NSF Org:	OAC Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC)
Recipient:	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED
Initial Amendment Date:	December 12, 2023
Latest Amendment Date:	December 12, 2023
Award Number:	2346744
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Amy Apon awapon@nsf.gov  (703)292-5184 OAC  Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC) CSE  Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering
Start Date:	June 1, 2024
End Date:	May 31, 2026 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$1,000,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$1,000,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2024 = $1,000,000.00
History of Investigator:	Sarvani Chadalapaka (Principal Investigator) schadalapaka@ucmerced.edu Anna Klimaszewski-Patterson (Co-Principal Investigator) Suzanne Sindi (Co-Principal Investigator) Emily Jane McTavish (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	University of California - Merced 5200 N LAKE RD MERCED CA  US  95343-5001 (209)201-2039
Sponsor Congressional District:	13
Primary Place of Performance:	University of California - Merced 5200 N LAKE RD MERCED CA  US  95343-5705
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	13
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	FFM7VPAG8P92
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	Campus Cyberinfrastructure
Primary Program Source:	01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s):
Program Element Code(s):	808000
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.070

ABSTRACT

The Central Valley Advanced Research Computing (CENVAL-ARC) initiative aims to address the computational resource needs in the historically underserved Central Valley region of California, enhancing research and educational opportunities for a broad spectrum of students and researchers within Hispanic-Serving Central Valley institutions. The project is led by the University of California, Merced (UCM), in collaboration with California State Universities (CSUs) - CSU Sacramento, CSU Stanislaus, and CSU Fresno.

CENVAL-ARC's hardware setup comprises Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) nodes and Central Processing Unit (CPU) nodes, each with distinct configurations of processor and memory specifications. The hardware seamlessly integrates into UCM's existing Pinnacles High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster. The cluster also features efficient fast scratch and large data storage, enhancing data storage and accessibility for science drivers. CENVAL-ARC utilizes Ethernet and Omnipath networks, supported by open-source tools like XDMoD, for efficient cluster management and data transfers. Its connection to a Science DMZ enhances data exchange with external institutions, fostering collaborative research. Running on RedHat Linux with the Slurm scheduler, CENVAL-ARC's computational resources accommodate diverse research tasks. Standard CPU nodes and large-memory CPU nodes support activities such as intricate systems modeling and numerical optimization, while GPUs are indispensable for executing double-precision floating-point calculations and managing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) workloads.

CENVAL-ARC plays a transformative role in advancing research throughout the Central Valley. The project supports yearly research symposia that engage dozens of regional participants and empower researchers across various scientific domains. This initiative aligns with the National Science Foundation's vision for catalyzing scientific transformation through cyberinfrastructure, fostering translational research and discovery.

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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