- Email: [email protected]
CRYSTAL clear links
PO L ~::V OELUS
'Grid' computing concept receives UK funds The UK's $160 million e-Science initiative prom!ass to help the development of IT and computing infrastructure to support international collaborations, which require the sharing of large computing resources and data sets, as well as remote use of facilities and equipment. The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council's (EPSRC) allocation of $24 million, with over $10 million in additional cash and in-kind resources from industry will be divided among six projects investigating 'grid' technology. 'Grid' computing is
based on the concept of the electricity grid - ease of access and availability, with 'behind the scenes' complexity hidden from the user. Ranging from aircraft maintenance to informatics, the projects cover a diverse range of interests. The 'Reality Grid' - under the direction of Peter Coveney at Queen Mary and West-field College, London - will enable the realistic modelling of complex condensed matter at the meso- and nano-scale with the ultimate aim of new materials discovery. Extending the concept of a virtual reality
CRYSTAL clear links A $3 million partnership between the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the Chemical Industries Association (ClA) highlighting environmental considerations in the chemical and process sector was ~rmally launched by UK Science Minister, Lord Sainsbury, on 23 October. CRYSTAL is one of eight new Faraday Partnerships - jointly funded by the UK's Department of Trade and Industry, the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) - to enable academic and industry researchers to collaborate on topics of 'national significance'. This initiative will focus on creating a virtual center of excellence in low cost, sustainable manufacturing
technology and practice. A unique feature of these partnerships is the use of 'technology translators' to promote understanding of industry/research needs. The proposed networking, knowledge sharing, and technology transfer in green chemistry has strong backing from the UK's chemical and process industries. Concrete goals include identifying the obstacles to take up of green technologies, development of a roadmap for sustainability in process industries, awareness raising, dissemination of best practice, and management training. CRYSTAL's ultimate target is to have five industrial processes using technology developed within the program in the next five years. For further information:
http:/lwww.faradaypartnerships.org.uk IPartnerslCrystaLhtm[
center, computational resources and experimental facilities will be linked by the grid. 'Mygrid', however, will keep the focus closer to home. Under the direction of Carole Goble at the University of Manchester, this project will focus on developing an electronic personalized 'workbench' to support experimental investigation data accumulation, use of resources, and collaboration with colleagues. For f u r t h e r information:
http:llwww.research-councils.ac.uk lesciencel
Silicon meets biotechnology Genencor International, Inc. and Dow Corning Corporation form a $35 million strategic alliance to exploit 'Silicon Biotechnology'. The partners aim to combine silicon chemistry with biotechnology to develop new, biologically mediated organosilicon-based materials. Such materials could be used for in vitro diagnostic sensors and devices, drug delivery systems, and personal care products. Research will also look at incorporating electronic switching and photonic properties. Fabrication will also be a focus of attention taking hints from both enzymatic nano-fabrication and biocatalytic routes. Dow Coming will fund Genencor for the initial twoyear research phase; profits from any jointly-commercialized products being shared.
