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It Takes a Village: Coordination of Research Computing and Data Stakeholders is Essential to the Success of University-based Research

Internet2 Technology Exchange

Minneapolis, MN

September 19, 2023

Jim Wilgenbusch, Director of Research Computing

Cody Hanson, Director of Information Technology, University Libraries

Dan McDonald, IT Research & Development

Charles Nguyen, Research Facilitator, IT Director Polar Geospatial Center

Colby Reese, Director of Health Sciences Technology

Daniel Stocker, Senior Director Infrastructure and Production

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Data

CI Ecosystem

Theory

Experimentation

Computation

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*Slide Credit: Manish Parashar, Office Director of the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC) at the National Science Foundation (NSF) presented at the Fall Midwest Big Data Hub All hands Meeting, October 30, 2019.

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Faculty

Developing the “Missing Middle”�System-wide View of the Research Computing

Data Generators and Repositories

MRI

Genomic

Center for Magnetic Resonance Research

UMN Institutes & Centers

Univ of MN Genomic Center

UMN Core Facilites

National Institute of Mental Health Data Archive

Global & Local Data Archives

Science Outcomes & Result Sharing

Publications

Workshops, Conferences, and Training

Curated Data Resources

Tools & Platforms for Analysis & Sharing

Coordinated Infrastructure

Diverse Expertise

Common Processes

Shared Governance

Research Partnerships/Teams

Dept. IT

Office of Information Technology

Research Computing:

MSI, UMII, U-Spatial

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Why it Matters

How to feed a growing population threatened by the pressures of global climate change?

How to develop new materials needed to transform energy transportation systems?

How to effectively diagnose and treat various forms of cancer?

How to address a growing epidemic of drug addiction and other mental health issues?

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Coordinate Research CI: �Isn’t This Obvious?

Research Computing

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“Sustainability evokes the feeling of perpetual motion – start it and it sustains itself – but sustainability actually requires nearly continuous ongoing work, adaptation, and adjustment.”

Dr. Eric Sills, NC State

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Challenges: Rapidly Changing CI Ecosystem

Team Science

In Books

Data Science in Google Searches

Artificial Intelligence in Google Searches

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Challenges: Rapidly Changing CI Ecosystem

2022 CASC Top Priority Areas: Support Team Science and End-to-End Workflows

This kind of problem is now about 80% of what I’m seeing at my institution. Batch computing is only a small part of what my faculty need.

RFI on Developing a Roadmap for the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIPs) at the NSF

Better integrating research computing and data systems into the broader research fabric of our campuses and of the nation is essential to sustaining the advances that will be made possible by the TIP Directorate.

https://casc.org/researchpub/position-statements/

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Challenges: Rapidly Changing CI Ecosystem

While most agree that this growth is helping to advance numerous disciplines, the proliferation of organizations seeking to support, promote, and advance RCD has led to some challenges.

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Challenges: Among Large R1 Universities

Universities are inherently fragmented

Officies, Colleges, Departments, Institutes, Centers, PI Laboratories, and more

Broad mission

Education
Research
Outreach

Broad Audience

Students, parents of students, alumni, legislators, foundations

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Coordinate Research CI: �OK, So What is Your Solution?

Research Computing

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Coordinating Research CI:

Identify Current Service Providers

Internal to the University

Central IT
Departments
Colleges
Labs

External to the University

Public clouds
Research Institutes
National Research CI
Partner Universities
Regional Alliances

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Coordinating Research CI:

Develop Governance

Identify Gaps

Research CI Stakeholder Analysis

Develop value proposition for proposed changes

Shared recommendations make larger impacted
Share research IT governance is less impacted by admin changes
Coordinate priorities among service providers
Reduce unnecessary redundancy
Develop teams with diverse skill sets to address unique research challenges
Coordinate charge models

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Challenges to Coordination

Job security issues

Will this jeopardize my employment?
What career opportunities will I lose?

Personality issues

I don’t want to report to them?
Unwillingness to let some things go, e.g., I want to own it all!
Insecurity about technical prowess

Structural issues (Perceptions)

Top down: Cost effective and efficient, risks slowing things down
Bottom up: Faster time to solution, less cost effective

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Show Me Evidence: �UMN Case Study

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Draws Heavily from PEARC ‘19 Paper

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A Little about UMN Research

U is part of “billion-dollar research club” of 24 US research universities
Top 10 US Public (ARWU/Shanghai)
12 fields of study in top 25 globally (ARWU/Shanghai)
Top 15 US public Universities (NSF HERD)
Nationally and globally recognized for technology commercialization and innovation
Record startups and patents - surpassed 200th startup milestone
Deepening corporate engagement
Diverse and impactful research projects across UMN system
Building on our strengths, growing new opportunities - New Initiatives

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Support for Research at UMN

FY 22, $ In Millions

Most sponsored dollars are coming from NIH
Attract a large amount of dollars from State and Local governments
Could do better with DoD

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Tech Commercialization: Startups

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Filling in the Missing Middle

