Crowdsourcing -- Science Behind the News

When humans and computers work together, they can find solutions to many different types of problems. Luis von Ahn, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the science behind crowdsourcing and how the concept is helping solve such diverse problems as digitizing books online and translating the web to foreign languages.

Credit: NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation (NSF)

Computer Science & Engineering at the Nexus of Energy and Environment: A View from UCSD Microgrid

CISE Distinguished Lecture Series

January 19, 2012 10:00 AM  to

January 19, 2012 11:00 AM
NSF, Room 110

Abstract:

This talk examines how ‘microgrids,' which are self-managed grids with local cogeneration capabilities, can be used as testing grounds for the prototyping and testing of smart grid technologies.   Using the prototype of a microgrid at the campus of the University of California at San Diego, we present energy data that points to promising methods for operation of various types of buildings that leverage coordinated use of sensing, information processing, and building HVAC systems.

Based on measurements and analysis, we show that for the emerging class of ‘mixed-use' buildings - that is, buildings with a non-trivial component of energy use by IT equipment -- significant possibilities exist to reduce total energy use from 10% to 30% based on effective duty-cycling of the IT and HVAC equipment, without affecting the comfort quality or availability of the building and compute resources.  We examine the emerging computer science problems arising from energy arbitration, alternative energy sourcing and capacity provisioning for computational resources through dynamic deferral of energy loads.

Bio:

Rajesh K. Gupta is a professor and chair of Computer Science and Engineering at UC San Diego, and holds the QUALCOMM endowed chair.  His research interests are in energy efficient systems that have taken turn towards large-scale energy use in recent years.  His ongoing efforts include energy-efficient data-centers and large scale computing using memory-coherent algorithmic accelerators and non-volatile storage systems.  He currently serves as EIC of IEEE Embedded Systems Letters. Gupta is a Fellow of the IEEE.

To Join the Webinar:

The Webinar will be held from 10:00-11:00am EST on January 19, 2012 in Room 110.

To attend virtually, please register by January 18, 23:59 PDT at: https://mmancusa.webex.com/mmancusa/j.php?ED=175952377&RG=1&UID=0&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D

After your registration is accepted, you will get an email with a URL to join the meeting. Please be sure to join a few minutes before the start of the webinar. This system does not establish a voice connection on your computer; instead, your acceptance message will have a toll-free phone number that you will be prompted to call after joining.  Please note that this registration is a manual process; therefore, do not expect an immediate acceptance.  In the event the number of requests exceeds the capacity, some requests may have to be denied.

This event is part of Distinguished Lecture Series.

Meeting Type

Lecture

Contacts

Dawn Patterson, (703) 292-8910 dpatters@nsf.gov

NSF Related Organizations

Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering

PC Recycler Takes Security to the Next Level with the Expansion of Their Data Destruction Fleet

Leading data destruction services firm increases the volume of data the firm can securely destroy with addition of the LM-4 Degausser

Chantilly, VA – December 22, 2011 – PC Recycler, www.pcrecycler.net, the leading trusted provider of absolutely secure data destruction services, today announced the expansion of their fleet of data destruction equipment, with the new addition of Data Security Inc.’s LM-4 Degausser, the fastest degausser on the market. The LM-4 Degausser will allow PC Recycler to destroy data faster and increase the volume of hard drives or data tapes destroyed per hour.

“The addition of the LM-4 to our fleet of data destruction equipment will allow PC Recycler to continue our commitment to providing our clients with the fastest, most reliable means of destroying data,” stated PC Recycler’s President, Jeremy Farber. “This state-of-the- art technology give us a competitive advantage and we look forward to bringing the LM-4 Degausser out to our client’s sites to see first hand the benefits that this machine provides.”

Degaussing is the only 100% reliable way to sanitize and destroy data and is the method of choice for the CIA, FBI and NSA when it comes to ensuring the permanent destruction of sensitive data. A degausser is a machine that changes the magnetic domain (where the data is stored) of magnetic data storage devices. When the degausser is applied to magnetic domains the information is scrambled into random patterns, making the data stored in the magnetic domain unreadable.  

With the LM- 4 Degausser, PC Recycler, will provide customers with:

•           The ability to destroy 1,800 hard drives or data tapes per hour –fast cycle time of the LM-4 will minimize the need for additional resources for media sanitization;

•           NAID- certified method to destroy data that meets NSA and DoD requirements for purging classified information;

•           Complete destruction of data located on backup LTO and DLT tapes, VHS tapes, cassettes,  and reel-to-reel tapes and other magnetic storage devices; and

•           The degausser renders the media completely unusable by damaging and removing the servo data; thus, data can no longer be read from or written on to the magnetic device.