New focus for optics The National Science Foundation (NSF'] is providing $15 million over five years to establish a 'Physics Frontier Center' at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. FOCUS - Frontiers in Optical Coherent and Ultrafast Science - will give researchers an opportunity to work together in an interdisciplinary environment. The 19 faculty and research scientists from the Universities of Michigan and Texas will look at coherent control in quantum, ultrafast, and high-field physics. Within these three areas, research will focus on: - Large-scale quantum information processing; - Coherent control of molecular dynamics, electrical current in semiconductors, phonons in crystals, and coherent modulation of X-rays; - Development of intenselasers, relativistic nonlinear optics, laser-driven plasma physics, and cluster physics for applications in accelerators and materials science. As director Philip Bucksbaum explains, although these areas seem very diverse "the one thing they have in common is the need for a high degree of control, usually through laser light. Often they require ultrafast lasers with very short pulses, sometime on the scale of single optical cycles." FOCUS' visitor program gives access to its state-of-the-art facilities to researchers at other institutions. For further information:
http:I/www.umich.edul ~focuspfc/main.htm[
November/December 2001 ~
21
'Grid' computing concept receives UK funds The UK's $160 million e-Science initiative prom!ass to help the development of IT and computing infrastructure to support international collaborations, which require the sharing of large computing resources and data sets, as well as remote use of facilities and equipment. The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council's (EPSRC) allocation of $24 million, with over $10 million in additional cash and in-kind resources from industry will be divided among six projects investigating 'grid' technology. 'Grid' computing is
based on the concept of the electricity grid - ease of access and availability, with 'behind the scenes' complexity hidden from the user. Ranging from aircraft maintenance to informatics, the projects cover a diverse range of interests. The 'Reality Grid' - under the direction of Peter Coveney at Queen Mary and West-field College, London - will enable the realistic modelling of complex condensed matter at the meso- and nano-scale with the ultimate aim of new materials discovery. Extending the concept of a virtual reality
CRYSTAL clear links A $3 million partnership between the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the Chemical Industries Association (ClA) highlighting environmental considerations in the chemical and process sector was ~rmally launched by UK Science Minister, Lord Sainsbury, on 23 October. CRYSTAL is one of eight new Faraday Partnerships - jointly funded by the UK's Department of Trade and Industry, the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) - to enable academic and industry researchers to collaborate on topics of 'national significance'. This initiative will focus on creating a virtual center of excellence in low cost, sustainable manufacturing
technology and practice. A unique feature of these partnerships is the use of 'technology translators' to promote understanding of industry/research needs. The proposed networking, knowledge sharing, and technology transfer in green chemistry has strong backing from the UK's chemical and process industries. Concrete goals include identifying the obstacles to take up of green technologies, development of a roadmap for sustainability in process industries, awareness raising, dissemination of best practice, and management training. CRYSTAL's ultimate target is to have five industrial processes using technology developed within the program in the next five years. For further information:
http:/lwww.faradaypartnerships.org.uk IPartnerslCrystaLhtm[
center, computational resources and experimental facilities will be linked by the grid. 'Mygrid', however, will keep the focus closer to home. Under the direction of Carole Goble at the University of Manchester, this project will focus on developing an electronic personalized 'workbench' to support experimental investigation data accumulation, use of resources, and collaboration with colleagues. For f u r t h e r information:
http:llwww.research-councils.ac.uk lesciencel
Silicon meets biotechnology Genencor International, Inc. and Dow Corning Corporation form a $35 million strategic alliance to exploit 'Silicon Biotechnology'. The partners aim to combine silicon chemistry with biotechnology to develop new, biologically mediated organosilicon-based materials. Such materials could be used for in vitro diagnostic sensors and devices, drug delivery systems, and personal care products. Research will also look at incorporating electronic switching and photonic properties. Fabrication will also be a focus of attention taking hints from both enzymatic nano-fabrication and biocatalytic routes. Dow Coming will fund Genencor for the initial twoyear research phase; profits from any jointly-commercialized products being shared.
New focus for optics The National Science Foundation (NSF'] is providing $15 million over five years to establish a 'Physics Frontier Center' at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. FOCUS - Frontiers in Optical Coherent and Ultrafast Science - will give researchers an opportunity to work together in an interdisciplinary environment. The 19 faculty and research scientists from the Universities of Michigan and Texas will look at coherent control in quantum, ultrafast, and high-field physics. Within these three areas, research will focus on: - Large-scale quantum information processing; - Coherent control of molecular dynamics, electrical current in semiconductors, phonons in crystals, and coherent modulation of X-rays; - Development of intenselasers, relativistic nonlinear optics, laser-driven plasma physics, and cluster physics for applications in accelerators and materials science. As director Philip Bucksbaum explains, although these areas seem very diverse "the one thing they have in common is the need for a high degree of control, usually through laser light. Often they require ultrafast lasers with very short pulses, sometime on the scale of single optical cycles." FOCUS' visitor program gives access to its state-of-the-art facilities to researchers at other institutions. For further information:
http:I/www.umich.edul ~focuspfc/main.htm[
November/December 2001 ~
21