GOVERNMENT

In Ireland, IBM announced a €400,000 investment in university research, with Smurfit School, University College Dublin (UCD) and Trinity College Dublin (TCD) being the benefactors. Smurfit School of Business, UCD will see the establishment of a laboratory to conduct research into complex supply chain practices. Smurfit School UCD will link up with three other top Universities; Penn State University, Arizona State University and Michigan State University that have also received funds from IBM to establish labs. They will work together to simulate the workings of a complex supply chain, and will be linked via an advanced computing grid for cross-university research and learning. The funding is part of IBM's Shared University Research (SUR) program. The technology giant will provide the software, server and storage technology and consulting services needed to build the new facilities. Trinity Centre for High Performance Computing at Trinity College in Ireland will work with seven other Universities within Europe to support research in Linux Open Source Computing in a Grid Network. Irish researchers will work with Russian, Italian, French, English and Portuguese colleagues on the IBM project, which again will provide valuable information to its business operations. Michael Daly, IBM Ireland Country General Manager commented: "The programme will not only fund R&D but will enable students and researchers to work with other top class Universities across the world." According to Dr Brian Fynes of Smurfit School UCD, who will lead the research project at the School: "Ireland is remarkably technologically advanced and Smurfit School UCD is carrying out leading edge research on integrating technology into supply chain management processes." Prof James Sexton, Director, Trinity Centre for High Performance Computing said: "This award builds on a large programme of research, training, service and innovation in High Performance Computing in Trinity College Dublin."