Overview

June 24

High-performance research computing – once available only to top-tier research universities – is within reach of almost any higher education institution, including community colleges.

Today, the combination of cloud computing, cloud-ready networks and multi-cloud management platforms can democratize access to data, providing institutions with greater access to analytics.

Join the Center for Digital Education on June 24 at 11 a.m. Pacific/2 p.m. Eastern as our panel of experts discusses how cloud-based high performance computing can support the evolving needs of students and higher education institutions as we enter the next normal brought about by COVID-19. We’ll be joined by Dr. Alex Feltus, a professor of genetic research and biochemistry at Clemson University, who is at the forefront of utilizing Kubernetes to analyze massive datasets of genetic data for cancer research.

How secure access to cloud-based resources will dramatically increase access to sophisticated research capabilities
How container technologies such as Cisco Container Platform can simplify complex hybrid environments, helping researchers to be more productive
How hybrid and multi-cloud environments will provide new power and capacity for research applications

Speakers

F. Alex Feltus, Ph.D.

Professor, Clemson University

Dr. F. Alex Feltus received a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from Auburn University in 1992, served two years in the Peace Corps in the Fiji Islands, and then completed advanced training in biomedical sciences at Vanderbilt and Emory. He has performed research in artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, cyberinfrastructure, high-performance computing, network biology, tumor biology, agrigenomics, genome assembly, systems genetics, paleogenomics, and bioenergy feedstock genetics. Currently, Feltus is Professor in Clemson University’s Dept. of Genetics & Biochemistry and co-Founder of Praxis AI, LLC. Feltus has published numerous scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, released open source software, and taught undergrad and PhD students in bioinformatics, biochemistry, and genetics. He is funded by multiple NSF grants and is engaged in tethering together extremely smart people from diverse technical backgrounds to propel genomics research from the Excel-scale into the Exascale.

Michael Shepherd

Sales Business Development Manager, Cisco Systems, Inc.

Michael Shepherd is a Sales Business Develop Manager in Cisco’s Public Sector Organization and helps and consults Higher Education, K-12, States, Municipalities and Federal Agencies customers with their advanced networking needs and their journey to cloud computing. As a part of his mission, he leads Cisco’s strategy and approach to Research and Education Computing, fostering public-private partnerships that derive value from research networks and academic researchers. He has been with Cisco for 21 years and has held numerous roles in Sales, Sales Management, and Business Development in Cisco's Service Provider and Public Sector organizations. Over the past ten years, he has worked extensively with End Users, Regional Educational Network providers, Independent Software Vendors (ISV), and Commercial and Managed Service Providers in their efforts to plan, build and/or consume cloud-computing solutions – public, private, community and hybrid.

Steven Zink — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Education

Steven Zink is an emeritus faculty member at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he served as the University’s first Vice President of Information Technology, while simultaneously serving as Dean, University Libraries. During his lengthy tenure at the University, Zink assembled a vibrant hybrid organization of information professionals, ranging from specialists in instructional technology to librarians to information technology professionals. In 2008, the physical manifestation of the organization was realized with the opening of the widely acclaimed 300,000 square foot Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center. From 2011-2016, he served as Vice Chancellor for the Nevada System of Higher Education, the coordinating body over all public institutions of higher education in Nevada. Zink holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history, an M.L.S., and a Ph.D. in information systems science. He is the author of four books and over 120 publications. For 20 years, Zink served as chief editor of an Elsevier-Science bimonthly journal on information policy; he remains a long-time editorial board member of other scholarly journals. Zink is a multiple NSF grant awardee as well the recipient of numerous honors, recognition, and awards for his publications and professional service. He is a frequent speaker/instructor in the areas of information technology and management, as well as information policy and has served as a consultant to numerous publishers, information services and technology firms, government agencies, universities, and higher education libraries.

Webinar

Democratizing Data Analytics in Higher Education