Transcript Bedfont - Astrophysics at The University of Leeds

Mining the Milky Way
A new role for IBM in Astrophysics
Melvin Hoare
School of Physics and
Astronomy
University of Leeds
Gary Fuller
Michael Lowe
School of Physics and Technical Sales Manager
Astronomy
STG
University of Manchester
Context
• EU 7th Framework Programme
• € 4.7 billion budget to train
young researchers
• Broaden their scientific and
generic skills
• Joint research partnerships
between academia and
industry
VISUGAL FP7 Proposal
• Astronomers
• New surveys of
the Milky Way

+
• Computer scientists
• Data mining and
visual analytics
• How stars and planets are formed
• New 3D picture of our Galaxy
Star and Planet Formation
• Disks around young
stars form planetary
systems
• But near massive
stars they can get
‘burned’
Our Galaxy
• Let us find out what
our Galaxy really looks
like
VISUGAL Members
(Michael Lowe)
VISUGAL Methodology
• Train 15 highly educated and motivated
young researchers recruited worldwide
• Host workshops for the astronomical
community
• Training includes
technical and soft skills
• Industrial participation
ensures trainees have
right skills for future
Proposed IBM Participation
• Confirm cell mainframe
as appropriate project
infrastructure
• Host a researcher at IBM
laboratory in Europe
• Provide training in
technical and soft skills
Cell Mainframe
Cell
Appliance
DB2 & File
z/OS
Federated System Hypervisors
z
• Potentially one of the
first installations in UK
• Hosted at University of
Manchester for all
z
network partners
• Ideally suited to large
data mining and
visualisation projects
z
Linux
Cell
I/O and Network
IB
PCIe
Hosting Researcher
• IBM recruits a researcher
• 2 year project to develop software of
major benefit to astronomical community
• Directed by Bruce Elmegreen (IBM
Research, NY), expert in star formation
• Costs covered by EU
•
•
•
•
Salary € 53 000 p.a. gross
€ 14 400 researcher expenses
€ 14 400 host expenses
€ 8 200 overheads
Technical Skills Training
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•
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Cell programming
DB2 for Linux
Commercial data mining
Commercial visualisation
Commercial exploitation
– Delivered by IBM guest lecturers in person
and via webcast
Soft Skills Training
• Leadership
• Management
• Communication
– Again delivered by
IBM guest lecturers
in person and via
webcast
Proposal Timeline
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•
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Agreement to supply technology
Agreement to host postdoctoral researcher
Agreement on the skills training
Letter from IBM stating commitment to
above
• Submission deadline 2 September 2008
• Project start: October 2009
• Project end: September 2013
Benefit to the Proposal
• IBM participation will bring:
– The necessary industrial linkage
– Innovation and leading edge technology
– Expert delivery of complementary skills
– Further involvement of world-class brand in
the EU FP7 programme
Benefits to IBM
• IBM trains the next generation
• IBM places its technology at the heart of a
major European project
• IBM helps to set mankind’s origins in
context
Thank you for your time
“We are stardust
Billion year old carbon
We are golden”