NSF Org:	OAC Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC)
Recipient:	FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date:	August 22, 2020
Latest Amendment Date:	September 13, 2023
Award Number:	2029283
Award Instrument:	Continuing Grant
Program Manager:	Kevin Thompson kthompso@nsf.gov  (703)292-4220 OAC  Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC) CSE  Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering
Start Date:	December 15, 2020
End Date:	November 30, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$3,864,682.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$3,880,682.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2020 = $3,099,366.00 FY 2022 = $16,000.00 FY 2023 = $765,316.00
History of Investigator:	Julio Ibarra (Principal Investigator) julio@fiu.edu Luis Lopez (Co-Principal Investigator) Heidi Morgan (Co-Principal Investigator) Donald Cox (Co-Principal Investigator) Jeronimo Bezerra (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Florida International University 11200 SW 8TH ST MIAMI FL  US  33199-2516 (305)348-2494
Sponsor Congressional District:	26
Primary Place of Performance:	Florida International University 11200 SW 8TH ST Miami FL  US  33199-0001
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	26
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	Q3KCVK5S9CP1
Parent UEI:	Q3KCVK5S9CP1
NSF Program(s):	International Res Ret Connect
Primary Program Source:	01002324DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01002021DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01002223DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s):	9251, 9102
Program Element Code(s):	736900
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.070

ABSTRACT

Big data science in South America and Sub-Saharan Africa will dramatically evolve over the next five years, with increasing dependency on advanced cyberinfrastructure and programmable networking. Significant projects include The Vera Rubin Observatory, the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider experiments and the Square Kilometer Array in S. Africa. AmLight-ExP supports high-performance network connectivity required by international science and engineering research and education collaborations involving the NSF research community, with expansion to South America and West Africa.

AmLight-ExP is a reliable, leading-edge infrastructure for research and education. With significant investments from the Academic Network of São Paulo, Brazil?s Research and Education network, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, the regional network of Latin America (RedCLARA), and national R&E network of S. Africa (TENET/SANReN), the total bandwidth provided by AmLight ExP between the U.S. South America, and Africa is expected to grow to over 4 Tbps in aggregate capacity from 2020-2025. This flexible inter-regional infrastructure enables science communities to expand research and learning activities, empowered through access to scalable optical spectrum on submarine cables and programmable networks.

AmLight-ExP increases the rate of discovery. Faster discovery means quicker focus on the greatest benefit for society. AmLight-ExP is a catalyst for new communities of researchers and learners with a bridge, linking U.S. Hispanic and African students, teachers and researchers. AmLight-ExP is committed to serving the needs of graduate and undergraduate education through models that bring together students and the networking community with scientists from all domains.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

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