Top Down�Aligns with Institutional Vision & Goals�Could Slow Things Down

Bottom Up�Rapid Time to Solution�May Lack Broader Alignment

University Administration�OVPR, Provost, CIO,

Librarian, Deans

Researchers�Faculty, Staff, Students

Colleges, Institutes, and Cores

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Filling in the Missing Middle

Top Down�Aligns with Institutional Goals�Could Slow Things Down

Bottom Up�Rapid Time to Solution�May Lack Broader Alignment

University Administration�OVPR, Provost, CIO,

Librarian, Deans

Institutional Cyber Infrastructure Group (ICIG)

⧫ Coordinate Institutional Goals ⧫ Communicate Bottom to Top ⧫ Review Research Data Policies

Research CyberInfrastructure Champions (RCC) Network

⧫ Broad Expertise ⧫ Hands on User Support ⧫ Bridge Research and Technology Gaps

Researchers�Faculty, Staff, Students

Colleges, Institutes, and Cores

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Institutional Cyber Infrastructure Group (ICIG)

Charge

Coordinate research CI initiatives
Ensure good lines of communication
Advance strategic alignment regarding technology-related activities
Review RDM Policy
Engage, train, and coordinate of Research CI Champions (RCC)

Members

Director of Research Computing
Director of Academic Health IT
Director Central IT Infrastructure & Operations
Director of Libraries IT
Director of IT for the College of Computer Science and Engineering

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ICIG & RCC Stakeholders

ICIG

RCC

Various Working Groups

Various Affinity Groups

Informing and Polling

University Governance

Senate Technology on Information Technology (SCIT)
Senate Research Committee (SRC)
Senate Library Committee (SLC)

Administrative

Council of Research Associate Deans (CRAD)
IT Leadership Group (ITL Group)
Technology Advisory Council (TAC)

Compliance and Oversight

Office of Internal Audit
Health Information Privacy & Compliance Office (HIPCO)
AHC Info Exchange Exec Committee

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ICIG & RCC Stakeholders

ICIG

RCC

Various Working Groups

Various Affinity Groups

Informing and Polling

University Governance

Senate Technology on Information Technology (SCIT)
Senate Research Committee (SRC)
Senate Library Committee (SLC)

Administrative

Council of Research Associate Deans (CRAD)
IT Leadership Group (ITL Group)
Technology Advisory Council (TAC)

Compliance and Oversight

Office of Internal Audit
Health Information Privacy & Compliance Office (HIPCO)
AHC Info Exchange Exec Committee

External Organizations

ACCESS
CASC, CARCC
APARD-APLU/AAU
Internet2 & Other RENs
NCI
Big Ten Academic Alliance

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Stakeholder Analysis

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University-wide Storage Efforts:

Cultural vs. Technical

2015

2020

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Use Case Categorization Scheme Committee (UCCS)

5/19/2015

Convene Storage Working Group

3/1/2016

Storage Redesign and Restructure Committee (SRRC)

11/10/2016

SRRC Final Report

7/30/2017

Mtg Council of Associate Deans for Research

8/23/2017

Storage Champions Kick off

9/19/2019

Storage Picker Tool

Fall 2019

Mtg All Campus & System IT Dirs.

9/29/2017

Mtg Senate Committee on IT

10/17/2017

University Storage Council

3/2/2018

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Outcomes: Storage Selector

Adapted from: Cornell University Research Data Management Service Group and Cornell Information Technologies Custom Development Group (2018). Finder Module. Drupal 8. https://github.com/CU-CommunityApps/CD-finder

z.umn.edu/storage-selection-tool

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Outcomes: Static Storage

ICIG tasked the RCC to identify potential solutions for storing data that is not regularly used:

Tier 0: Shared platform for service providers to use. Service user buy-in and are given a dedicated partition.
Tier 1: A developer service that would require the development of some middleware
Tier 2: An end-user service centrally provided

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Outcomes: Static Storage

ICIG tasked the RCC to identify potential solutions for storing data that is not regularly used:

Tier 0: Shared platform for service providers to use. Service user buy-in and are given a dedicated partition.
Tier 1: A developer service that would require the development of some middleware
Tier 2: An end-user service centrally provided

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Outcomes: CI Prioritization

Positions for Fiscal Year 2023

Position 1: Improve Support for Research CI Security and Compliance
Position 2: Improve Support for Team Science and End-to-end Workflows
Position 3: Improve Support and Awareness for Data Management Lifecycle: Develop a culture that embraces Data as an Asset

Positions: https://z.umn.edu/7wid

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Outcomes: Data Center Planning

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Outcomes: Outreach & Training

Summer Internship Opportunities

UROC - Urban Research & Outreach Centre
Office of Information Technology

Collaboration from:

Office of Equity and Diversity, Achieve Twin Cities, Plymouth Youth Center, Office of the Vice President of Research, Liberal Arts Technologies & Innovation Services, College of Science and Engineering, Research Compute, U-Spatial, Public Safety, Civil Engineering, and Reuse and Recycling

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Question & Comments Please

James (Jim) Wilgenbusch

Contact me:

Some links:

ICIG:

https://rc.umn.edu/icig

RCC:

https://rcc.umn.edu

Research Computing