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NSF PR 98-52 - September 18, 1998
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"These connections highlight the Administration's
NGI efforts and the vital collaboration with university
and industry partners. Together, we will usher
in a new age of exploration enabled by high performance
networks that link powerful computers and vast
databases." (Vice President Al Gore)
Vice President Gore Announces High Performance Award
to University of New Hampshire
Vice President Al Gore announced today that the National
Science Foundation (NSF) will award High Performance
Connections grants to the University of New Hampshire
and 35 other universities across the nation, bringing
the total of such awards to 128.
The universities will receive grants to link into
NSF's very high performance Backbone Network Service
(vBNS) or other NSF-approved high performance networks,
allowing scientists and engineers to collaborate and
share powerful computing and information resources.
The vBNS is crucial to the President's Next Generation
Internet (NGI) and serves as the initial interconnect
for Internet2 member institutions.
Begun in 1995, the vBNS is a five-year, $50 million
effort of the NSF which is collaborating on the project
with MCI Telecommunications Corporation. University
connections to the vBNS are evaluated by a peer review
process and approved on the basis of scientific and
technical merit.
This sophisticated telecommunications network runs
at 622 million bits per second and has begun a transition
to operation at 2.4 gigabits per second. By comparison,
the average home modem operates from 28,800 to 56,600
bits per second. In addition, the vBNS is expected
to always be several steps ahead of commercially available
networking.
This high capacity network allows scientists and engineers
to collect and share vast amounts of data, collaborate
better across large distances and run complex equipment
remotely. Scientists, for instance, can create 3D
models of anything from molecules to machinery on
San Diego Supercomputer Center-based equipment; use
virtual reality 3D CAVE equipment with the National
Center for Supercomputing Applications; share visualizations
of the Chesapeake Bay or weather simulations; or search
distributed archives of maps, video clips, and photographs.
Of the 36 institutions, 15 are located in EPSCoR states.
The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive
Research includes jurisdictions that have historically
received smaller amounts of federal research and development
(R&D) funding and have demonstrated a commitment to
develop their research bases and improve the quality
of science, mathematics and engineering research conducted
at their universities and colleges.
Most institutions receive High Performance Connections
grants of up to $350,000 over two years to offset
the cost of linking from their sites to the vBNS backbone.
NSF is spending about $12.25 million over two years
for this round of grants. Institutions in EPSCoR states
are eligible to receive up to an additional $200,000
to help mitigate extra costs due to their geographic
locations.
Attachment: List of universities receiving
grants for High Performance Connections
Attachment
Universities Receiving Grants for High Peformance
Connections
University of Kansas
Colorado State University
Oklahoma State University
University of Delaware
Kansas State University
Kent State University
Florida A&M University
University of Oklahoma
West Virginia University
University of Arkansas Fayetteville
Lehigh University
North Dakota State University
University of Rhode Island
Louisiana State University
South Dakota State University
University of South Florida
Mississippi State University
University of New Hampshire
Wake Forest University
Emory University
University of Maine, Orono
Tulane University
University of South Dakota
University of North Dakota
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
University of Central Florida
New Mexico State University
University of Oregon
Utah State University
Arizona State University
University of Cincinnati
University of Rochester
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
State University of New York at Buffalo
University of Pittsburgh
Northeastern University (MA)
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