University of Central Oklahoma, US: Supporting Research through Cutting Edge Technology

HER Team
Research is the foundation of innovation. Involving many perimeters in the process, research is a process of simplifying complexities. These complexities are worn by some equipment of condensed elements. One such element is a supercomputer. Supercomputers are used in research for simulations of products being engineered and 'Buddy' is the newest in these. Buddy is a new initiative by University of Central Oklahoma.

"Buddy will support research and education for students, faculty and staff at the university, as well as researchers across the state," claims Dr. Evan Lemley, Director of UCO's Center for Research and Education in Interdisciplinary Computation (CREIC), The center has been working on the cluster supercomputer project since 2012, funded by a $304,745 research grant from National Science Foundation. It is named after the University mascot Buddy Broncho. The initiative supports research students within the college using high-end computational software and technology. The project involves 18 faculty members from UCO's College of Mathematics and Science with Lemley as the principal investigator. Working with the fluid dynamics of this project, Lemley points out the advantage of having a supercomputer working in research projects and the feasibility of using one in simulations which quickens the process as it requires a lot of memory and one or few more computers couldn't handle the same. The supercomputer is built using Advanced Clustering's Pinnacle Flex architecture and is designed to deliver performance with efficiency and flexibility. Pinnacle Flex offers multiple configuration options to meet the most demanding computing needs using servers based on the Intel Xeon processor E5 family. GPU and Phi nodes used will help researchers accelerate their code and high memory nodes will facilitate bioinformatics and genomics research with aggregate peak speed of 32 TFLOPs. CREIC serves as a technical resource for diverse and interdisciplinary research and educational projects requiring advanced computational facilities and support. A number of faculty members are engaged in such projects. The results of these projects are disseminated at regional, national and international conferences as well as in scholarly journals of repute.

The University has been creating and delivering education in the State of Oklahoma for over 125 years. Located near Oklahoma City, the university hosts 12,790 students with 834 faculty members. Aside from the usual courses, the university offers some unique programs such as Oklahoma's only , Forensic Science, Photojournalism, Biomedical Engineering, Professional Golf Management, Professional Selling, Insurance (Actuarial Science), and the Academy of Contemporary Music at UCO. On being asked why Indian students should opt for this University, Lemley says that the university is strong in its research activities and has numerous high-end technologies and equipment for laboratories and research centers in the campus. The program 'Research creative and scholarly activities (RCSA)' grants students' research program for both UG and PG students. This program is an opportunity for the student to enhance their writing skills and provides stipends and a tuition waiver which attracts more such research papers and students.

UCO recognizes the importance of developing collaborative relationships at the local, state and national level. The university created several initiatives and practices that promote conversations and the exchange of ideas between state leaders and UCO administration and faculty. These initiatives and practices enable UCO to continuously scan and discover potential areas for improvement and services. Leadership Central is a program UCO offers to students who show a capacity to lead. The university enhances every student leader through personal initiative and awareness by themselves with the process of self-discovery. Leadership Central provides, delivers and supports leadership initiatives and also supports civic and political discussions that enhance the university's ability to react to local community needs and initiatives. To help achieve their leadership and personal goals, UCO also offers Leadership scholarships to 60 students every year.

UCO's Office of Global Affairs welcomes qualified students from suitable fields to be a part of the reputed university. Some of the notable alumni of the institutes Dr. Dwight E. Adams, former Director of the FBI Laboratory, Michael D. Brown, former FEMA director, Stan Case - CNN Radio and Headline News anchor and many more from Business, Politics, Arts and Entertainment background. The university takes pride in having technical expertise from Indian students and looks forward to more research activities involving high end technology creating a mark in the field of research and development.

Evan Lemley, Professor

He is the Director of UCO's Center for Research and Education in Interdisciplinary Computation and Professor in UCO's Department of Engineering and Physics. Having acquired B.A. in Physics, MSME in Mechanical Engineering, Lemley acquired his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. His research works includes topics such as Fluid Flow in Porous Media, Fluid Flow Simulation, and Experimental Fluids.

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