STFC e-science Projects
The major components of the STFC e-Science programme are:
(click on image to go to link)
Building the computing system for the LHC. Specifically this programme provides the UK contribution for the EU-DataGrid (EDG) project and implements the UK components of the EDG test bed. The test bed developments are aimed at providing a production quality platform for the use of both the LHC experiments and many running experiments (BaBar, CDF, D0, Minos, UK-QCD). Approximately 30% of the Grid PP resources are invested directly at CERN as the UK contribution to the CERN LHC Computing Project.
The development and application of Grid technologies for the development of "Virtual Observatories". The main aims of the programme are to develop a working data grid in the UK, integrating key UK data sets, and to prepare the way for the extremely large data sets anticipated from future facilities. VISTA has been chosen as presenting particular challenges in the coming decade. This programme brings together a wide range of astronomical and solar physics communities and the AstroGrid consortium is a collaborator in two EU funded Grid projects; AVO and EGSO. AstroGrid is also pursuing collaboration with the US NVO project.
The development of Grid enabled problem solving environments based on the existing Cactus and Triana systems. This work forms a part of the EU GridLab project. The STFC funded effort focuses on the application of these technologies for the gravitational wave community.
Together with the UK core e-Science programme STFC are funding the UK Grid Support Centre (link opens in a new window) and the Grid Starter pack (link opens in a new window).
p> There is also co-funding provided to support UK computer scientists working in the EDG project.
The National e-Science Centre (NeSC) (link opens in a new window) is based in Edinburgh and there are regional e-Science centres at:-
The UK e-Science Programme
The STFC e-Science programme forms a part of a much wider UK programme. The full UK programme includes e-Science developments in almost all of the research councils together with a Core Programme focussed on the development of robust grid middleware, building a UK e-Science grid, and increasing the involvment of UK industry in grid technologies.
STFC is pursuing collaborative projects with MRC (link opens in a new window) and BBSRC (link opens in a new window) and allocates 10 e-Science Studentships each year to work on a variety of innovative IT developments relevant to the STFC e-science programme.
Other Grid projects relevant to the STFC programme can be found on the following pages:
Page last updated: 19 May 2011
by Andy Mckinna
