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Government Chief Scientist inaugurates Durham e-Science research facility

(4 May 2006)

Durham University’s latest facility for research into exciting new technologies was formally opened today (4 May) by the Government Chief Scientist Sir David King.

The purpose-built e-Science Research Institute had crucial financial backing from the Office of Science and Technology - some £7.9 million from the Science Research Investment Fund (SRIF). The facility brings together scientists and researchers from other disciplines to use massive computer power in solving problems, handling vast amounts of data and developing new features for the use of computers themselves. One of the first key projects is high resolution 3-D visualisation, and Sir David saw an award-winning simulation of the development of galaxies as part of his tour. The Institute hosts a spectacular large screen for viewing the 3-D work, as wells as a unique range of 3-D desktop displays donated by leading global manufacturers including Kodak, ColorLink and Sharp; these manufacturers are benefiting from Durham's scientific expertise to develop 3-D consumer applications including 3-D TV, 3-D games and the 3-D web. The Institute is one of the North’s premier scientific developments and a significant resource for the whole UK. It provides the network infrastructure necessary to utilise the electronic superhighway known as ‘the Grid’. Research projects are concerned with developing better techniques for processing and displaying information, which in turn can be used in many aspects of life – for example, medicine and bio-sciences, in industry, education and technology. Collaborative projects at the Institute bring computer scientists together with geologists, psychologists, cosmologists, mathematicians and experts in many other academic and business fields. Performing the official opening by unveiling a plaque, Sir David said: “The UK Government recognises the importance of collaborative endeavours and the role that the new ICT technologies play in enabling such collaborations. “We are in an era where many of the scientific questions that we need to address are too large for a single researcher, university, or often indeed nation. As we try to understand problems such as climate change, or as we try to develop new flu vaccines, we are addressing issues that have impact globally and that, by their very nature, require the bringing together of disparate capabilities and distributed data. Director of the e-Science Research Institute, Professor Malcolm Munro, said: “The power of e-Science helps to accelerate research work, develop spin-off companies and achieve new benefits for society. Durham is an established centre with a strong track record for work in this area, and we are delighted that Sir David King is here to help us celebrate this new facility.” While meeting staff and research students during his visit, Sir David went to the Visualisation Laboratory to see a demonstration of projects on a special 3-D screen the size of a shop window. The visual specials are: A virtual universe in “Cosmic Cookery” *** Presented by Dr Carlton Baugh of the University’s Institute for Computational Cosmology (ICC) The project is developing a 3-dimensional model of the universe generated by massive computer calculations based on observations and theories about the growth of the cosmos. It draws on work by several international teams and is co-ordinated by the ICC in Durham. The simulation recreates the early events and expansion of the universe including the formation of galaxies and clusters. The work is funded by the Particle Physics &Astronomy Research Council (PPARC). *** The Durham team who made the simulation has won an award from fellow scientists for the novel "inThreeD" software technology used to speed up the 3D movie production process and for the movie's contribution to the public understanding of science. It got frst prize in the vizNET 2006 Visualization Showcase. vizNET is a network formed from the leading graphics and visualization groups across all UK Universities. 3-D mapping and displays Presented by Dr Nick Holliman, Lecturer in Computer Science, leader of the ‘inThreeD’ project. The project is working on research software tools to make 3D displays as easy to use as 2D displays. It could be used in any situation where 3D information is used and could benefit from visual representation on-screen with an extra dimension. The example from the Department of Earth Sciences shows how caves and other physical features can be examined rock by rock from all angles in the comfort of a laboratory. The project is funded by CODEWORKS, the North East's Centre of Digital Excellence. The new Institute houses research staff and research students, and involves several Durham departments including Computer Science, Physics, Earth Sciences and Psychology, plus visiting academic colleagues from China, Spain and other countries.