ITCWeb: ITC Research Computing Support Newsletter - May 2007

ITC Research Computing Support Newsletter - May 2007

This is the May 2007 newsletter for ITC Research Computing Support. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the information presented here, please contact ITC Research Computing Support by emailing Res-Consult@virginia.edu, or phoning either the Research Computing Lab in Brown Library at 243-8799 or the Scholars' Lab in Alderman Library at 243-8800.

Contents

Go to the index of previous Research Computing Support Newsletters

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Software and Hardware..........

Birch Linux Cluster to Retire on June 4

Birch.itc.virginia.edu (lc1.itc) will be permanently turned off on Monday, June 4, 2007. Birch users should begin migration immediately to the other Linux clusters, such as the Cedar and Dogwood Linux clusters. Birch users should test their codes on these clusters as soon as possible.

The Birch cluster is over four years old, long out of warranty, and experiencing ever-increasing failures. With 200 nodes in our newest Linux cluster, Dogwood, along with 125 nodes in our Cedar, Linux clusters, we anticipate migration from, and shutdown of, Birch's 32 nodes to be a relatively smooth transition. Comparison of parallel codes run on birch, cedar, and dogwood indicate that except for fine grained parallel computing jobs using more than 10 nodes, cedar and dogwood are faster than birch.

Please plan your work to have your code and programs migrated and tested before June 4, 2007 when birch.itc.virginia.edu will no longer be available and any running jobs will be terminated.

ITC Research Computing Support is available to assist you with your migration as well as answer questions or concerns that may arise.

Please contact us by emailing Res-Consult@virginia.edu or by telephoning or visiting either the Research Computing Lab (243-8799) in the Brown Science and Engineering Library, Clark Hall or the Scholars' Lab (243-8800) in Alderman Library, 4th floor.

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Termination of NFS Service on juno.acc.virginia.edu

On Monday, April 2, 2007, the NFS service on juno.acc.virginia.edu was terminated. The multiple software filesystems available from juno now are available in a single filesystem from home1.virginia.edu. System administrators whose systems mount from juno should have changed these mounts prior to April 2 to avoid problems on these systems when juno's NFS service wass shut down.

System administrators also need to be aware that the organization of the single filesystem will likely require more changes to the client systems than simply renaming the file server. The directory names used for operating system specific software now use the operating system name (e.g., aix instead of rs6000). The linux/i386/glibc2.1 and glibc2.2 directory structure has been removed, putting all i386 linux software under the /itc/linux directory name.

The system administrator should:

  • As appropriate for the system, unmount /common and/or unmount /osdif, where /osdir is the old operating system specific filesystem mount point, such as /linux, /rs6000, /sgi, /solaris.
  • If the directory /itc does not exist, mkdir /itc
  • mount home1.virginia.edu:/vol/itc /itc
  • Remove the /common and /osdir directories, and replace them with symbolic links as appropriate. For example,
    ln -s /itc/common /common
    ln -s /itc/aix /rs6000
    ln -s /itc/linux /linux
    ln -s /itc/irix /sgi
    ln -s /itc/solaris /solaris
Appropriate changes in system configuration files to remove entries which specify juno as the server and add the entry specifying home1 as the server are also necessary.

If you have questions or concerns about this change, please contact the ITC Help Desk at 924-3731.

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OpenMPI to be Upgraded on Cedar and Dogwood Clusters

Version 1.2.1 of OpenMPI will become the default on the Cedar and Dogwood clusters on Wednesday, May 23, 2007. Users will have to recompile their programs because some of the library names have changed. After recompilation, no further changes should be required.

The module corresponding to the most recent version can be loaded simply by typing
     module load ompi-compiler
where compiler is pgi, intel, or gnu.

The older version will continue to be available for a while; it can be accessed by loading the module ompi-compiler/1.1 where compiler is pgi, intel, or gnu.

Users still using MPICH are encouraged to try OpenMPI; it does not experience some of the failures that plague MPICH such as semget errors.

Once OpenMPI has matured a bit further, we anticipate that it will become the version supported on the clusters, since it is an implementation of the MPI-2 standard.

