The Lariat Networking Project Building connections in the

The Lariat Networking Project Building connections in the rural West Gwen Jacobs Montana State University APAN Cairns, AU Julya 6, 2004

IDe. ANet: leveling the playing field for “have-not” states • NIH/NCRR supported program to upgrade networking capabilities in 23 “have-not” states in the US • Part of the NIH IDe. A Program – Includes BRIN, COBRE, INBRE – Similar to NSF EPSCo. R program • Build networks: personal and physical • Lariat is the first piece: 6 institutions in rural states – – – University of Alaska, Fairbanks University of Idaho University of Hawaii Montana State University of Nevada -Reno University of Wyoming

Participants • Montana State U. and University of Washington – Gwen Jacobs, Montana State University – Ron Johnson, Vice-Provost, Computing and Communications and Vice-President, UW – Jacqueline Brown and Louis Fox, University of Washington • Pacific Northwest Gigapop, CENIC, Front Range Gigapop • BRIN (INBRE)/COBRE faculty in all six states • BRIN Universities/Tribal colleges/ four year schools

Goals of the Lariat Network • Build two networks: – Upgrade internet connectivity in 6 rural states – Enhance and enable scientists and educators within the BRIN/INBRE network • • Provide training and expertise Provide access to research resources Strengthen partnerships with other institutions Support the goals of IDe. A, BRIN, INBRE and WWAMI

LARIAT’S CHALLANGING GEOGRAPHY& ECONOMY

Lariat will improve connectivity to research and education networks PNWGP U. Alaska U. Idaho Montana State U U. Nevada Reno CENIC U. Hawaii U. Wyoming FRGP

Improved connectivity will enable participation in national initiatives

E-science for the individual scientist • Remote access to research resources – Microscopes, telescopes, synchrotons – Data repositories, databases, storage • Group collaboration tools – Real time videoconferencing – Real time collaborative experiments • Biomedical research – – Genomics, proteomics, physiomics Neuroscience, bioengineering, bioinformatics Information science/resources Public health/environmental epidemiology

Modeling structure function relationships in the nervous system

Development of modeling tools We have developed a software package (XMode. L) for representing and evaluating complex hybrid models. Key features: • Describe and store models, data, and experiment protocols in portable XML • GUI design, editing, and visualization tools • Import/export data in many formats • Numerical simulation using Matlab, Python, and Neuron. Easy modular expansion of numerical tools. • Analysis, optimization, and parameter search tools. • Distributed computation Data from Graham Cummins

Access to remote resources

Predicting spatial distribution of synaptic inputs: simulations done remotely at NASA Ames

E-science collaborations

BIRN: An example of biomedical e-science

Research in extreme environments:

Regional public health issues

Unique to Montana

Information dissemination: lariat-west. org