Partners | NWSC Project Staff | NWSC Oversight Committee (NOC) | NOC Charge
The NWSC is the result of a partnership between NCAR, the University of Wyoming, the State of Wyoming, Cheyenne LEADS, Wyoming Business Council, CLF&P, UCAR, and NCAR's principal funding source, the National Science Foundation.
NWSC Partners:
National Center for Atmospheric Research »[close]
As a national center, NCAR collaborates with partnering institutions to conduct world-class research in areas vital to society. NCAR and university scientists work together on research topics in atmospheric chemistry, climate, cloud physics and storms, weather hazards to aviation, and interactions between the Sun and Earth. The center also provides the university science and teaching community with the tools, facilities, and support required to perform innovative research. Through NCAR, scientists gain access to high-performance computational and observational facilities, such as supercomputers, aircraft and radar – resources researchers need to improve human understanding of atmospheric and Earth system processes.
University of Wyoming »[close]
With nearly a century and a quarter of achievement behind it, the University of Wyoming has built a reputation for academics, research and outreach across Wyoming and across the world. UW is poised to usher in a new era of accomplishment, with new enterprises such as the School of Energy Resources, and investments in recruiting top faculty and researchers to add to UW's already impressive academic roster.
State of Wyoming »[close]
The State of Wyoming and the Office of Gov. Dave Freudenthal have worked closely with the National Center for Atmospheric Research in the development of the supercomputer project. "This is exactly the type of economic development effort that will allow Wyoming to build our intellectual capital and become a world-class player in the high-tech arena," Gov. Freudenthal said. "I thank the Wyoming Legislature for its ongoing support of this project." The supercomputer is anticipated to function as a driver for economic diversity, for the enhancement of energy research and as a tool to attract top students, researchers and faculty to the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
National Science Foundation »[close]
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…" NSF is the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and universities. In many fields such as mathematics, computer science and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of federal backing.
Cheyenne LEADS »[close]
Cheyenne LEADS is the economic development entity for Cheyenne and Laramie County, Wyoming. Cheyenne LEADS, a member-supported private non-profit corporation, serves as a vehicle where the business community and city and county government come together to bring jobs and economic opportunity to Laramie County, Wyoming. Through private contributions and local governmental grants, Cheyenne LEADS has developed two business parks for the expressed purpose of creating jobs and diversifying the local economy. LEADS is extraordinarily pleased to utilize these resources to accommodate the University of Wyoming and NCAR's partnership for a supercomputing center and pledges the full support of the Cheyenne community to help these institutions expand their missions in the service of science and education.
Wyoming Business Council »[close]
The economic and community development arm of Wyoming state government was created in 1998 to facilitate the economic growth of the state. The Business Council provides assistance to existing Wyoming companies and start-ups; helps communities meet their development and diversification needs; and recruits new firms and industries targeted to complement the state's assets. The Business Council delivers many programs at the grassroots level through Regional Offices with active local participation.
Cheyenne Light, Fuel & Power Company »[close]
Cheyenne Light, Fuel & Power Company, a subsidiary of Black Hills Corporation, serves 37,400 electric customers and 33,200 natural gas customers in the greater Cheyenne, Wyo., area. Black Hills Corp. - a diversified energy company - is based in Rapid City, S.D. The company serves 750,000 utility customers in seven states. The company's non-regulated businesses generate wholesale electricity, produce natural gas, oil and coal, and market energy.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research »[close]
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research promotes partnership in a collaborative community dedicated to understanding the atmosphere and the interconnected processes that make up the Earth system, from the ocean floor to the Sun's core. UCAR serves as a hub for research, education, and public outreach for the atmospheric and Earth system science community, and manages NCAR and the UCAR Office of Programs on behalf of the National Science Foundation and the university community.