To use OpenMPI, after loading the module appropriate for your compiler, recompile your code using mpicc (C), mpicxx (C++), mpif77 (Fortran 77) or mpif90 (Fortran 90). The PBS script to run an OpenMPI job must be similar to the following (PGI used in the example; use the module for your preferred compiler):
    #!/bin/bash
    #PBS -l nodes=4:ppn=1
    #PBS -l walltime=00:30:00
    cd $PBS_O_WORKDIR
    source /opt/Modules/default/init/sh
    module add ompi-pgi
    NP='wc -l < $PBS_NODEFILE'
    mpirun --prefix $OMPI_MPIHOME -np $NP -machinefile $PBS_NODEFILE myexec.exe
    #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please email Res-Consult@virginia.edu if you have questions about using OpenMPI.

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Mathematica 6.0 Now Available

ITC is now distributing CDs of Mathematica 6.0 for installation on University-owned computers, including Windows (XP and Vista), Linux, and Mac OS X platforms from either the Research Computing Lab in the Brown Science and Engineering Library, Clark Hall, or the Scholars' Lab in Alderman Library, 4th floor.

Mathematica will be upgraded to version 6.0 on all of ITC's UNIX platforms (RS/6000, Sun, and Linux) and will become the default version of Mathematica on June 15. Mathematica 6.0 will be available in September 2007 on the public computing labs.

Mathematica 6.0 is considered the most significant upgrade to Mathematica since version 1.0 was released nearly 20 years ago.

Key new features of Mathematica 6.0 include:

  • Dynamic interactivity, allowing sophisticated interactive interfaces to be created from single lines of input
  • High-impact adaptive visualization for automated creation of high-fidelity function and data graphics
  • Language for data integration, including automatic integration of hundreds of standard data formats
  • Load-on-demand curated data for math, physics, chemistry, finance, geography, linguistics, and more
  • Symbolic interface construction for immediate creation of arbitrary interfaces from simple programs
  • Automated computational aesthetics, with algorithmic optimization for visual presentation
  • Unification of active graphics and controls with flowing text and input

Check out the full list of new features at
     http://www.wolfram.com/products/mathematica/newin6/

Further information on how to access and use Mathematica 6.0 can be found on the Research Computing Services Web page at
     http://www.itc.virginia.edu/research/mathematica/

Specific questions about the upgrade as well as general questions concerning the use of Mathematica should be directed to ITC Research Computing Support; email us at Res-Consult@virginia.edu or by telephoning or visiting either the Research Computing Lab (243-8799) in the Brown Science and Engineering Library, Clark Hall or the Scholars' Lab (243-8800) in Alderman Library, 4th floor.

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Matlab Distributed Computing Toolbox Available for Trial Use through June 30

ITC has obtained a trial multi-user network license for the Matlab Distributed Computing Toolbox version 3.1 that will last through June 30, 2007. The Distributed Computing Toolbox (DCT) enables you to solve computationally and data-intensive problems using MATLAB in a multiprocessor computing environment. You can use the toolbox to solve problems that comprise either several independent units of work or a single large computation by harnessing multiple processors.

For more information, see the Web page at
     http://www.mathworks.com/products/distribtb/

Users can add version 3.1 of the DCT Toolbox to their existing (and required) Matlab 7.4 installation (for Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux) by licensing and downloading it from the ITC licensing database at
     http://www.web.virginia.edu/rescomp/

The DCT is installed on ITC's Linux clusters and is available for Linux machines that mount the Matlab installation from the UNIX server jeeves.itc. Specific information about how to use the DCT on ITC's Linux clusters can be found online at
     http://www.itc.virginia.edu/research/matlab/dct

General information about the availability of Matlab at U.Va. can be found on the Web page at
     http://www.itc.virginia.edu/research/matlab/

People who are interested in having the Distributed Computing Toolbox become part of U.Va.'s Matlab site license, or who have specific questions about the Distributed Computing toolbox as well as general questions concerning the use of Matlab should contact ITC Research Computing Support; email us at Res-Consult@virginia.edu or by telephoning or visiting either the Research Computing Lab (243-8799) in the Brown Science and Engineering Library, Clark Hall or the Scholars' Lab (243-8800) in Alderman Library, 4th floor.

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SimplyMap Demo on May 3; User Feedback Requested

On May 3rd at 2 p.m. in the Scholars' Lab, a representative of Geographic Resources will be on Grounds to demonstrate SimplyMap. Please come to see this demonstration along with an opportunity to take a test drive. All are welcome.

SimplyMap is a Web-based mapping application that lets users quickly create professional-quality thematic maps and reports using powerful demographic, business, and marketing data. SimplyMap turns complex data into valuable information that is easily accessed through an innovative and user-friendly interface.

