Center for High Performance Scientific Computing (CHIPS-Comp)  A Beowulf-type cluster of 20 dual Alpha EV6 833, 750 and 667 MHz workstations with a Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI) network accelerates the progression of parallel programming tasks and exchange of information across the processors. This architecture allows for an extremely powerful supercomputing capability that may be used by researchers in diverse fields to process data at rates not achievable with conventional computing systems. The center can support research in materials science, nuclear physics, parallel computing, and can offer know-how as well as consulting services in material science and nuclear physics and access to computational methods development expertise. |
Real Time GIS Data Tool, GeoData Web Editor  This technology is an open source GIS data tool. GIS provides a mechanism for management, analysis, and display of geographic knowledge, which is represented using a series of information sets such as maps and globes, geographic data sets, processing and work flow models, data models, and metadata. This technology utilizes an existing platform technology from ESRI Inc., ArcIMS. The ArcIMS platform technology is a server-based product that provides a scalable framework for distributing GIS services and data over the Web. The tool provides Web publishing capability for GIS maps, data, and metadata for access by users inside and outside an organization. ArcIMS enables Web sites to offer GIS data, interactive maps, metadata catalogs, and focused GIS applications. The GeoData function allows a real time editor application to be used for mapping and visualizing changes in location. The technology is similar to MapQuest, but differs in that it interprets street anomalies more accurately and further inputs those changes automatically into the information center responsible for data tracking (in Michigan, as an example, it is the Michigan Information System). |
Web Enabled Urban Planning Teaching Tool Called Web Polis Web Polis is an interactive tool developed to encourage and facilitate community participation through an online portal. This technology provides a direct link for local communities through an open information sharing environment. Web Polis offers a suite of applications including online discussion forums, newsletters, consensus builders, real estate analysis, a mapping/GIS component for spatial analysis, and community online survey prototypes with integral statistical analyses. The targeted users of the tool include city officials, economic development groups, the educational community (to teach politics and city government), and urban planning groups. |
Applied Mathematics Function to Map Evolutionary Processes  This research is focused on fluid flow dynamics in porous material--more specifically in relation to nuclear waste contamination. It has recently been more focused on the development of mathematical models to predict disease progression, which includes HIV-1 dynamics, brain tumor progression, cholera colonization of the intestine, and early detection of specific antigens in the blood. While many of these projects are quite specific, the tools developed may be applied to mapping and predicting evolutionary processes in general. One of the projects that has spun out of the main effort focuses on the imaging, mapping, and progression prediction of brain cancer. The mathematical and statistical modeling is being integrated into a bioimplantable sensor for monitoring brain cancer. While this technology is still in a very early stage, it appears that there is at least a basic code that has been developed that is functional. Future work is focused on fine tuning the code and validating the brain cancer imaging and prediction function of the biosensors to allow for real time simulation. |
Design Optimization and Design Under Uncertainty Technology This research is focused on noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and design under uncertainty. One outcome of this reseach is a design optimization tool that has potential application in a number of industry sectors. Although the graphical user interface is at an early stage of development, the algorithm design is sufficiently functional to solve series of complex problems. The research offers the opportunity to provide engineering services to numerous organizations on a consulting basis. |
X-ray Diffraction of Polycrystalline, Nanocrystalline and Amorphous Materials This research program is focused on x-ray diffraction of polycrystalline, nanocrystalline and amorphous materials. Additional work is directed toward computer simulations (Monte Carlo and Molecular Dynamics. Another facet of the ressearch is exploration of the the magnetic properties of materials. |
Reliability-Based Design  This program of research is focused on design under engineering uncertainties, which deteriorate product reliability and quality. With a basic understanding of uncertainties in manufacturing and operational processes, product design is optimized by meeting its performances, by enhancing a target reliability, and simultaneously by maximizing quality. Other topics under investigation include possibility-/evidence-based design, statistical information technology (SIT), design sensitivity analysis, and biomechanics. Recent work has produced insights to both the enriched Performance Measure Approach (PMA+) and the Hybrid Analysis Method for reliability-based design optimization. |
