GOVERNMENT
TACC introduces STAR program to aid private sector research & development
The Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin has introduced Science and Technology Affiliates for Research (STAR), a new program that will offer private sector organizations the opportunity to increase the effectiveness of their research and development activities through the use of advanced computing technologies. 
“As one of the leading advanced computing centers in the United States, TACC is dedicated to working with public and private sector partners to expand their engineering, technology and computing capabilities,” said Vice President for Research Juan Sanchez. “The STAR program supports high-risk/high-gain research and developing new approaches to solving problems — key ingredients to pushing the frontiers of science and technology, and to being competitive in today’s global marketplace.” STAR is designed to promote a mutually beneficial exchange between industry and academia that fosters a framework for technology innovation and supports economic development in the state of Texas. Members include locally based SiCortex and the Austin Technology Incubator, and global companies Dell Inc., BP, Sun Microsystems, Chevron Corporation, Aramco Services Company and Microsoft Corporation. These companies and others will have access to TACC’s high-performance computing, storage, and networking resources, as well as visualization and data analysis, custom software development, and distributed and collaborative computing. They will also receive expert support and training in using these technologies, and be made aware of opportunities for joint academic and industrial research. “The STAR program promotes the exchange of knowledge between industry and academia in advanced computing technologies, enhancing the R&D effectiveness of both parties and increasing their productivity,” said Program Manager Melyssa Fratkin. “We’re excited to help companies innovate in ways they may never have imagined, and to lower the barriers for effective use of advanced computing resources and services.” TACC provides the university and national research communities with comprehensive advanced computing resources and services that enable computationally-intensive research. The center’s mission is to enable scientific discovery and to enhance society through the application of advanced computing technologies. TACC also conducts research and development activities to produce new computational techniques and technologies that enhance the capabilities of researchers for knowledge discovery.
“As one of the leading advanced computing centers in the United States, TACC is dedicated to working with public and private sector partners to expand their engineering, technology and computing capabilities,” said Vice President for Research Juan Sanchez. “The STAR program supports high-risk/high-gain research and developing new approaches to solving problems — key ingredients to pushing the frontiers of science and technology, and to being competitive in today’s global marketplace.” STAR is designed to promote a mutually beneficial exchange between industry and academia that fosters a framework for technology innovation and supports economic development in the state of Texas. Members include locally based SiCortex and the Austin Technology Incubator, and global companies Dell Inc., BP, Sun Microsystems, Chevron Corporation, Aramco Services Company and Microsoft Corporation. These companies and others will have access to TACC’s high-performance computing, storage, and networking resources, as well as visualization and data analysis, custom software development, and distributed and collaborative computing. They will also receive expert support and training in using these technologies, and be made aware of opportunities for joint academic and industrial research. “The STAR program promotes the exchange of knowledge between industry and academia in advanced computing technologies, enhancing the R&D effectiveness of both parties and increasing their productivity,” said Program Manager Melyssa Fratkin. “We’re excited to help companies innovate in ways they may never have imagined, and to lower the barriers for effective use of advanced computing resources and services.” TACC provides the university and national research communities with comprehensive advanced computing resources and services that enable computationally-intensive research. The center’s mission is to enable scientific discovery and to enhance society through the application of advanced computing technologies. TACC also conducts research and development activities to produce new computational techniques and technologies that enhance the capabilities of researchers for knowledge discovery.