows for big data. Sherlock features sophisticated, purpose-built computer hardware – a YarcData uRiKA data appliance with PSC enhancements – and optimized implementations of W3C-standard software. Research opportunities may include elements of data modeling and analysis, application development using RDF and SPARQL or natively on the graph analytic platform, and performance analysis. These internships, supervised by senior members of PSC’s Strategic Applications Group, will provide unique experience at the frontier of big data research.

Applicants should send CVs and statements of interest to Dr. Nick Nystrom at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .