President's Message
As we head into the fall, there is substantial progress to report to our valued members and stakeholders. Cybera can confirm several new partnerships, strengthening collaborations with key stakeholders, and the launch of a new strategic industry pilot project. You will learn more about this project - Cloud Services for Water Management - within this newsletter. The Cloud Services for Water Management project will demonstrate how cyberinfrastructure technologies can improve the effectiveness of a unique community-driven service including the support of better water management within Alberta.
October will be an especially active time for Cybera, its members and its partners. On October 12 through 16, Cybera will co-host Summit 09: Partnerships in CI Development, which will bring together hundreds of leading experts, researchers, visionaries, and pioneers in advanced computing and networking to explore a spectrum of emerging cyberinfrastructure technologies. Leading-edge Canadian initiatives in this area will take centre stage on Wednesday, October 14 as part of the CANARIE Network-Enabled Platform (NEP) Project Exhibition and Dinner Reception. The NEP event will showcase ground-breaking research projects that are developing new tools to exploit the power and potential of advanced networks, enabling researchers to analyze large amounts of data, collaborate more effectively and apply results in innovative ways. Cybera’s NEP projects, GeoChronos and the Canadian Space Science Data Portal, will be among those showcased. These two strategic projects are improving international collaboration efforts among space scientists as well as helping address a number of environmental concerns that exist throughout the world. The technologies developed in these projects will also contribute to our growing toolkit in support of industry and academic projects in many other domains. Please watch the CANARIE and Summit 09 websites for more details on these valuable learning and networking opportunities.
We look forward to the busy months ahead and we hope to see you at the upcoming events.
Sincerely,
Brian W. Unger
Interim President and Chief Executive Officer
Cloud Tech Meets Water Portal
Cybera Pilot Project Collaborates with Alberta Water Initiative
A new project that will connect hundreds of water-related organizations from across Alberta and promote improved access to and management of water and related resources was announced by Cybera on September 18. The Cloud Services for Water Management pilot project – a collaborative initiative between Cybera, Tesera Systems Inc., and the Grid Research Centre at the University of Calgary - will explore cloud technologies as a possible data storage and management solution.
“In Alberta there are over 1,000 water-related organizations, each with their own perspectives on our water challenges and opportunities, and they are generating their own data and creating their own websites to reach out to their communities,” said Mike Scarth, Executive Director for Alberta WaterPortal. “These are positive initiatives, so the challenge is about connecting this community of stakeholders and knowledge to add value and compliment the goals and the work that each of these groups are doing.”
The project will build a prototype portal that will incorporate cloud computing technologies for improved sharing and manipulation of data relevant to land use planning. This includes the integration of a social networking environment and the capabilities to acquire and process data from a number of different sources, which is beyond what individual user groups can presently access.
“Operating in sustainable fashion is an ongoing complex challenge for all Albertans, and this project will help by enabling new technologies to support wise decision-making to meet that challenge,” said Bruce MacArthur, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tesera. “An important focus provincially is the Land-use Framework. This project has an opportunity to align itself with the framework by facilitating new linkages, new understandings and new opportunities for incorporating water conservation and sustainability initiatives within the regional land use plans.”
“One of our strategies to enhance innovation in Alberta is using our exceptional information and communications networks, like Cybera’s high-speed network, to link people, their ideas and information,” said Doug Horner, Minister of Alberta Advanced Education and Technology. “Information is the base for enhancing the integrated resource management system for our vital water resources.”
Through projects such as this, Cybera leverages funding received from Advanced Education and Technology to advance the development of Alberta cyberinfrastructure in government priority areas including resource management, energy, the environment, and information and communications technology.
“The Cloud Services for Water Management project is an example of how Cybera is advancing excellence in research and business,” said Jill Kowalchuk, Vice President, Projects and Partnerships Development for Cybera. “This project integrates leading-edge cloud computing, vast data collection resources, powerful computer processing, and collaborative networking environments in support of a broader initiative to promote water sustainability in Alberta.”
Summit 09 Program Online
The Summit 09: Partnerships in CI Development program is now online. The exciting lineup of sessions and keynote speakers will focus on HPC and grid computing in the cloud, cyberinfrastructure uptake, green IT, data integration, and more. Highlights from the program include sessions such as:
- Green IT: Does it Work?: Join leaders from academia, industry and government as they debate the value proposition of green IT and its potential to contribute to research, business and policy objectives.
- Doing Business in the Cloud: A discussion on identifying "cloud ready" business opportunities, how cloud computing infrastructure looks in the real world, and how to manage and grow your customer base in a Web 2.0 environment.
- Requirements for Future CI: Taking a cue from the strategic evolutions and increasing importance of organizations, such as EGEE (Enabling Grids for e-Science), EGI (European Grid Infrastructure), and TeraGrid, this session will form the basis of a gap analysis between the current infrastructure offerings and the future needs of particular user communities.
Space is filling up fast. Register today! Visit the Summit 09 website for more information.
Cloud Contest - Enter a Demo!
Now Accepting Entries for a Live Cloud Demo Challenge
Summit 09 is hosting a live Cloud Challenge and is inviting entries for demonstrations of the deployment and orchestration of cloud-based services using underlying grid computing infrastructures. The showcase will take place during the Summit's Tuesday evening opening reception (October 13). While there are no prizes on offer, the cachet of coolest exhibit will be recognition in itself. Entrants please register your proposed demonstration and class of offering (Infrastructure, Platform or Application) by emailing us by October 1.
Cybera's New Online Look
Projects Take Centre Stage on New Website
Stay tuned to the Cybera website in the coming weeks as it will soon sport a fresh look with updated software and features. The site will offer improved navigation and browsing features to better serve Cybera members and stakeholders. You will continue to see many changes and enhancements to the site over the coming months as Cybera continues to strengthen its messaging and sharpen its focus. In particular, look for the new Projects page, which will showcase all of Cybera's pilot projects, which have doubled in number since the original website. Write to us at info@cybera.ca and tell us what you think of the new look!
Watch for the 2008 Annual Report
Cybera is looking forward to reporting on the past year's success, including a number of new partnerships and pilot projects, in the Cybera 2008 Annual Report. The report will be available on October 12. To receive a printed copy, please email us with your name and mailing address. The annual report will also be available for download from Cybera's Media Centre after the release date.
Announcements
Cybera Staff Excel and Expand
Congratulations to the following Cybera staff who have recently taken on some new roles and responsibilities:
Jill Kowalchuk
Vice President, Project and Partnership Development
Jana Makar
Director of Communications
Lindsay Sill
Project Manager
Cybera would also like to welcome three new staff members:
Angela Kouritzin has joined the team as Director of Project and Partnership Development. Angela is working part-time out of Cybera's Edmonton office. Angela will be focus on building and strengthening relationships with members and stakeholders.
May Lynn Lee is working at the Calgary office as Cybera's new Project Coordinator. May Lynn will provide general administrative and project management support to various Cybera projects.
John Shillington is Cybera's new Cyberinfrastructure Architect based out of the Edmonton office. John will oversee the project management and the technical architecture planning for some of Cybera's upcoming pilot projects.
Words from our Members
"Words from our Members" is a new section of Cybera News. Here, we will showcase initatives that involve Cybera's member organizations. The next edition of Cybera News will be distributed this winter. If your organization has something to share with the Alberta cyberinfrastructure community, please contact us.
Banff New Media Institute
The Banff New Media Institute (BNMI) is a department at The Banff Centre that defines new media as: an artistic discipline; a field of study; a platform for research; a set of cultural practices connected to the network society and digital technologies; a production and distribution platform and an emerging industry. The BNMI’s primary purpose is to develop and support the field of new media with a focus on creativity, research and development. We work closely with Albertan’s, across Canada and internationally, to connect with cultural, research and academic partners and other artistic/knowledge disciplines who are interested in developing beneficial ways of thinking and working collaboratively across sectors.
In addition to being future focused, the BNMI benefits tremendously from being part of The Banff Centre, one of the worlds leading arts and culture institutions. For 76 years, The Banff Centre has been attracting leading creative visionaries to Banff and providing them with an inspiring, on-campus residential environment, access to high level facilities and connections to world class mentors and peers. This commitment to professional development and lifelong learning uniquely situates the BNMI to develop the following: new strategies and territories of digital artistic communication; flow knowledge across institutional and independent culture and instigate actions and events that create exchanges on an international scale.
Over the past four years, the BNMI has put an emphasis on building our internal capacity to engage in and conduct applied research. We have a small but highly productive cohort of research staff, students, and visiting researchers that support a hybrid research practice that integrates methods from creative, critical and technical disciplines. Current research trajectories include: tangible interfaces; experimental display surfaces; locative media; educational technology; citizen science and environmental design.
We also work with artists from around the world and help them in their ongoing investigation of new ways of making and experiencing art. During the 2009 – 2011 timeframe, the BNMI has a joint venture with the ZER01: The Art and Technology Network, and Sundance Institute’s New Frontier’s program to commission a new media public art work that explores mobile media as a platform for artistic production and audience engagement. The project will be produced via a BNMI residency and then shown at the 2010 San Jose Biennial, the 2011 edition of New Frontier at the Sundance Film Festival and the 2011 Banff Summer Arts Festival. If you would like to do a Sabbatical at the BNMI, explore partnership opportunities or apply for a residency please contact me.
Susan Kennard
Director and Executive Producer
The Banff New Media Institute
The Banff Centre
E mail: susan_kennard@banffcentre.ca
Upcoming Events
WestGrid Seminar Series
WestGrid: New and Old
Sept 23, 12:00 - 1:00 pm PST
Broascast using Access Grid
More info
Banff Venture Forum 2009
Oct 1 and 2
Banff Spring Hotel
Banff, AB
More info
Coast to Coast Seminar series
Geoffrey Hinton, University of Toronto
Oct 6, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm PST
Broascast using Access Grid
More info
Leading Edge of Cloud Computing
Oct 7, 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Alberta Research Council
Calgary, AB
More info
Summit 09: Partnerships in CI Development
Oct 12-16
The Banff Centre
Banff, AB
More info
ASTech Awards Gala
Nov 6, 6:00 - 11:00 pm
Hyatt Hotel Calgary
Calgary, AB
More info
InnoWest 2009
Nov 24 and 25
SHAW Conference Centre
Edmonton, AB
More info