The Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) Cyberinfrastructure (CI) Empowerment Coalition [MSI- CIEC] Providing the “human middleware” to build and enhance the social and technological mechanisms for meaningful engagement of MSIs in Cyberinfrastructure

Hispanics Largest and fastest growing minority Currently 14.5% of the nation 1 out of 5 (20.7%) Americans by out of 4 (25.5%) by out of 3 (33.3%) by 2100

U.S Year Olds: 1990 to 2050

Top 10 States by Hispanic Population: 2000

Top 10 States by Hispanic Percent Change: 1990 to 2000

College attainment rates for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites

Two trends jeopardizing the U.S. lead in STEM: 1)Intensification of global competition for this workforce lessening the effectiveness of the US strategy of importing talent to meet the needs; and 2)“The number of native-born S&E [Science & Engineering] graduates entering the workforce is likely to decline unless the Nation intervenes to improve success in educating S&E students from all demographic groups, especially those that have been underrepresented in S&E careers (NSB, 2003, p. 1).”

Impact of HSIs on STEM HSIs produce nearly 30% of Hispanic S&E bachelor’s degrees while representing only about 5% of all colleges and universities. Seven of the top 20 universities enrolling Hispanics in S&E in were HSIs.

We are entering a second revolution in information technology, one that may well usher in a new technological age that will dwarf, in sheer transformational scope and power, anything we have yet experienced in the current information age…. The engine of change for the next revolution is CyberInfrastructure… - Arden L. Bement, Director, NSF. “Cyberinfrastructure: the Second Revolution.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, v53(i18), p. B5 (issue dated January 5, 2007).

The Atkins Report Source: Peter Freeman, NSF Assistant Director for Computer and Information Science & Engineering (CISE) Daniel E. Atkins, Chair University of Michigan Kelvin K. Droegemeier University of Oklahoma Stuart I. Feldman IBM Hector Garcia-Molina Stanford University Michael L. Klein University of Pennsylvania David G. Messerschmitt University of California at Berkeley Paul Messina California Institute of Technology Jeremiah P. Ostriker Princeton University Margaret H. Wright New York University

Evolution of the Computational Infrastructure Source: Dr. Deborah Crawford Chair, NSF Cyberinfrastructure Working Group (CIWG) Supercomputer Centers PACI Terascale | | | | | | NPACI and Alliance SDSC, NCSA, PSC, CTC TCS, DTF, ETF Cyberinfrastructure Prior Computing Investments NSF Networking

“The Panel’s overarching finding is that a new age has dawned in scientific and engineering research, pushed by continuing progress in computing, information, and communication technology, and pulled by the expanding complexity, scope, and scale of today’s [scientific] challenges. The capacity of this technology has crossed thresholds that now make possible a comprehensive ‘cyberinfrastructure’ on which to build new types of scientific and engineering knowledge environments and organizations and to pursue research [and allied education] in new ways and with increased efficacy.” From Revolutionizing Science and Engineering through Cyberinfrastructure: Report of the National Science Foundation Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on Cyberinfrastructure, or the Atkins’ report.

Cyberinfrastructure: A Definition “The comprehensive infrastructure needed to capitalize on dramatic advances in information technology has been termed cyberinfrastructure.” From “NSF’S Cyberinfrastructure Vision for 21 st Century Discovery,” NSF Cyberinfrastructure Council, September 26 th, 2005, Ver.4.0, pg 4.  Application of IT to problems in science and engineering…and in other areas  “Comprehensive infrastructure”, i.e. hardware, software, and expertise (people)

Integrated Cyberinfrastructure Cyberinfrastructure = resources (computers, data storage, networks, scientific instruments, experts, etc.) + “glue” (integrating software, systems, and organizations).

MSIs and Cyberinfrastructure “An important goal of the Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Program (ACP) must be to more effectively include Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)…Few of these institutions were involved in discussions leading to the original NSF supercomputing centers, and collaboration efforts to date, though well intentioned…have for the most part fallen short of their goals for a variety of reasons…. [Various] limitations have perpetuated the so-called digital divide, reflected by a 20+ year gap in capability between mainstream institutions and many MSIs…The PITAC emphasized the importance of reaching MSIs, and we underscore it again here. The ACP therefore must support strategic IT planning for underserved communities…Significant efforts must be directed toward engaging underserved communities directly, rather than as programmatic add-ons (p.28, italics added).” - The Atkins Report

Meaningfully engage MSIs in Cyberinfrastructure Our Mission

Advisory Team Charles Catlett, TeraGridFran Berman, SDSC Thomas Dunning, NCSAJay Boisseau, TACC Dan Reed, UNC, RENCIMark Ellisman, UCSD, BIRN Kelvin Droegemeier, Oklahoma, LEAD Ian Foster, Chicago, Argonne, Open Science Grid Malcolm Atkinson, NESC (UK National e-Science Center), ICEAGE (EU Grid Education) Larry Smarr, CalIT2 Juan Meza, LBNLRichard Tapia, Rice

MSI-CIEC Components Broadening VO Infrastructure Awareness, Education & Training: CI Education & Curriculum Empowerment Team Building the CI-enabled MSI Research Capability: CI Research Empowerment Team Institutional Capacity Building for CI – Model Institutions: CI Access Empowerment Team

Figure 1 illustrates Polar Grid’s major components and concept of operations.