With SimplyMap, users can:

  • Access thousands of demographic, business, and marketing data variables.
  • Develop interactive thematic maps and export high-resolution images to word processing or presentation software.
  • Select, sort, and compare data across multiple locations and build custom reports that can be exported to a spreadsheet for additional functionality.
  • Explore historical census data to understand how regions change over time and use estimates and projections to analyze current and future trends.
  • Make informed personal and business-related decisions. Questions like “what are the social and demographic characteristics of my neighborhood?” and “where should I locate my retail store?” are quickly answered with SimplyMap.
  • Combine locations and search for areas based on specific criteria.

Geographic Research partners with premier U.S. data providers to give SimplyMap users the most current demographic, business, and marketing data available. SimplyMap provides the following nation-wide data:

  • Demographic Variables: Population, Age, Race, Income, Ancestry, Marital Status, Housing, Employment, Transportation, Families, and more.
  • Historical census data: including 1970, 1980, 1990 & 2000, plus current year census estimates and 5 year projections.
  • Business Variables: Detailed Consumer Expenditure, Business & Employee Counts by Industry (by NAICS Code), Consumer Price Index, Quality of Life & Consumer Profiles, and Market Segments.

U.Va. is contemplating purchasing a subscription to this service and will need some feedback (see more below) to help with our decision making.

If the site is "busy," it is because more that two people from U.Va. are trying to log on at the same time. Please try back later.

All feedback is welcome; in particular we would like to know:

  1. Would you use the product personally or do you anticipate use among the faculty and students you serve? If yes, how often - weekly, occasionally, etc.
  2. In your opinion, how user-friendly was the product?
  3. What drawbacks do you see in the product?
  4. Do you see value in the add-on historical package? (1970-2000 census data, more granular variables for current and projected data)?

Please respond to Donna Tolson, DTolson@virginia.edu; your responses will be aggregated and forwarded to the collections steering group.

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S-PLUS Modules Available for Windows Platform

This is a reminder that faculty, staff and student users of version 7 of the statistical software S-PLUS on Windows are eligible to use several specialized modules for analysis. These four modules target specific research domains and are available through U.Va.'s site license:

  • EnvironmentalStats
  • FinMetrics
  • SpatialStats
  • Wavelets
Both new and existing users of S-PLUS 7 for Windows may download the modules for installation. Instructions and additional information are available in the ITC licensing database at
     http://web.virginia.edu/rescomp

S-PLUS EnvironmentalStats brings the major environmental statistical methods found in the literature and regulatory guidance documents into one statistical package, along with an extensive hypertext help system that explains what these methods do, how to use these methods, and where to find them in the environmental statistics literature. Also included are numerous built-in data sets from regulatory guidance documents and the environmental statistics literature.

S-PLUS FinMetrics is an econometric analysis tool that offers a modern and flexible platform for financial data analysis. S-PLUS FinMetrics incorporates all of the essential analytics, from rolling regression and backtesting functions, to extreme value theory and time series analysis, in a single environment.

S-PLUS SpatialStats is a comprehensive, object-oriented software package for the analysis of spatial data. S-PLUS SpatialStats can be used to analyze data arising in areas such as environmental, mining and petroleum engineering, natural resources, geography, epidemiology, demography and others where data is sampled spatially.

S-PLUS Wavelets applies robust wavelet analysis including discrete wavelet transformations, non-decimated wavelet transforms to advanced signal and image, time series, statistical signal and data compression analysis.

To learn more about system requirements or the functionality of a particular module, please visit
     http://www.itc.virginia.edu/research/splus/modules.html

If you have additional questions, please contact the Research Computing Support by email to Res-Consult@Virginia.edu or call 243-8800.

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CRAN Task Views for R

With hundreds of add-on packages available for R, CRAN Task Views allow you to browse packages by topic and provide tools to automatically install all packages for special areas of interest. Views currently available are

  • Bayesian -- Bayesian Inference
  • Cluster -- Cluster Analysis and Finite Mixture Models
  • Econometrics -- Computational Econometrics
  • Environmetrics -- Analysis of ecological and environmental data
  • Finance -- Empirical Finance
  • Genetics -- Statistical Genetics
  • Graphics -- Graphic Displays, Dynamic Graphics, Graphic Devices and Visualization
  • MachineLearning -- Machine Learning and Statistical Learning
  • Multivariate -- Multivariate Statistics
  • SocialSciences -- Statistics for the Social Sciences
  • Spatial -- Analysis of Spatial Data
  • gR -- gRaphical models in R

