APPLICATIONS

For those people who cannot attend the SC conference in person, a new initiative, SC Desktop, offers the opportunity to participate in portions of the Technical Program. Even though the complete SC experience can only be attained by experiencing the conference in person, SC Desktop uses Access Grid (AG) Technology to connect ‘virtual attendees’ from anywhere in the world to specific conference programs. All that is needed is a suitable network connection. SC Desktop builds on the successes of SC Global and extends the reach of the SC conference. “With SC Desktop, you can experience a portion of the SC program without leaving your office – it will allow participants to overcome barriers such as difficulties acquiring visas, or travel restrictions due to mobility impairments,” said Julie Mullen, SC|05 Global Chair and HPC Application Expert with Solidus Technical Solutions. Mullen added: “Most participants will want to travel to Seattle to experience the full program, the Exhibit Floor, and that all-important personal networking, but for those who cannot travel, SC Desktop creates a compelling experience.” SC Desktop participants will have access to the Invited Speaker plenary sessions, the Cray and Fernbach Award talks, and four of the six parallel Tech Program tracks. These tracks include two sessions of SC Papers, one Masterworks presentation, and one Exhibitor Forum. In addition, participants can choose to view the SC Global Showcase. SC Global will host a keynote address by Rick Stevens, father of the AG, as well as presentations on collaborative art, “real-world” Access Grid technology, high-resolution visualization tools, Access Grid applications, and collaborative group development SC Desktop requires a late-model computer running the WindowsXP, Linux, or Mac operating system, as well as a web cam and microphone/headset. Participants will use either inSORS Grid software (a limited license is included in conference registration), or the free open-source AG Toolkit from Argonne National Laboratory. The registration fee for SC Desktop is $60.00 for ACM/IEEE members, $75.00 for non-members and $15.00 for students. This fee includes the license and training on inSORS software; for those using open source Access Grid software an AG helpdesk is being established to assist with questions and testing. The training and network testing requirements mean that there is NO LATE registration for SC Desktop. More information: its Web site.