Partnerships
Below are some examples of how we are partnering and collaborating with other organizations at the University of Minnesota and beyond to advance compute, data, and spatial research. While not listed here, we also work with a number of private organizations to provide a variety of services and partner opportunities. Please send a message to [email protected] if you would like to discuss ways that your organization can work more closely with Research Computing.
Center for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics (CMSP)
A full-time UMII analyst is embedded in the Center for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics. UMII supports CMSP both for analysis and streamline data handling. The director of CMSP also serves on the UMII advisory board.
Characterization Facility (CharFac)
UMII supports the Characterization Facility (CharFac) by having a full-time analyst embedded within the facility. This analyst works to create scientifically novel methods of data analysis.
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (LM&P)
A team of Research Computing analysts funded by the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (LM&P) provides clinical and research bioinformatics support to LM&P. The five analysts in this group create clinical bioinformatics analysis pipelines for LM&P’s Molecular Diagnostic Lab and provide bioinformatics support to LM&P researchers throughout the lifespan of a project, from consulting on experimental design to creating custom analyses and publication-ready figures.
Digital Arts, Sciences, and Humanities (DASH)
Research Computing is a founding partner with DASH, with all three units providing consulting services through events like Programming and Pizza, Software Carpentry, and the Human in the Data MnDRIVE Fellowship Program. DASH further expands the reach of Research Computing into the digital humanities.
Enterprise GIS
Enterprise GIS and U-Spatial collaborate on hosting geospatial infrastructure that is available to all students, faculty and staff for creating maps and performing spatial analysis. U-Spatial also offers workshops with instruction on using GIS software on both the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses.
GEMS Platform
The GEMS platform is a joint initiative between the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute (MSI) and the College of Food Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS). The Director of Research Computing co-directs the initiative and members of MSI participate in the development of key software components and its supporting hardware infrastructure. The GEMS project is supported in part by funding from the University of Minnesota Informatics Institute (UMII).
Institute for Advanced Study (IAS)
The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), Digital Arts, Sciences, & Humanities (DASH) Program, and Research Computing co-sponsor the Human in the Data MnDRIVE Fellowship Program. The University of Minnesota Informatics Institute (UMII) provides funding for the fellowship and Research Computing staff serve as graduate student mentors for fellowship recipients.
Institute for Translational Neuroscience (ITN)
The Institute for Translational Neuroscience (ITN) and Department of Neuroscience fund an analyst who collaborates closely with ITN and Neuroscience researchers on bioinformatics and image analysis projects. The analyst provides informatics analysis support throughout the lifespan of a project, from consulting on experimental design to creating custom analyses and publication-ready figures, and teaches tutorials on basic bioinformatics skills.
Institutional Cyberinfrastructure Group (ICIG)
The Director of Research Computing is among the University IT leaders who comprise the Institutional CyberInfrastructure Group. Other ICIG leaders represent Health Sciences Technology, Infrastructure and Production (OIT), and the Libraries. ICIG coordinates UMN research cyberinfrastructure (CI) initiatives, ensuring good lines of communication to advance strategic alignment at all levels of our institution regarding technology-related activities, and reviews the University’s Research Data Management Policy.
Liberal Arts Technology & Innovation Services (LATIS)
Research Computing and LATIS collaborate to provide technology consulting to the College of Liberal Arts and beyond. The successful Story Maps collaborative is one example of support for the humanities through collaborative efforts of Research Computing and LATIS.
Masonic Institute for Developing Brain (MiDB)
The Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MiDB) brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines and is dedicated to fostering the healthy brain function of children across the lifespan, creating communities that are welcoming and accessible to all people. Their work requires new data storage systems, data management, and computationally intensive research tasks. MiDB and RC formed the MIDB Informatics Group (MIDB-IG) to address a variety of needs for ongoing research in neuroscience at the University.
Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI)
Thanks to the MnDRIVE initiative, a half-time UMII position supports the Natural Resources Research Institute in Duluth. Support includes a variety of analytical methods support, applied to the analysis of water systems and ecology.
Neuroimaging and Genetic Data Resources Initiative (NGDR)
A large representation of neuroimaging scientists on campus expressed an interest in working with four large, publicly available datasets totaling hundred of terabytes of data. UMII and MSI worked together to both support the storage and the subsequent analysis of such a large dataset, resulting in the Neuroimaging and Genomics Data Resource.
Research Cyberinfrastructure Network (RCC)
The Research Cyberinfrastructure Champion Network (RCC) helps to coordinate and advise on matters related to the development, delivery, and sustainability of UMN’s research. The RCC reports to the ICIG <link> and has among its members staff representing the Research Computing Units.
Storage Champion Network
The Storage Champion Network (SCN) aims to connect the diverse researchers across the University with the best storage options available for their work. As a large provider of storage, Research Computing (RC) works closely with the SCN to ensure Champions are familiar with the available services and that RC is meeting campus needs.
University Imaging Centers (UIC)
The University Imaging Centers work closely with UMII and MSI to help their users extract the most value out of data acquired there. UMII provides consulting services in image processing and analysis, from small scale to multi-institutional collaborations. MSI provides cyberinfrastructure support for data delivery and processing TB-sized images. The University Imaging Centers are located in several locations across the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. The University Imaging Centers maintain the equipment, instrumentation, and support necessary for many imaging, visualization, and 3D printing processes.
University of Minnesota Genomics Center (UMGC)
The University of Minnesota Genomics Center (UMGC) has a long standing partnership with Research Computing (RC). Research Computing provides dedicated resources for the storage and processing of the large quantities of data produced by the UMGC. Furthermore, RC has a full time employee embedded in the UMGC to be a first point of contact for researchers needing support with the analysis of sequencing datasets.
Campus Research Computing Consortium (CARCC)
Research Computing co-chairs the CARCC Ecosystem working group and is a member of the CARCC leadership team working to develop, advocate for, and advance campus research computing and data and associated professions.
Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation (CASC)
MSI, a unit within Research Computing, has been a member of the Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation (CASC) for six years and helps to advocate for the use of advanced computing technology to accelerate scientific discovery for national competitiveness, global security, and economic success, as well as develop a diverse and well-prepared 21st century workforce.
Campus Champions (XSEDE)
Several Research Computing staff are part of a national network of professionals who seek to help their institute’s researchers, educators and scholars with computing- and data-intensive research, education, and scholarship, especially in the use of advanced digital capabilities to improve, grow and accelerate these achievements. The Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) is a single virtual system that scientists can use to interactively share computing resources, data and expertise.
Midwest Big Data Hub (MBDH)
Along with members of the Water Resources Center (WRC) and the College of Science and Engineering (CSE), Research Computing is helping to lead NSF’s Phase 2 of the Big Data Regional Innovation hubs. The University of Minnesota is leading the Midwest Big Data Hub’s Water Quality focus area with other focus areas coming from the University of Illinois, Indiana University, Iowa State University, the University of Michigan, and the University of North Dakota.
Network of European BioImage Analysts (NEUBIAS)
NEUBIAS is a network of bio-image analysts who came together to collectively address some of the more complex challenges in the field, namely to translate state-of-the-art methods into the daily life of life scientists. The goals of NEUBIAS align well with UMII's mission, and the Director of Applications and Services sits on the NEUBIAS Management Committee.
Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)
The University is an associate member of the OGC, showing our support for the importance of geospatial standards that allow interoperability among all platforms. Students, faculty and staff are able to participate in OGC workgroups and possible funding opportunities.
University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS)
As a multi-campus member of the UCGIS, students, faculty and staff from all locations have access to regular workshops and webinars focusing on cyberGIS, spatial thinking, remote sensing and data science. UMN faculty regularly participate at the yearly symposium.