New lab to focus on collaboration
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 08/22/2008
sponsored by
Construction is complete on a new computer lab aimed at providing a more collaborative research environment to the Purdue community.
Thomas Hacker, assistant professor of computer information technology, said he is pleased with the results.
"We're absolutely delighted with it," Hacker said. "We couldn't be happier."
Although there is no set opening date, Hacker hopes the lab, which is located in Knoy, will open early in the semester after the staff is finished setting up.
The lab was partly inspired by programs using collaborative technology to bring researchers together from across the globe in fields, such as cyberinfastructure.
"Cyberinfastructure is a term used to describe the combination of high performance computing, massive data-storage systems and collaborative technologies," Hacker said.
Hacker said the lab will serve as a focal point for collaboration among researchers and students.
Until then, the team is investigating ways to compliment the lab, namely by creating a specialty area of courses focused in cyberinfastructure.
"We're looking at building a signature area for high-performance computing and we're in the process of developing new courses in bioinformatics, high-performance computing, cyberinfastructure and data systems," Hacker said. "There is a great unmet need for practitioners with experience and expertise in cyberinfastructure, so this lab will serve several purposes."
But the Knoy computer lab isn't the only addition to Purdue's computer lab system. Over the summer, the Digital Learning Collaboratory in Hicks Undergraduate Library replaced all its computers with updated models.
"We're also getting a couple of new media stations on the upper level," said John Fritch, associate professor of library science and reference and instruction librarian at Hicks. "They will have the capabilities of digital video editing and we hope to have that done at least by the midpoint of the semester."
Hicks also houses an interactive white board and a multi-headed computer affectionately christened "the hydra," both of which were installed last fall and are available for student use.
For a complete list of computer lab locations and hours, students can visit www.itap.purdue.edu/learning.