NWSC Project Staff:
Krista Laursen - NWSC Project Director »[close]
Krista Laursen is the NWSC Project Director. She has been at NCAR for over 16 years and her work focuses on the management of large, complex projects to develop and deploy scientific facilities. Krista previously served as Director of the HIAPER project, an $81.5 million effort to acquire and modify the National Science Foundation (NSF)/NCAR Gulfstream V (GV) jet for environmental research. Prior to being named the HIAPER Project Director, Krista spent nearly ten years managing research aircraft deployments and instrumentation development efforts for NCAR. She earned a B.S. in Physics from the University of Oregon in 1989 and an M.S. in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington in 1992. Krista is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and has previously served on U.S. federal agency project review panels.
Aaron Anderson - Project Engineer »[close]
Aaron Andersen is the Section Head for the Enterprise Services Section housed in the Computing and Information Systems Lab (CISL) of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Aaron has over fifteen years of experience and expertise in both facilities and information technology. Aaron has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and Masters of Computer Science from the University of Colorado where he was a Boettcher Scholar and member of the Presidents Leadership Class. Aaron is currently a Fellow of the Uptime Institute and was a judge for the
Green Enterprise IT Awards for 2009.
Gary New - Asst. Project Engineer »[close]
Gary New is Assistant Section Head and Computing Facility Engineer in the Enterprise Services Section (ESS) of the Computational Information Systems Laboratory (CISL) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). He is a licensed Master Electrician in both Colorado and Wyoming. Before coming to NCAR in 2000, he worked in the Hospital / Healthcare facilities maintenance field for over 19 years beginning as an Electrician and rising to Building Services Supervisor encompassing all trades. His current job responsibility is oversight and infrastructure maintenance of the supercomputing center at the NCAR Mesa Lab in Boulder, along with day-to-day ESS activities as Assistant Section Head. Interestingly enough, Gary's career is coming full circle; his first summer after High School graduation was spent working on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds crew in 1975. Gary's interests are; Family (especially Grandchildren), Football, Basketball, Golf, NASCAR auto racing. Other affiliations past and present:
• Vice President / Board of Directors – 7 x 24 Exchange – Rocky Mountain Chapter (an organization of mission critical facilities managers)
• SC10 / New Orleans, LA – Infrastructure / Electric Chair (honest, look at the web site) – SC is a high end Supercomputing Conference held in a different city each year
• Firefighter / Deputy Chief – Wheat Ridge Volunteer Fire Department (retired)
• Consultant – WRFD Fire Investigation Bureau
Chet Lockard - Construction Advisor »[close]
Chet Lockard is an Associate Director in the Facilities Planning Office at the University of Wyoming. He has been with the University since 2005 and has served as the Owner's Representative/Project Manager on more than a dozen capital construction projects including two Data Centers. Prior to going to the University, Chet was employed by architectural firms, ran his own practice for 6 years, and gained much of his construction field experience while with a design-build firm in the Rocky Mountain Front Range. He is a licensed architect in Colorado and Wyoming. He has a Bachelor of Architecture from Kansas State University.
Jim VanDyke - Network Engineer »[close]
Jim Van Dyke is an assistant section manager for the Network Engineering and Telecommunications Section (NETS) within the Computing and Information Systems Lab (CISL) of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Jim has over 25 years experience in network design, infrastructure construction, and maintenance; fifteen of them with NCAR. He was a principal engineer for the installation of the Boulder Research and Education Network (BRAN) fiber optic network as well as many other building network projects for the NCAR/UCAR campuses. Jim specializes in all aspects of network construction: from documentation and specification to quality control, testing and activation. Jim holds a BS in Computer Science and Mathematics and has chaired or participated on many committees.
Lori Lincoln - Project Assistant »[close]
Lori Lincoln is the Project Assistant for the NWSC project. She has been with NCAR/UCAR since 2007 and joined the project office in October 2008. She earned her B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder in Environmental Population and Organismic Biology. When she is not busy with project assignments, she is most likely dreaming of her next trip to Norway.
Amy Smith - Contract Administrator »[close]
Amy Smith is a Senior Agreements & Subcontracts Administrator at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). Amy has worked at UCAR since 1999 on a variety of major procurements and contracts, such as those for supercomputers, satellite payloads, and construction projects to name a few. Prior to coming to UCAR, she worked in procurement in the commercial manufacturing sector. Amy holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts.
