Amy Apon, PhD
Title: Opportunities in NSF CISE and the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure for Gateway Technologists, Developers, and Researchers
Abstract: This talk will give an overview of the NSF Directorate of Computer Information Science and Engineering (CISE) and the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC) with a focus on currently available resources as well as funding opportunities for gateway technologists. gateway developers, and researchers. The talk will also include an update on the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Pilot and how the NAIRR Pilot can benefit attendees of Gateways 2024. The talk will allow time for questions from the audience.
Amy Apon has been a Program Director in the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure. She is the lead Program Director for the Campus Cyberinfrastructure program, a program within the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure. Apon joined NSF through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act, or rotator, in January 2023 from Clemson University where she holds the rank of Professor. Apon joined Clemson in 2011 as the Chair of the Computer Science Division and became the Director of the School of Computing in 2019, a position that she held through the pandemic. Prior to joining Clemson, Apon was a faculty member at the University of Arkansas. While at Arkansas she founded the Arkansas High Performance Computing Center in support of cyberinfrastructure needs for institutions across Arkansas. Apon holds a PhD in Computer Science from Vanderbilt University. She does research in parallel and distributed computing systems and in a variety of interdisciplinary areas with collaborators.
Jeanette Sperhac
Title: Gateways and AI: A Blueprint for Exploration
Abstract: Science gateways have long facilitated research, by providing platforms for collaboration and resource sharing, and simplifying the complexities associated with using advanced computing resources. Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have motivated a reevaluation of how AI methods can revolutionize research computing in areas such as accessibility, resource allocation, and workflow management. Mindful of important technological developments that inform the future path of research computing, the NSF Center of Excellence for Science Gateways (SGX3) has started a new strategic initiative called a Blueprint Factory intended to chart the future of science gateways in an AI-driven ecosystem. Blueprint Factories are intensive endeavors that aim to identify the technical capabilities that future science gateways must offer to support research needs. This talk will introduce and explore the Blueprint Factory concept and the ongoing findings of this new initiative envisioning the future of AI in science gateways.
Jeanette Sperhac is a Senior Research Software Engineer with the Science Gateways Center of Excellence (SGX3) at San Diego Supercomputer Center. Sperhac has extensive experience supporting science gateway communities, including nanoHUB and science gateways using the Hubzero Platform. Sperhac works closely with science gateway teams to provide enhanced metric, search capabilities, and leading inquiries into integrating gateways with AI functionality. Read more about the SGX3 Blueprint Factories and the AI Blueprint Factory.