To learn how to install R packages via the Views method visit
     http://cran.us.r-project.org/src/contrib/Views/

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Announcing SAS Education Analytical Suite (EAS)

Research Computing is in the process of rolling out the SAS Education Analytical Suite (EAS). EAS is a method of licensing SAS at U.Va. and applies to version 8.2 and 9.1.3 of SAS. The EAS SAS System consists of over 20 diverse products. SAS products available at University of Virginia under the EAS program are: Base SAS, SASINSIGHT/EIS, SAS/GRAPH, SAS/SPECTRAVIEW, SAS/ACCESS, SAS/LAB, SAS/SECURE, SAS Online/Tutor, SAS/AF, SAS/ETS, SAS/IML, SAS/Bridge for ESRI, SAS/ASSIST, SAS/OR, SAS/SHARE, SAS Enterprise Guide, SAS/CONNECT, SAS/FS, SAS/STAT, SAS Enterprise Miner, SAS/GIS, SAS/QC, and SAS Integration Technologies. Installation media in DVD or CD formats for SAS EAS on the Windows platform were made available on Wednesday, April 12, with the mountable Linux/Unix versions coming soon.

To get the media, visit ITC Research Computing Support (RCS) in the Scholars'Lab in Alderman Library or the Research Computing Lab in Brown Library, Clark Hall. A complete list of software and related links is available from the RCS Services Web page at
     http://www.itc.virginia.edu/researchers/services.html

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SAS Enterprise Miner Included With SAS EAS

SAS Enterprise Miner® contains a collection of sophisticated analysis tools that have a common user-friendly interface that you can use to create and compare multiple models. Statistical tools include clustering, self-organizing maps/Kohonen, variable selection, trees, linear and logistic regression, and neural networking. Data preparation tools include outlier detection, variable transformations, data imputation, random sampling, and the partitioning of data sets (into train, test, and validate data sets). Advanced visualization tools enable you to quickly and easily examine large amounts of data in multidimensional histograms and to graphically compare modeling results.

Enterprise Miner integrates a range of models and algorithms in a graphical environment and automated framework, allowing those with little statistical expertise easy access to these tools.

U.Va. faculty, staff and students interested in datamining or expanding the capabilities of their SAS installation are encouraged to upgrade to the EAS version of SAS.

Contact ITC Research Computing Support (RCS) in the Scholars'Lab in Alderman Library or the Research Computing Lab in Brown Library, Clark Hall if you have questions; email Res-Consult@virginia.edu.

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Planning Ahead - SAS Support for Microsoft Windows Vista

In conjunction with Microsoft's general availability of Windows Vista Operating System, SAS will be adding support for this operating system for the future release of SAS 9.2.

  • SAS 9.2 will support the following three Windows Vista editions (both 32-bit and x64 bit versions) that are targeted at the business market:
    • Windows Vista Business
    • Windows Vista Enterprise - available only to Microsoft Enterprise Agreement customers
    • Windows Vista Ultimate
  • SAS 9.2 will NOT support the following two editions targeted at the consumer market:
    • Windows Vista Home Premium
    • Windows Vista Home Basic
  • SAS 9.2 will also support Internet Explorer 7, the default Web browser for Windows Vista.
  • SAS 9.1.3 does not support Windows Vista operating system.
  • For more information on Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, visit Microsoft's website at
         http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/default.mspx
    For details concerning SAS 9.1.3 on the Windows platform, visit
         http://support.sas.com/documentation/hosts/pc/

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Experimental Bayesian Capabilities with SAS®

Experimental versions of SAS/STAT software procedures for Bayesian analysis is available for download. Three procedures for SAS 9.1.3 on Windows now offer these experimental versions: GENMOD, LIFEREG, and PHREG. The new BAYES statement in these experimental procedures produces Bayesian modeling and inference capability in generalized linear models, accelerated life failure models, Cox regression models, and piecewise constant baseline hazard models (also known as piecewise exponential models). These versions are named BGENMOD, BLIFEREG, and BPHREG, respectively, and they otherwise contain the full functionality of the original procedures.

The following are some highlights:

  • Computations use the Gibbs sampler to obtain posterior distributions.
  • Convergence diagnostics such as the Gelman-Rubin, Geweke, Heidelberger-Welch, and Raftery-Lewis tests are produced as well as trace plots.
  • All procedures offer the normal and uniform prior, and the BGENMOD procedure also provides Jeffreys’ prior.
  • You can output the posterior distribution to a SAS data set for use in additional analysis.