Amy Moore - Budget Analyst »[close]
Amy Moore is the Budget Analyst for the Computing and Information Systems Laboratory (CISL) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), currently working with the NCAR Wyoming Supercomputing Center (NWSC) project. Over the past 14 years with NCAR/ University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), Amy has also worked for the UCAR Finance division as well as the scientific division, High Altitude Observatory (HAO) and has now been with CISL for the past 6 years. Amy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance from Regis University in 2000.
Matt McMullen - F&A Technical Representative »[close]
Matt McMullen is the Director of Facilities Management & Sustainability for UCAR/NCAR. He has over twenty years of experience in the design and construction fields. Prior to joining UCAR, Matt owned and operated an architectural design/build firm of 15 employees specializing in sustainable residential, retail and commercial architecture in the western region of the United States and Hawaii, earning several AIA Honor and national design awards. Matt received a Bachelors of Environmental Design and a Masters in Architecture (AIA Student Gold Medal) from the University of Colorado, and a Masters of Science – Real Estate & Construction Management from the University of Denver, with honors. Matt is licensed as an Architect in the states of CO, CA & TX and holds AIA, LEED-AP and NCARB professional designations. He is also a licensed Real Estate Broker Associate in the state of Colorado. On a community level, Matt has served and is currently serving on several City of Boulder City Council-appointed boards, commissions and task forces, including his current appointments as Chairperson of the Downtown Management Commission and Chairperson of the Civic Use Pad Task Force IV.
Marijke Unger - Communications Liaison »[close]
Marijke Unger is the external relations specialist for NCAR's Computational and Information Systems Laboratory (CISL) and has been with the organization for two years. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Middlebury College, holds a Masters in French, and has nearly 15 years of experience in writing, editing and communications. Her career began at the United Nations, after which she relocated to Washington DC and started working on climate change at World Wildlife Fund. Her interest in climate change has defined her career, working as a communications officer for the National Snow and Ice Data Center and designing and managing a media campaign for Greenpeace before joining the NCAR team. Marijke has lived and worked in North and South America, Europe and Antarctica. When not at her desk or playing with her dogs, she enjoys her alternate existence as a commercial pilot, motorcyclist, snowboarder and avid photographer.
Jeff Alipit - Webmaster »[close]
Jeff is the Webmaster for the Computing and Information Systems Laboratory (CISL) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) as well as the NWSC project. He has been with NCAR/UCAR for 8 years. During this time, he has worked as a technician for the Network Engineering & Telecommunications Section (NETS) within CISL and as a Web developer for UCAR Communications. He rejoined CISL as the Webmaster in March of 2008. When not busy with work or enjoying time with his family, he usually can be found fly fishing one of Colorado's major six rivers with his brother.
NWSC Oversight Committee (NOC):
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- • Robert Serafin, Chair, NCAR
- • Robert Aylward, Univ. of Wyoming
- • Arthur S. "Buddy" Bland, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- • Roger Crosby, The Crosby Group
- • Carol Frost, Univ. of Wyoming
- • Maura Hagan, NCAR
- • Sarah Ruth, Ex Officio, NSF
- • Lucie Osborn, Laramie County Library System
- • Michael Patterson, Intel Corporation
- • Jeff Reaves, UCAR
- • Bert Semtner, Naval Postgraduate School
- • Darren Smith, NOAA CIO-HPC Office
- • Otto VanGeet, NREL
NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center (NWSC) Oversight Committee (NOC) Charge
The NWSC Oversight Committee (NOC) provides independent oversight, guidance, and community input during the project development and construction phases of the NWSC project. In doing its work, the Committee draws on expertise in the areas of construction, sustainable design, large project management, business opportunity development in the technology sector, and high-performance computing (HPC) facility operation.
