Institute for Cyber-Enabled Research

Congratulations to all ACRES students and ICER interns who presented at MidSURE this year!

We are so proud of your hard work and all you've accomplished. Join us in celebrating the incredible presentations and research conducted this summer!

Read the latest Letter From the Director for important information about ICER's computing hardware acquisition plans. Changes have been made to the buy-in program and anticipated procurement timeline. ICER is also instituting a fractional node buy-in program, where researchers can buy fractional-node allocations at proportional cost. More: https://bit.ly/4vHk0cs

As modern science generates ever-larger datasets, cloud computing has become a necessary tool for storing, managing, and analyzing research data. Through ICER's Cloud Computing Foundations Program, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers gain hands-on experience with state-of-the-art cloud computing systems to improve their workflows in their areas of research. Discover how this year's cohort is implementing cloud computing to advance their research in disciplines ranging from electrochemistry to quantum computing!

More: http://bit.ly/3R8Hfhz

Every second counts when a patient enters the ER with a life-threatening infection like sepsis. Traditionally, identifying the right treatment can take time that many critically ill patients simply do not have. Within the Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties at Michigan State University, Assistant Professors Brett Etchebarne and Zenggang Li are transforming emergency diagnostics. They are developing "point-of-care" tools designed to identify deadly pathogens and antibiotic resistance in minutes rather than days.

The massive amount of data generated by sequencing DNA and RNA from infected patients is too vast for a standard computer to process quickly. A key step in this process, known as base calling, involves converting raw signals from the sequencing machine into DNA letters. "For the base calling time on our lab computer, it takes eight to 12 hours," Zenggang explains. "But with ICER's High-Performance Computing Center, we can finish calculating in about 15 to 30 minutes."

By using ICER to compare different analysis methods, the team ensures they are providing doctors with the most accurate and rapid answers possible.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4w5qQu2

Malik Aljirafi is a Computer Science major at Michigan State University with a specialized concentration in cybersecurity. As an intern at ICER for over a year, he has been instrumental in developing tools that visualize the performance of MSU’s High-Performance Computing Center (HPCC).

One of Malik’s favorite aspects of his internship is the hands-on experience he gains with SQL/databases and hardware through projects like the Raspberry Pi cluster, which helps teach the public about parallel computing. "I’m really proud of the work I’ve done, and glad to be able to contribute to ICER," he says.

Outside of the office, Malik stays active with intramural soccer and unwinds by gaming, specifically Rocket League.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/41UhKSQ

D**g Zhao, an Associate Professor of Planning, Design, and Construction, and Lei Shu, a Ph.D. student in Construction Management, are using artificial intelligence to make sustainable living accessible to everyone. By developing an AI Energy Agent, they are providing homeowners with the expert knowledge needed to retrofit their houses for maximum energy efficiency and carbon reduction.

Beyond the raw processing power, the team particularly values how ICER seamlessly manages the massive datasets essential for their simulations. "While we utilize the facility for various initiatives, this project perfectly illustrates our reliance on its capabilities,” Dr. Zhao notes. “It’s a core part of our workflow."

As the research evolves, the team is looking past individual residences toward the broader horizon of smart cities. Meanwhile, Lei is preparing for a significant milestone of his own: he plans to graduate this summer, ready to take the next big step in his professional journey.

"Our future plan is to develop an urban energy planning AI agent," Lei explains. "It's not just focusing on one building, but the whole city."

Stay tuned to meet more of the researchers at ICER who are pushing the boundaries of what we know about our world!

Learn more: https://bit.ly/48LvJhA

Ben Wenig, a first-year Ph.D. student with the Swain Research Group in the Department of Chemistry at Michigan State University, is developing revolutionary coatings for carbon materials. By using ICER’s High-Performance Computing Center, he is helping to create molecular shields that could protect everything from commercial aircraft to your family car from the costly and dangerous damage of corrosion.

Having the ability to run complex simulations for free with ICER’s compute and support resources allows the team to refine these molecular shields to be more effective and durable. "I will say, the ICER staff have been extremely available, helpful, and responsive," Ben says. "ICER is awesome."

Ben is focused on the practical and sustainable applications of his work. The molecular shields can reduce the weight of an airplane to save fuel and are an environmentally friendly alternative to toxic paints.

"We want to understand at the molecular level how these molecules form on carbon surfaces so that we can form very ordered, single monolayers," Ben explains. "It is really a cost-saving measure in that regard as well."

Stay tuned to meet more of the researchers at ICER who are working on the technologies of tomorrow!

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Q7Als6

Heidi Krauss is a Ph.D. student at Michigan State University specializing in computational geodynamics. Using ICER’s high-performance computing center, she explores the deep interior of our planet. By simulating the movement of material thousands of kilometers beneath the surface, she is helping to solve the mystery of the massive blobs hidden in the Earth’s mantle.
One of Heidi’s favorite parts of her research is the ability to run massive sets of data that would not be possible on a standard computer. “Having those computer cores helps me be a lot more prolific in my research,” she says. “Without access to high-performance computing hardware, the results I produce from 120 models would be scaled down to around three.” By handling the heavy lifting, ICER ensures that Heidi spends her time making new discoveries rather than waiting weeks for a computer to finish its work.

Outside of the lab, Heidi is passionate about making science accessible by focusing on the Earth's greatest mysteries. Rather than getting bogged down in the jargon of momentum and energy, she uses her data to create a visual narrative.

“I want to make pictures of these blobs and help figure out what they are,” Heidi says. “Now I get to build these worlds at my desk and watch them evolve in my simulations—it's a way to show people what’s happening beneath our feet without needing a physics degree to understand it.”

Stay tuned to meet more of the researchers at ICER who are pushing the boundaries of what we know about our world!

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4tdTMy5

What an incredible weekend at the MSU Science Festival! Thank you to everyone who stopped by to explore the power of supercomputing with us. We can’t wait to see you next year!