The Lariat Networking Project: Building Connections in the Rural West

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

2. IDeANet: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 IDeA Program • Includes BRIN, COBRE, INBRE • Similar to NSF EPSCoR 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 • University of Nevada -Reno • University of Wyoming

3. 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

4. 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 IDeA, BRIN, INBRE and WWAMI

5. L A R I A T ’ S C H A L L A N G I N G G E O G R A P H Y & E C O N O M Y

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

7. Improved connectivity will enable participation in national initiatives

8. 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

9. Modeling structure function relationships in the nervous system

10. Development of modeling tools We have developed a software package (XModeL) 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

11. Access to remote resources

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

13. E-science collaborations

14. BIRN: An example of biomedical e-science

15. Research in extreme environments:

16. Regional public health issues

17. Unique to Montana

18. Information dissemination:lariat-west.org