The NOC considers all aspects of project conduct and may from time to time focus on specific details as identified by its members, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), or the University of Wyoming (UW). The NOC meets a minimum of two times annually. The Committee reports to the NCAR Associate Director for CISL (Al Kellie), the NCAR Director (Roger Wakimoto), and the UW Vice President for Research and Economic Development (Bill Gern). Activities of the group are administered by the NCAR NWSC Project Office (NPO). The National Science Foundation (NSF)/Division of Atmospheric Sciences (ATM) program manager for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), Cliff Jacobs, serves as an ex officio member of the Committee. Seated during the project development phase, the NOC will sunset when NWSC construction and commissioning are complete and the facility begins research supercomputing support for the community.
While the Committee is free to provide input regarding all aspects of project conduct, members are in general terms asked to regularly provide guidance on the following:
- • Is the project being executed in such a manner as to ensure cost‐efficient construction of an HPC facility that meets the design goals of modularity and maximum efficiency?
- • Is project structuring and conduct consistent with best project management practices?
- • Are the needs and interests of project stakeholders – NCAR, UCAR, Wyoming partners, NSF, scientific community – being taken into consideration and, as reasonable and appropriate, incorporated into the design and construction process?
At the completion of each NOC meeting, the Committee will deliver a short verbal report of their observations and findings to those NCAR, UCAR, Wyoming, and other personnel in attendance. Within three-four weeks of meeting completion, a written report summarizing NOC observations and findings will be delivered to the NCAR Associate Director for CISL, the NCAR Director, and the UW Vice President for Research and Economic Development. All NOC reports will be made available to NCAR, UCAR, project partner, and NSF personnel via a protected section of the NWSC project web site.
Science relies more than ever on computing power to help improve our understanding and broaden our knowledge of the world and how our activities are affecting its natural balance. Computers have helped us see the processes that churn in stars, visualize future climate on Earth, and calculate the paths of hurricanes.
However, as computer models become more sophisticated, integrate more parts of the Earth system, and increase in resolution, they require more and more powerful machines. The NCAR Mesa Laboratory has housed NCAR's computing resources, spanning a history that dates back to one of the first supercomputers ever built, the Cray 1A. While a standard cell phone today has more computing power than it did, the Mesa Laboratory is now home to one of the world's fastest and most powerful supercomputers dedicated to geoscience research. But computing power and cooling requirements have outgrown the facility's capacity, and a new facility that can accommodate future expansion is needed. Our goal is to build a world class scientific supercomputing facility that does not compromise on energy efficiency or sustainability, and that is adaptable to the ever-changing landscape of high-performance computing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the NWSC?
Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the University of Wyoming (UW), working with colleagues around the country, will use the NWSC to study Earth system processes that are of critical importance to society. These include severe weather, climate change, oceanography, air quality, space weather, computational science, energy production, and carbon sequestration. By gaining a better understanding of Earth systems, scientists can provide vital information to decision makers and emergency managers to reduce vulnerability to major storms, air pollution, changes in climate, and geomagnetic storms in the upper atmosphere that can disrupt communications and other technological systems.
Why does the scientific community need a new supercomputing center?
The atmosphere and Earth system are highly complex. Scientists need to conduct an extraordinary number of calculations to answer such questions as the likely locations of the most damaging winds in a hurricane or the subsurface forces in the Sun that can cause geomagnetic storms on Earth. As supercomputers become increasingly powerful, scientists can study these processes in more detail, viewing smaller structures such as areas of rotation that can spawn tornadoes within a larger thunderstorm.
Will NCAR scientists be working in Cheyenne, where the NWSC is located?
NCAR scientists will continue to be based in Boulder. Their colleagues around the world will access the NWSC remotely. Thanks to the Internet and the rapid transmission of data through fiber optic cables and other means, scientists can use supercomputers located far away. In fact, NCAR scientists already conduct some of their research on supercomputers in other states or even overseas.
What do scientists do with their research results?
Once scientists confirm their findings, they submit their studies to peer-reviewed scientific journals. If studies pass the scrutiny of other scientists and journal editors, they are published. Once published, the research helps advance science worldwide and inform policy makers.
When will scientists begin making scientific discoveries with the supercomputer?
