The project, “The Need for Speed – Resourcing STEM Education and Research with Network Improvements,” will improve the campus’ internet capabilities and prioritize STEM coursework.
Goshen College has received a grant from the National Science Foundation in the amount of $550,000 that will support the college’s project entitled “The Need for Speed – Resourcing STEM Education and Research with Network Improvements.” The project will result in a marked campus-wide improvement of internet connectivity, with the project ultimately prioritizing STEM research with a connection to a statewide research network.
According to an article on Goshen College’s website, Paul Housholder, who serves as the director of the college’s information technology infrastructure, was quoted as saying of the grant project, “This grant will allow us to upgrade the network backbone and our internet connection in a manner that creates a redundant, high-speed network core that can serve STEM processes, STEM research, computer labs and more. Once it’s installed, we expect research to iterate more quickly. Instead of waiting 40 minutes for a download [from another institution], now I’ll be able to download it in two minutes and explore the data instantly. I think peer review, collaboration and AB testing will happen much more quickly. It’s also just exciting because it’s hard to tell what we can’t do right now. But once we’re able to get this online, we hope to see new patterns of research emerge because of new opportunities.”
The grant comes via the NSF’s Campus Cyberinfrastructure program. Householder co-authored the grant alongside David King, the college’s senior enterprise systems architect. Also contributing to the project was Paul Meyer Reimer, professor of physics, as the co-principal investigator. In writing the grant, the team utilized examples of specific ways the grant funding would help the college. They referenced ongoing faculty research projects like developing an open-source engine for simulating molecular dynamics, mapping the risk of mycotoxin exposure for Tanzanian infants, and genomics research, among others.
The college’s current internet situation is not redundant, meaning that there is no backup system if it were to fail, and the internet would be unavailable campus wide. It also only currently has a two gigabits per second connectivity and cannot prioritize academic internet usage over recreational usage. Through this project, upgrades will increase connectivity to eight gigabytes per second and will create redundant internet connectivity that will be used as a backup in case the primary internet connection fails.
In addition to the general, campus-wide upgrade to eight gigabit connection, the STEM departments will benefit from a special 10 gigabit speed connection to a statewide research network. STEM departments will also receive increased storage space for its various projects.
Students will benefit from the grant project in more ways than just having access to faster internet and more storage. They will also be able to gain hands-on experience throughout the implementation and maintenance process. Student technical specialist interns will be assisting with every step, providing them with valuable knowledge for their future careers.
The college has used the funding to purchase the equipment it needs for the upgrades, which will occur throughout the summer. The new security upgrades will roll out in the fall.
For more information about Goshen College, visit the school’s website.