“Shredding does not destroy data completely because data can remain on the shredded pieces of the device. Think about smashing a magnet on the ground, the magnet will break into small pieces, but each piece is still magnetic. Hard drives act in the same manner- even as a shredded piece, the piece still holds the magnetic properties where information is stored. The average data breach in the US costs $7.2 million – degaussing is the absolute solution to avoid that type of loss,” Farber concluded.

About PC Recycler

PC Recycler is a trusted, dependable and discreet provider of absolutely secure data destruction services, as well as environmentally sound removal of end-of-life electronics assets, for corporate and government information security decision makers, who need to protect and defend the integrity of their organizations’ data storage devices. The Chantilly, VA based company, which is known for staying ahead of technology trends in the data destruction industry, provides flexible data shredding and degaussing services that meet or exceed industry standards set by NSA, NAID and DLA Logistics Information Service. Unlike other local providers of data destruction services, PC Recycler specializes in high volume mobile on-site hard drive shredding and degaussing for corporate and federal government data centers.  PC Recycler’s highly trained, attentive data destruction technicians can come to the client site to destroy and remove any type of data storage device discreetly, safely, thoroughly and securely. To learn more about PC Recycler, visit PCrecycler.net.

NSF Joins in Targeting Educators to Celebrate Computer Science Education Week 2011

In recognition of Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) 2011, Dec. 4 to 10, the National Science Foundation (NSF) today began publishing and disseminating CS Bits & Bytes, one-page newsletters spotlighting innovative computer science research.

Computer science is the only STEM--science, technology, engineering and mathematics--disclipine with more job openings than there are college graduates to fill them. Leadership in NSF's directorate for Computer Information Science and Engineering (CISE) is working to address this underproduction problem by promoting ways to make computer science more engaging and acessible in the K-12 arena.

"The CS Bits & Bytes series emphasizes how computer science permeates and improves our lives and supports progress across many other scientific and engineering disciplines," said Farnam Jahanian, NSF's assistant director for CISE. "It is an exciting tool to attract students to computing and information technology."

Each issue of CS Bits & Bytes will describe cutting edge scientific research, link to snapshots, videos and interactive activities and profile a computer scientist from the diversity of individuals who do this inspiring, multidisciplinary work.

To reach the desired middle and high school level audience, NSF is drawing on the expertise of those in its Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Program--comprised of elementary and secondary school math and science teachers around the country serving for a year as NSF fellows.

"The goal is for educators and parents to use CS Bits & Bytes to inspire students to engage in the multi-faceted world of computer science, to become not just users but creators of technology, and to develop the skills to use computation to their own ends, across a wide span of interests and disciplines," said Jan Cuny, NSF program officer for education and workforce.

The first issue of CS Bits & Bytes focuses on human computation. Publication will occur on a biweekly basis and continue through the end of the 2011/2012 academic year, inspiring exploration of such topics as self-driving cars, the creation of new materials, communications technologies and geospatial computing. To receive future issues, please visit NSF's CS Bits & Bytes page.

CSEdWeek was designated by Congress to commemorate the birthday of computing pioneer, Grace Hopper, and to recognize the transformative role of computing and the need to bolster computer science at all educational levels. 

-NSF-

NASA Awards Contract Modification to Computer Science Corp

Sonja Alexander                              

Headquarters, Washington

 

Patton Tidmore

NASA Shared Services Center, Stennis Space Center, Miss.

 

WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded Computer Science Corp. (CSC) of Falls Church, Va., a contract modification to exercise the second option year under the current contract. This one-year option period increases the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) support contract by more than $41 million and provides services through Sept. 30, 2012.

CSC will continue financial management, human resources, procurement and information technology support services to the agency.

The NSSC is a partnership between NASA, CSC and the states of Mississippi and Louisiana. The NSSC also performs selected business activities for all ten NASA centers.

For information about the NASA Shared Services Center, visit http://www.nssc.nasa.gov.

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit http://www.nasa.gov.