Scientists will begin using the supercomputer as soon as it is installed and tested, sometime in 2012. The scientists may begin getting preliminary results within a few weeks. However, it can be months or even a year or two before they publish their findings in scientific journals because they need to confirm the results, write papers, and submit them to reviews by other scientists.
Will the research done on the supercomputer be readily available to the public?
Most of the data sets used by NCAR scientists are freely available to anyone. The code for the computer models developed at NCAR, such as the Community Climate System Model (which is used for climate change research) is freely available on the Web. However, scientists may not be able to share information drawn from data that belongs to a third party that has not authorized its release. In addition, preliminary results are generally not released until they have been confirmed.
NCAR also has an open access policy requiring that peer-reviewed research published by its scientific and technical staff in scientific journals be made publicly available online through its institutional repository.
Will any of the research directly benefit Wyoming and the mountain West?
The research will benefit all of society by advancing our understanding of severe weather, climate change, air quality, geomagnetic storms, and atmospheric chemistry. In addition, certain work will be targeted at helping particular countries and regions. For example, atmospheric scientists increasingly are studying the regional impact of climate change. Toward this end, NCAR and its research collaborators are using a blend of regional and global computer models to simulate temperature, precipitation, and other variables across the U.S. West in more detail than previously available. This work will shed light on such questions as future variability in mountain snowpack and the impact of changing precipitation on agriculture. In addition, UW's specific research plans include standard groundwater and deep aquifer hydrology, artificial seismic analysis, and regional climate analysis to include headwater zones.
How powerful will the NWSC supercomputer be?
Supercomputing power is increasing all the time, and it is difficult to produce an exact estimate of the capability of a future supercomputer. The NWSC supercomputer, at the time it is installed, is expected to rank among the world's top 25 for speed. The rankings of supercomputers are constantly changing as ever-faster machines are developed.
Who will build the NWSC supercomputer?
NCAR invited competing bids from supercomputer manufacturers to ensure that it gets the best possible supercomputer for its needs. In late 2009, NCAR will began a competitive procurement process for the NWSC supercomputer. The selected system will be announced in late 2011.
How much power will the supercomputer consume?
As supercomputers become faster and more powerful, they require more electricity, largely for their cooling systems. The initial supercomputer will likely consume about 3 to 4 megawatts of electricity. The NWSC will initially derive 10 percent of its power from wind energy, with the option to increase that percentage. Of the energy used by the NWSC, 92 percent will go directly to supercomputing as opposed to support functions such as keeping the machines cool. Many measures are being taken to enable this efficiency, including capitalizing on Wyoming's naturally cool climate, which will allow the NWSC to use outside air for cooling during most of the year. For more information about energy efficiency and sustainability efforts, see www.nwsc.ucar.edu.
How is the energy efficiency for supercomputers measured?
The Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) Index reflects how much of the facility's power consumption is used for actual computing, as opposed to support functions like cooling. PUE is defined as the ratio of the total power consumed by a supercomputing center to the power consumed by the information technology equipment of the facility.
How will the NWSC's energy efficiency compare to NCAR's current supercomputing center?
While the Mesa Lab's supercomputing center is highly efficient, with a PUE index of 1.55:1, it cannot compare to a newly designed facility. The NWSC supercomputer is expected to over 20 times more powerful than the Mesa Lab supercomputers while requiring only about three times more power. Put another way, the NWSC will be four times as efficient as the Mesa Lab. Over time, the greater efficiency is likely to become even more pronounced as vendors design increasingly efficient supercomputers.
How long has NCAR had supercomputers?
NCAR was a pioneer in the use of supercomputers, beginning with a Control Data Corporation 6600 in 1966 that is believed to be the first machine designated as a supercomputer. It offered the fastest clock speed for its day (100 nanoseconds). NCAR has subsequently installed increasingly powerful supercomputers from Cray Research, SGI, IBM, and other companies. NCAR supercomputers have often ranked among the fastest 50 in the world.
Will the Mesa Lab continue to have any supercomputers?
The Mesa Lab may continue to house smaller supercomputers. However, the bulk of NCAR's supercomputing resources will be housed at the NWSC.
