Mining the Milky Way
A new role for IBM in Astrophysics
Melvin HoareSchool of Physics and
AstronomyUniversity of Leeds
Michael LoweTechnical Sales Manager
STG
Gary FullerSchool of Physics and
AstronomyUniversity of Manchester
Context
• EU 7th Framework Programme
• € 4.7 billion budget to train young researchers
• Broaden their scientific and generic skills
• Joint research partnerships between academia and industry
VISUGAL FP7 Proposal
• Astronomers • New surveys of
the Milky Way
• Computer scientists
• Data mining and visual analytics
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• How stars and planets are formed
• New 3D picture of our Galaxy
Star and Planet Formation
• Disks around young stars form planetary systems
• But near massive stars they can get ‘burned’
Our Galaxy
• Let us find out what our Galaxy really looks like
VISUGAL Members
(Michael Lowe)
VISUGAL Methodology
• Train 15 highly educated and motivated young researchers recruited worldwide
• Host workshops for the astronomical community
• Training includes technical and soft skills
• Industrial participation ensures trainees have right skills for future
Proposed IBM Participation
• Confirm cell mainframe as appropriate project infrastructure
• Host a researcher at IBM laboratory in Europe
• Provide training in technical and soft skills
Cell Mainframe
• Potentially one of the first installations in UK
• Hosted at University of Manchester for all network partners
• Ideally suited to large data mining and visualisation projects
Cell I/O and Network
z
CellAppliance
DB2 & Filez/OS
zLinux
z
PCIeIB
Federated System HypervisorsFederated System Hypervisors
Hosting Researcher
• IBM recruits a researcher• 2 year project to develop software of
major benefit to astronomical community• Directed by Bruce Elmegreen (IBM
Research, NY), expert in star formation• Costs covered by EU
• Salary € 53 000 p.a. gross• € 14 400 researcher expenses• € 14 400 host expenses• € 8 200 overheads
Technical Skills Training
• Cell programming
• DB2 for Linux
• Commercial data mining
• Commercial visualisation
• Commercial exploitation– Delivered by IBM guest lecturers in person
and via webcast
Soft Skills Training
• Leadership
• Management
• Communication– Again delivered by
IBM guest lecturers in person and via webcast
Proposal Timeline
• Agreement to supply technology• Agreement to host postdoctoral researcher• Agreement on the skills training• Letter from IBM stating commitment to
above• Submission deadline 2 September 2008• Project start: October 2009• Project end: September 2013
Benefit to the Proposal
• IBM participation will bring:– The necessary industrial linkage– Innovation and leading edge technology– Expert delivery of complementary skills– Further involvement of world-class brand in
the EU FP7 programme
Benefits to IBM
• IBM trains the next generation
• IBM places its technology at the heart of a major European project
• IBM helps to set mankind’s origins in context
Thank you for your time
“We are stardustBillion year old carbonWe are golden”