SDSC Announces New High-Level Program for Computer Networking and National Search for Program Director

Published 04/04/2002

The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) announced today that it is developing a major new program in computer networking. In conjunction with this, SDSC is actively seeking a program director to lead the new program area, which will include both networking research and operations.

"SDSC is a partner in some of the most exciting network activities around," said Fran Berman, director of SDSC and of the National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure (NPACI). "The elevation of networking to a formal program area at SDSC signifies its importance to our mission."

Berman also announced the nationwide search for a Networking Program Director to oversee the effort. In addition to SDSC staff, members of the Networking Search Committee will include: Maxine Brown, Electronic Visualization Laboratory, University of Illinois at Chicago; Charlie Catlett, TeraGrid executive director, Argonne National Laboratory; Steve Corbato, Internet2; Greg Hidley, Cal-(IT)2, UCSD; Tom West, CENIC.

SDSC's Phil Andrews will chair the Networking Search Committee. He and Phil Papadopoulos will act as co-leads of the new program until a program director is selected. Andrews currently is program director for High-End Computing, and Papadopoulos is program director of the Grid and Cluster Computing program at SDSC.

"The new Networking Program Director will help facilitate Hans-Werner Braun's activities with HPWREN and NLANR, and KC Claffy's activities with CAIDA in the networking research area," Berman said. "In the networking operations area, the new program director will lead the advanced networking that will be required by TeraGrid and NPACI, as well as our exciting partnership in networking with Cal-(IT)2, UCSD, CENIC, CalREN-2, CalNGI, the National Science Foundation, and others. There are many exciting activities and opportunities here." SDSC's other program areas are Integrative Biosciences, Computational Sciences, High-End Computing, Grid and Cluster Computing, and Data and Knowledge Systems.

The networking program director will oversee the design, development, and implementation of operational and research-related network efforts at SDSC. The networking program director also will serve as senior principal investigator when appropriate, and also will advise other investigators and staff as necessary. The position participates on SDSC's top management team, helping to set long-term strategic goals for the organization, ensuring the coordination and cooperation of ongoing projects, developing new program areas, and creating strategic partnerships leading to new research and development opportunities at SDSC. The program director will coordinate SDSC's activities with national and state programs, and with those of the UCSD campus and other UCSD programs. The networking program director also will participate on state and national committees, task forces, and other working groups related to advanced computer networking and data communications issues.

The search for candidates for the new position will begin immediately. Potential applicants are urged to send a letter of interest and a curriculum vitae to the committee at net-search@sdsc.edu. For UCSD application information and employment procedures, please refer to http://joblink.ucsd.edu/awb/. SDSC is an EEO/AA employer.

The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) is an organized research unit of UCSD and the leading-edge site of the National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure (NPACI). SDSC's mission is to develop and use technology to advance science, and SDSC provides leadership both nationally and internationally in computing, data management, biosciences, and other areas. As a national laboratory for computational science and engineering, SDSC is funded by the National Science Foundation through NPACI and other federal agencies, the State and University of California, and private organizations. For more information, see www.sdsc.edu or contact David L. Hart, SDSC Communications, 858-534-8314, dhart@sdsc.edu.