The experimental BGENMOD, BLIFEREG and BPHREG procedures are being made available through the SAS web site so that users can provide feedback on this new software. The documentation provides an introduction to Bayesian analyses as well as a comprehensive reading list for further information. Additional chapters contain syntax, details, and examples for the individual procedures BGENMOD, BLIFEREG, and BPHREG. These chapters do not repeat information that is included in the SAS/STAT documentation for SAS 9.1.3.

The BGENMOD procedure adds Bayesian analysis by Gibbs sampling to the GENMOD procedure, which fits generalized linear models. Bayesian analysis of generalized linear models can be requested by using the BAYES statement in the BGENMOD procedure. These Bayesian capabilities will be included in PROC GENMOD in the next release of SAS/STAT software.

The BLIFEREG procedure adds Bayesian analysis by Gibbs sampling to the LIFEREG procedure, which fits parametric models for survival analysis. Bayesian analysis of parametric survival models can be requested using the BAYES statement in the experimental BLIFEREG procedure. These Bayesian capabilities will be included in PROC LIFEREG in the next release of SAS/STAT software.

The experimental BPHREG procedure adds Bayesian analysis to the PHREG procedure. In essence, the Bayesian paradigm treats parameters as random variables, and inference (measurement of uncertainty) about parameters is based on the posterior distribution of the parameters. A posterior distribution is a weighted likelihood function of the data with a prior distribution using the Bayes theorem. Without any past experience or knowledge of what prior distribution to use, you can always start with a noninformative prior. Knowledge of the prior is accumulated over time, and the Bayesian approach can be viewed as a process of learning from experience. A closed form of the posterior distribution is hard to come by, and a Markov chain Monte Carlo method is used to simulate samples from the distribution.

For additional information on these procedure and download, visit
     http://support.sas.com/rnd/app/da/bayesproc.html

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Adobe Acrobat Version 8.0 Available

The latest version of Adobe Acrobat, Version 8, for Windows and Macintosh computers is available for purchase at low cost as part of U.Va.'s "Campus License Program" (CLP) from either Cavalier Computers or via the U.Va. MarketPlace.

U.Va.'s "Campus License Program" (CLP) with Adobe enables Cavalier Computers and other vendors to sell Acrobat and other Adobe software (e.g., Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Captivate) at greatly reduced prices. The software available through Adobe's CLP is for installation on U.Va.-owned computers located on Grounds.

If you wish to get Acrobat version 8.0 for installation on a U.Va.-owned computer on-grounds, you can either go to Cavalier Computers or purchase through the U.Va. Marketplace (http://www.procurement.virginia.edu/main/uvamarket/UVAMarket.html)
by searching for CLP EDU Level 3, then use our CLP number on the Purchase Order (PO) you create. In order to get U.Va.'s CLP number, please email ITC Research Computing Support at Res-Consult@Virginia.EDU.

ITC Research Computing Support is not distributing Acrobat 8 licenses. We do still have Version 7.0 available, and will continue to make Version 7.0 license available until we run out of the bulk licenses we purchased last year before U.Va.'s "Campus License Program" (CLP) with Adobe was completed.

If you have any questions or concerns about getting Acrobat Version 8, please email Res-Consult@Virginia.edu

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Events and Announcements..........

Bayesian Biostatistics Workshop - May 17-18, 2007 in Chapel Hill

The Department of Biostatistics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and SAS Institute are cosponsoring a workshop in Bayesian Biostatistics. The workshop will be held May 17-18, 2007 in Chapel Hill, NC. Led by Joseph G. Ibrahim, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Biostatistics, the workshop will provide an introduction to Bayesian methods as well as practical examples using experimental new software in SAS.

Practicing biostatisticians and other public health researchers at the MS or Ph.D. level interested in learning about the application of Bayesian methods for data analysis.

For additional details visit
     http://www.sph.unc.edu/nciph/bayesian_biostatistics_workshop_3995_4029.html

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LSPs Register Now for the Spring Conference

The Spring Local Support Partners' Conference will be held on May 24 at the Darden Abbot Center. This is the LSPs' twice-yearly opportunity to get together for knowledge exchanges and training. Please register soon at http://lsp.itc.virginia.edu/conference/.

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Memorial Day Schedule for Scholars' and Research Computing Labs

Both the Scholars' Lab and the Research Computing Lab (and respective libraries, Alderman and Brown) will be open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on May 28. Email support will be provided throughout the day.

