A Universtiy-Research Class Computer for Secondary Schools:

Opportunities for science, technology and training

Dr. Tom Gottschalk

CACR, Caltech

tdg@oscar.cithep.caltech.edu

(818) 395-6671

Project Definition

Caltech is planning to provide a University-Research Class Computer and appropriate application programs to local schools for use by the math, science and technology teaching staffs to enable simulations and analyses not feasible on classroom computers.

What Could it Do for Teachers?

• Give them a new tool to excite and teach students
• Allow them to participate in "leading edge" technology with university researchers
• Enable "hands on" experimentation with simulations too large for classroom computers

What Kinds of Programs are Available?

• AirShed (http://www.eng.uci.edu/~maeadmin/Faculty/dabdub/dd1.html)
  • Models air pollution in LA Basin. "What if" analyses are possible in 15 min. turn-around
• Genesis (http://www.bbb.caltech.edu/GENESIS/genesis.html)
  • Models neural systems in various organisms.
• n Body (http://www.cacr.caltech.edu/~johns/pubs/siam97/)
  • Simulates the beginnings of the universe
• AIDS Research
  • Simulates spread of AIDS in countries on the Pacific Rim

What Could it do for the Students?

• Allow them to be involved in simulations or modeling otherwise not feasible
• Expose them to technology of the most advanced kind
• Give them contact with Caltech and associated scientists
• Give them opportunities to participate in development of this new technology

What Could it Do for Schools?

• Provide new visibility for technology efforts by having unique asset available
• Open new funding opportunities through collaboration with Caltech
• Enhance current funding efforts by giving identifiable need for technology to support use of University-Research Class Computer.

How Could it Enhance Funding Efforts?

• Make schools unique in eyes of funders.
• Give defensible reason for improved networking, classroom displays, teacher training, etc. to support program
• Demonstrate the applicability of high tech to all levels of instruction

What Could Caltech do?

• Buy the high performance switch and the first four nodes
• Assist in identifying and implementing the most useful applications
• Plan and conduct training for computer and applications
• Maintain and administer computer (at least initially)

What Would Schools Have to Do?

• Identify those teachers best situated to make use of this new capability
• Provide connectivity from the classroom to the computer via the internet
• Provide a suitable PC and appropriate display in classrooms
• Enable teachers to be available for training
• Assist in scheduling, administration and maintenance

What are the Costs?

• Level of participation can really be decided by teachers and schools
• Caltech is ready to fund the cluster switch and the first four nodes on its own
• Could upgrade computer with four additional nodes for ~$10K from schools
• CRPC is helping to identify applications this summer. Other training or teacher time may need to be funded by schools

What Kind of Computer is it?

• A cluster of standard PCs - sometimes known as a Beowulf
• ( http://www.cacr.caltech.edu/research/beowulf/)
• It uses standard PentiumPro computers and a 16 port 100 baseT switch
• The operating system is Linux and inter-node communications are via MPI
• Connectivity to the internet is via the ethernet switch and T3 to Los Nettos