Control System Design and Nonlinear Models An emerging area of research is the utilization of interspacecraft Coulomb forces for both position and attitude control. This has applications from spacecraft formation flying to active “virtual” structures that are highly reconfigurable and robust to individual spacecraft failure. Spacecraft force coupling and the nonlinear electrostatic force behavior provide a variety of interesting technical challenges from nonlinear control to optimal formation design. Similar research topic areas such as, nonlinear control, system simulation, nonlinear system parameter identification and optimization, are present in most of his ongoing projects. Examples include active control of diesel engine aftertreatment systems, at-sea ship crane control, and hydraulic system parameter identification. Another research area is focused on increasing robot-based, flexible material throughput for manufacturing
applications. The system dynamics of the part are exploited, in conjunction with vision-based trajectory optimization, to minimize maneuver time. |
Finite Element Analysis and Computer-Aided Engineering This reseach is focused on developing an array of technologies including finite element, boundary element, and finite difference programs for specific applications such as phase change, material fracture, contact stresses, sheet metal forming, strength evaluations, injection molding, etc. Developing interface programs for smooth and complete data transfer between CADD systems and F.E. programs. |
Soft Computing and Embedded Systems This program of research is focused on two areas. The first involves the development of soft computing techniques and their applications to computer learning and pattern recognition. Specific research topics include classification and regression trees, fuzzy systems, global optimization algorithms, and fuzzy-neural computing. The second involves the development of an interactive, subroutine-threaded programming language for embedded systems. It also includes the study of issues related to the design of embedded systems including hardware/software co-design, microcontrollers, and FPGA synthesis using VHDL. |
Stable Set Polytopes and Interconnection Networks The major focus of this research program is on interconnection networks—the architecture underlying parallel processing. Specifically, the work is designed to investigate the structural properties of these networks including connectivity problems, routing algorithms and vulnerability issues. |
A New Finite Element Solver Algorithm of Optimal Speed and Robustness The investigator is investigating the potential of a new method for
constructing finite element solvers of optimal speed. For a class
of bounded monotone elliptic systems, the method solves the finite element
model in a discrete quotient space, whose complexity depends mainly on the
kernel of the discritized finite element operator, and is linearly
proportional to the number of unknowns in the system. The investigator
will demonstrate that the method has many advantageous features,
and seek for extending it to to more challenging problems such as
convection-dominated diffusion.
The research resides at the heart of high performance scientific
computation, having repeatedly been identified as a critical mission by
National Sciences Foundation over the last several decades. In 2003,
the U.S. Department of Energy publicized a two-volume report
titled "A Science-based Case for Large Scale Simulation", prepared with
direct input from more than 300 of the nation's leading computational
scientists, in which discovering efficient solver algorithms for large
scale simulation is recognized as important as building supper computers.
The investigator directly answer to the call with a strong promise to
advance that mission. |
Studies of Singularities and Black Holes The singularity theorems tell us that singularities form in a large class of spacetimes, including the physically relevant cases of the big bang and of the gravitational collapse of a star to form a black hole. However, these theorems tell us very little about the nature of the singularities. For example, we would like to know for the entire class of incomplete observers, how the curvature behaves along their world lines and whether they can see the singularity before they hit it. Since we do not have the general solution of Einstein's equation in closed form, the PI intends to perform numerical studies of spacetimes with singularities to address these issues. The PI has already developed and successfully applied a fully 3-space dimensional vacuum code to study cosmological singularities and has found support for the BKL picture of oscillatory singularities. He plans to complement this with further work involving matter sources to test the idea that "matter doesn't matter" near the big bang. The PI also will study how coordinate conditions effect the numerical evolution of colliding black holes. |
home | about us | contact us
Powered by IEI © 2006 - 2010 | All rights reserved.