ACADEMIA

Four noted cyberinfrastructure leaders will speak at TeraGrid '06 to be held June 12-15 in Indianapolis. TeraGrid '06 is a forum for individuals and institutions that are interested in building and using cyberinfrastructure. Attendees will include scientists, researchers, educators, students, representatives from federal agencies, business and industry representatives, and TeraGrid resource providers. The conference includes three tracks (science impact, technology, and education and outreach) along with tutorials, poster sessions, birds-of-a-feather discussions, demonstrations, and opportunities for networking. The conference keynote speaker will be National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Arden Bement, Jr. Bement became director of NSF in 2004 after previously leading the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Prior to his appointment as NIST director, Bement served as the David A. Ross Distinguished Professor of Nuclear Engineering and head of the School of Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University. He has held appointments at Purdue University in the schools of Nuclear Engineering, Materials Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as a courtesy appointment in the Krannert School of Management. He was director of the Midwest Superconductivity Consortium and the Consortium for the Intelligent Management of the Electrical Power Grid. Bement will speak at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, June 13. Other invited speakers are: * Daniel Atkins, Director (Designate) of the NSF Office of Cyberinfrastructure. The Office of Cyberinfrastructure coordinates and supports the acquisition, development and provision of state-of-the-art cyberinfrastructure resources, tools and services essential to the conduct of 21st century science and engineering research and education. Atkins will describe the current state and future development of cyberinfrastructure. How will we harness and manage cyberinfrastructure? How will cyberinfrastructure boost community research and collaboration? Atkins will speak at 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 13. * Donna Cox, Director of Visualization and Experimental Technologies at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). Cox will address "CyberOutreach: Designing Science for Non-expert Audiences." Cox collaborates, designs, and artistically directs data-driven visualizations of supercomputer simulations from disciplines ranging from oceanography to astrophysics. Her greatest passion is to employ new technologies to provide outreach and science education to general audiences through means such as museum shows and high-definition television programs. Cox will describe the use of advanced technologies to create high-resolution, high-fidelity digital scientific animations and will explore the convergence of art and science and the relationship between technology, visualization, and metaphoric structure. This presentation will demonstrate advanced graphical techniques in the making of 'high art' science for insight and public presentation. Cox will speak at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 14. * Kelvin Droegemeier, School of Meteorology and Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms, University of Oklahoma. "Transforming the Sensing and Numerical Prediction of High Impact Local Weather Through Dynamic Adaptation: People and Technologies Interacting with the Atmosphere." Meteorology is in the midst of a sea change leading to the deployment of more adaptable, flexible tools for the observation, analysis, and prediction of mesoscale weather. Droegemeier will describe the shift toward remote sensing systems, atmospheric prediction models, and hazardous weather detection systems that can change their configuration dynamically in response to the evolving weather. This transformation involves the creation of networked radars that collaborate with one another to dynamically adapt to the changing weather, optimally sensing multiple phenomena while simultaneously meeting multiple user needs. It also involves Grid-enabled analysis and forecasting systems that can operate on demand and dynamically reconfigure themselves. Droegemeier also will discuss the associated economic and societal implications of dynamically adaptive weather sensing, analysis and prediction systems. Droegemeier will speak at 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14. In addition to these invited plenary speakers, TeraGrid Director Charlie Catlett will deliver his "State of the TeraGrid Address" at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 13. For more information on TearGrid '06, including a full agenda and online registration, go to its Web site.