- end -

ICE announces expanded list of science, technology, engineering, and math degree programs

Qualifies eligible graduates to extend their post-graduate training

WASHINGTON - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today published an expanded list of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degree programs that qualify eligible graduates on student visas for an Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension-an important step forward in the Obama administration's continued commitment to fixing our broken immigration system and expanding access to the nation's pool of talented high skilled graduates in the science and technology fields.

The announcement follows President Obama's recent remarks in El Paso, Texas, where he reiterated his strong support for new policies that embrace talented students from other countries, who enrich the nation by working in science and technology jobs and fueling innovation in their chosen fields here in the United States, as a part of comprehensive reform.

By expanding the list of STEM degrees to include such fields as Neuroscience, Medical Informatics, Pharmaceutics and Drug Design, Mathematics and Computer Science, the Obama administration is helping to address shortages in certain high tech sectors of talented scientists and technology experts-permitting highly skilled foreign graduates who wish to work in their field of study upon graduation and extend their post-graduate training in the United States.

Under the OPT program, foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges and universities are able to remain in the U.S. and receive training through work experience for up to 12 months. Students who graduate with one of the newly-expanded STEM degrees can remain for an additional 17 months on an OPT STEM extension.

CBP IT Chief Charles Armstrong Wins Federal Computer Honor

Washington – U.S. Customs and Border Protection is pleased to announce that Charles R. Armstrong, CBP assistant commissioner and chief information officer for the Office of Information and Technology, has been named one of the top Federal Information and Technology (IT) executives by Federal Computer Week Magazine. Each year, this industry publication names 100 top IT leaders in government, industry and academia who were found to be agents of change with a commitment to excellence and a sense of devoted duty to public service.

“Everyone knows that technology makes the world go ‘round but getting the right information to the right people in an effective and timely manner makes all the difference in the world,” said Armstrong. “This is the second time I have received this prestigious honor and once again I credit my talented IT team who work to maintain a vision of creative excellence and commitment as we serve one of the hardest-working agencies in federal government, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.”

Selected by a panel of government and industry leaders, Armstrong was recognized for his development of efficient ways for CBP to better manage and use information technology to share in the critical CBP mission of preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the country and protecting our homeland. CBP is the largest law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security with more than 58,000 employees working in locations throughout the nation and overseas.

Armstrong brings over 26 years of leadership and technology experience to the operation and management of IT. He previously served as deputy chief information officer for DHS, where he championed IT initiatives for improving the agency’s secure information sharing capabilities. Beginning his federal career with the U.S. Navy Department and working for the former U.S. Customs Service, Armstrong is a Harvard Senior Executive Fellow and was also named previously as one of Federal Computer Week Magazine’s Federal 100 in 2001.

Supervisory Border Patrol Agent George Bressler, was also named as one of the top 100 IT leaders in government for successfully mobilizing representatives of 150 organizations — including state, local, federal and tribal government agencies — as lead coordinator for the Operation Golden Phoenix anti-terrorism training exercise in San Diego in July 2008. The drill, which also included private organizations, simulated a biological threat at the border that evolved into a major medical disaster. The goal was to quickly mobilize cross-organizational collaboration. Golden Phoenix used new tools and technologies, including the Common Alerting Protocol for exchanging emergency alerts and messages.

The CBP Office of Information and Technology is responsible for agency software development, infrastructure service and support, tactical communications, CBP laboratory scientific services, research and development functions and IT modernization initiatives that support CBP.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

NASA Extends Contract For Supercomputing Support Services

Sonja Alexander

Headquarters, Washington

 

Rachel Hoover

Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.

WASHINGTON -- NASA will exercise the third one-year option on a contract with Computer Sciences Corp. in Lanham, Md., to provide supercomputing support services at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif. The option is valued at approximately $58.6 million.

The option exercised on the cost-plus-award-fee contract begins April 1 and continues until March 31, 2012. The contract consists of a two-year base period, which began Aug. 1, 2007, and eight one-year priced options with a maximum value of approximately $597 million if all options are exercised.

The company will continue to support supercomputing services provided by the agency's primary high performance computing facility operated by the NASA Advanced Supercomputing Division at Ames. The facility serves as the supercomputing pathfinder for the agency and develops and operates some of the largest, most advanced and productive supercomputers in the world.

The contract is structured so the company also may provide supercomputing services to the NASA Center for Computational Sciences facility at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and additional high performance computing support to other agency field centers as needed.

For more information about high performance advanced supercomputing at Ames, visit http://www.nas.nasa.gov.

- end -