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New Horizons in Teaching and Research Conference, May 21-24

The New Horizons in Teaching and Research Conference, showcasing technology's possibilities for learning, will take place at the University of Virginia from May 21-24, 2007.

Join us at this Faculty Symposium to see current and future uses of technology in teaching and research. ITC, the University Library, the Teaching Resource Center and others will help you innovate strategies, connect with others, and take advantage of existing resources available to you at the University and beyond.

Faculty are invited to enhance their teaching and research by participating in free seminars, workshops, and demos, drawing upon the expertise of fellow faculty and instructional technology specialists from across the University.

Highlights of this year's conference include...

For more information, check the website at
     http://www.itc.virginia.edu/newhorizons/

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U.Va. Library Graduate Fellowship for Digital Scholarship in the Humanities

The U.Va. Library is proud to announce an exciting fellowship opportunity for graduate students. Established by the Jeffrey C. Walker Library Fund for Technology in the Humanities, the Matthew and Nancy Walker Library Fund, and a challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, these awards are designed to advance humanities scholarship through technology. The fellowship is a semester award that can be distributed in either the fall or spring semesters. Four $5,000 fellowships will be distributed each academic year. Deadline for receipt of fellowship applications the spring 2008 semester is October 15, 2007.

More information is available at
     http://www.lib.virginia.edu/scholarslab/info/fellowship/

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Scholars' Lab Offers Reference Collection of Programming Books

One of the new resources available in the Scholars' Lab is a reference collection of programming books. Although many programming books are available in the main library collection and via the Safari online books subscription, Scholars' Lab users have noted that some of the brand new or highly specialized programming reference books they need are not available through these methods. A reference collection of these books - which may not be checked out - is now available for use in the Scholars' Lab. These books cover various topics including computer languages (like Java, Ruby, Perl or PHP), development tools (like eclipse and subversion), development platforms (like Rails), software engineering, open source project management (including agile development), and many other topics. There are also specialized collections for topics like GIS, statistical analysis and programming, and information visualization. This collection, again, does not circulate, but it is available for browsing whenever the Scholars' Lab is open. For more information or to suggest titles for acquistion, please contact Bess Sadler, Technical and Metadata Services, Digital Scholarship Services (DSS), via email to bess@virginia.edu.

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Google Contest using SketchUp and Google Earth

Google SketchUp is sponsoring a contest that allows students to model their respective campuses using SketchUp and Google Earth. Please see details at Google's website:
     http://contest.sketchup.com/.

If enough students volunteer to field a team, Andrew Greene, GIS Planner in the University Architect office, and Chris Gist, GIS Specialist in Alderman Library's Digital Support Services, have volunteered to advise the group. Any students who might be interested in participating should contact Chris Gist, GIS Specialist, Scholars' Lab, in Alderman Library by either emailing CGist@Virginia.edu or telephoning 982-2637. The deadline for entries is June 1, 2007.

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Digital Collections Repository Available

The U.Va. Library Digital Collections Repository located at
     http://www.lib.virginia.edu/digital/collections/
is now available for the entire University community after two years of testing by faculty in many departments who have used the Repository and its tools to access and use digital collections in their teaching.

Currently, the repository contains over 15,000 images of art and architecture, and more than 2,000 electronic texts, almost all of which include full text and page images. New content will be added monthly and will eventually include other formats such as finding aids, printed music, video, datasets, audio, and GIS. You can be notified of new additions to the Digital Collections Repository through a RSS Newsfeed available at
     http://www.lib.virginia.edu/digital/collections/newsfeed.html

Specialized tools make this repository more useful than some collections. A tool called Collectus is available for users to save personal collections from the Repository, generate Web pages and slide shows, and manipulate images.

Some of these digital collections are restricted to the U.Va. community, so users must be on Grounds, or authenticated through UVa-Anywhere. There are also minimum software requirements for some functionality, including Collectus and the ImageViewer. To learn more, see the Digital Collections Repository help at
     http://www.lib.virginia.edu/digital/collections/help.html

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Learn GIS Skills with ESRI

For those of us who are not familiar with GIS (Geospatial Information Systems), the concept of learning to do GIS can be intimidating. ESRI, the industry leading maker of GIS software products, has produced several ways to learn GIS. As a member of the statewide site license for these products, members of the U.Va. community can:

  • Obtain a copy of ArcGIS 9.2 - the newest version of the leading software package - for their own personal use!
  • Can sign up for FREE Web-based training modules on Virtual Campus at
         http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/reference/help/esri/virtualcampus/
    These are self-paced, comprehensive teaching modules that cover many of the most popular tasks involved in learning GIS. They are widely viewed as very good and challenging materials, and you obtain a completion certificate at the completion of these modules.
  • Recently, ESRI has offered a 40 percent discount on instructor-led classes. These classes are led by expert ESRI instructors, and are held in person at designated sites. The site nearest U.Va. is located in Vienna, VA (Northern Virginia area).
So, take advantage of these learning opportunities to familiarize yourself with GIS. Any data that can be visualized and analyzed spatially can be mapped with GIS. And for those users of SAS: we now have the EAS SAS Bridge module to ease your SAS data into GIS for analysis.

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Wilson Journal of International Affairs Seeks Submissions

The Wilson Journal of International Affairs is currently seeking submissions for its next issue. The Journal focuses on student research in areas directly pertaining to international relations, and papers are chosen to reflect the best of U.Va. scholarship. Submissions should be sent to wilsonjournal@virginia.edu. Papers submitted should be at least 10 pages in length and have received a grade of B+ or better. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.wilsonjournal.org.

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Mathematica Free Online Seminars

The Wolfram Education Group has begun offering free online seminars to Mathematica customers worldwide. Taught by experienced Wolfram Research staff, presentations are given twice weekly. The seminar series began with S10: A Technical Overview of Mathematica located at
     http://www.wolfram.com/weg/seminars

For a list of dates and to enroll, visit:
     http://www.wolfram.com/weg/calendar

Further information on how to access and use Mathematica can be found on the Research Computing Services Web page at
     http://www.itc.virginia.edu/research/mathematica/

Please contact ITC Research Computing Support if you have questions by emailing Res-Consult@Virginia.edu or by telephoning or visiting either the Research Computing Lab in the Brown Science and Engineering Library (243-8799) or the Scholars' Lab in Alderman Library (243-8800).

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Seventh Annual ESRI Education User Conference (EdUC)

When: June 16-19, 2007
Where: Marriott Hotel & Marina, San Diego, CA
The University of Virginia is able to offer several free conference registrations. for more information, please contact ITC Research Computing Support at Res-Consult@virginia.edu.

Registration has been extended to May 25. Join other users at the conference and explore the latest developments and technical advances for GIS learning. User sessions, technical demonstrations, and special presentations will provide a unique experience to meet your individual goals for GIS in the classroom and other learning environments.

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Computational Science 2007: Interdisciplinary Challenges and Perspectives, from the Grid to e-Science

Royal Society of London, June 25-26, 2007
The theme of the conference is the unified nature of computational science today, whose interdisciplinary methods transcend any specific scientific domain. In keeping with the recommendations of the International Review of UK Research Using High Performance Computing, the UK Strategic Framework for High End Computing, and the EPSRC's Action Plans being formulated in response, one aim of this conference is to help to build a computational science community within the UK, spanning all current, impending and anticipated future areas of activity.

Speakers and participants at the CompSci07 meeting in June have been chosen for their broader outlook and shared vision for the future of computational science. The meeting is not intended to be "domain specific", nor to be comprised of a selection of domain specific talks by experts in their own fields who have no interest in sharing their ideas and methods beyond those restricted confines. Rather, it is designed to foster the development of a new community of computational scientists to meet the increasingly exciting and technically demanding challenges of the future.

Organizing committee:

  • Prof. P. V. Coveney (Chair), University College London
  • Prof. James Annett, Bristol University and CCLRC Daresbury
  • Prof. Mike Cates, University of Edinburgh
  • Dr. Stephen Pickles, University of Manchester
  • Dr. John Brooke, University of Manchester

The meeting is funded by RealityGrid, CCP9, EPSRC, BBSRC and JISC.

Full information on the conference is now available at:
     http://www.realitygrid.org/CompSci07
from where all conference information can be found.

To register, please complete the online form at:
     http://www.realitygrid.org/CompSci07/registration.php
There is no registration fee for attendance at this conference. The deadline for registration is Friday, June 8, 2007.

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Call for Papers for the International Conference on e-Social Science

The third annual International Conference on e-Social Science will be held October 7–9, 2007 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 2004, the UK ESRC-funded National Centre for e-Social Science (NCeSS) was formed to explore how new forms of distributed, computer-based infrastructure (known as the "Grid" in the UK and "cyberinfrastructure" in the US) can be applied to benefit the social sciences. Essentially, cyberinfrastructure is the computing and networking technologies that will enable the discovery, access to, integration, manipulation, analysis and display of the huge bodies of digital data that are becoming available. The conference provides a forum for researchers to meet and exchange experiences and ideas on how the Grid/cyberinfrastructure might benefit social science research.

The conference invites contributions from members of the social science and cyberinfrastructure research communities with experience of - or interests in - exploring, developing, and applying new methods, practices, and tools that are facilitated by cyberinfrastructure in order to further social science research, and in studying the wider development of cyberinfrastructure-enabled research and its component technologies. Submission categories include full and short papers, posters, workshops, tutorials, and panels.

Authors are requested to submit an abstract of 1000-1500 words. Please indicate the category of your submission: full paper (10 pages), short paper (4 pages), or poster and include the contact details of the main author on a separate sheet. Deadlines are: Paper abstracts, May 15; Workshop, tutorial, and panel outlines, May 31; Poster abstracts, June 30.

If you have other questions about e-Social Science 2007, check out the website at
     http://ess.si.umich.edu/index.htm

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SESUG '07 Planned for Nov. 4-6, 2007

The SouthEast SAS Users Group (SESUG) is planning an exciting fall conference (SESUG '07) in Hilton Head, South Carolina, November 4-6, 2007.

  • Call for Papers: SESUG encourages submission of abstracts for consideration; the deadline is April 30. See http://apps.d-wise.com/SESUG/cfp2007/. After you register on this site, click on the "Section List" link on the blue bar at the top. Here you will find a description of the sections. The section chairs describe what topics they are seeking in their sections. Use the "Add a Paper" link at the bottom of the "Papers" page to submit your abstract, bio, and key words. From the "Section List" page, you can return to the "Papers" page by clicking on the "My Papers" link.
  • SESUG is planning a BOF at SAS Global Forum on Wednesday, April 18, 7:30-8:00 p.m. in Southern Hemisphere IV, Level 3.
    This should be a valuable networking opportunity for SAS users from the Southeast. You can meet with SESUG '07 conference planners about presentation ideas you have for the upcoming conference in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
  • The SESUG Speaker Sharing Program can provide one SESUG-sponsored speaker for your Local Users Group meeting per year. We will be happy to speak with you about this during the SESUG BOF at SAS Global Forum! Details are also available at http://www.sesug.org/SESUGOrganization/SpeakerSharingProgram.htm.
Check out the newly updated SESUG website at
     http://www.sesug.org/SESUGOrganization/index.htm
for more information.

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Graduate Research Assistant Position Open at the National Social Norms Institute at U.Va.

The University of Virginia, a national leader in alcohol and substance abuse education, established the National Social Norms Institute to conduct ongoing research into the effectiveness of social norms methodology to combat high-risk drinking among students. The purpose of the new National Social Norms Institute is to research, evaluate and disseminate information on the social norms methodology to the field. This position is funded through a gift from Anheuser Busch Foundation.

Graduate Assistant Expectations:
The graduate assistant (GA) position will assist with the data base management of annual survey data from eight (8) sites at colleges and universities throughout the United States. The purpose is to research social norms theory and methodology and determine best practices for the field. Databases are in Excel and SPSS. Specific responsibilities include:

  1. Database Management includes:
    1. Error-checking
    2. Creating variables
    3. Value labels
    4. Cleaning data
    5. Merging files
    6. Creating variables through computational algorithms
  2. Analysis tasks include:
    1. Data analysis of aggregate and individual college database(s)
    2. Assist with the preparation of evaluation reports

Learning Objectives. The Graduate Assistant will learn:

  1. Data management techniques
  2. Current issues and concerns facing college student
  3. Evaluation and assessment procedures
  4. Organizational skills
  5. Other learning objectives to be defined by the Graduate Assistant

Prior experience with data management and SPSS is preferred, but not required. The assistantship is a 12-month position beginning summer, 2007. The GA will be expected to work 20 hours per week through the 2007-08 academic year and summer 2007, up to 40 hours/wk. The pay is $12 per hour plus Tuition.

Contact Person: Jennifer Bauerle, email bauerle@virginia.edu.

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Lego Survivors Retire to Brown Library

Lego survivors poster

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Now is the time to encourage your colleagues and students to join us and learn about research computing support at U.Va. We only send out an e-mail once or twice a month to this mail list. Anyone can subscribe to this "itc-research" mail list via the Web page at:
http://list.mail.virginia.edu/mailman/listinfo/itc-research

Please encourage your colleagues to subscribe to our Research Computing mail list today!

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