Funded Summer Research Project in Scientific Data Exploration
A summer research project in Scientific Data Exploration will be hosted by the Center for Cognition, Communication and Culture (CCC), the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), and the Institute for Data Exploration and Analysis (IDEA) with support from the Office for Research. For this program we are seeking applications for funded summer positions from undergraduate and graduate students who are interested to participate.
The goal of the summer program is to explore new ways of visualizing, sonifying, and interacting with big data in large-scale virtual reality systems. We will select 3 to 4 projects to work on with groups of 3-4 students each, including a current EMPAC/CCI project on visualizing buffer exchange processes in Rensselaer’s IBM super computer for debugging purposes. The group will work with the visualization software Field for data visualization and Max/MSP for data sonification. We are looking for applicants with a background in programming, design, electronic music, and computer/human user interfaces for this interdisciplinary project.
Participating students will receive a summer stipend at institute standard rates for undergraduate and graduate students. Regular group meetings and a closing demonstration will be part of the program.
The summer program will begin in May 19 through August 15, 2014 and kick off with a workshop in the programming language and data visualization software Field led by Field-inventor Marc Downie. The summer program will take place at the CCC and EMPAC. This summer research project is a continuation of data visualization research initialized by EMPAC, for which an NSF grant was received by the three groups to lay the foundation for data visualization. In the context of IDEA, this summer program will begin to create a user group among students that is focused on applications to navigate big-data exploration. It will be the first program for Rensselaer’s new Collaborative-Research Augmented Immersive Virtual Environment Laboratory (CRAIVE-Lab). The CRAIVE-Lab is a large-scale virtual environment with seamless 14-ft-high panorama projection around a floor area of 40x32 sq. ft. and a 128-channel loudspeaker system for data sonification.
Participants are expected to be available for the introductory Field workshop May 19–23 and additionally 11 weeks attendance within the period May 26 through August 15. Interested students should apply to Jonas Braasch (braasj@rpi.edu) by April 20, 2014. Applications a brief statement of interests as well as the student’s resume (including the student’s name and department, and a list of skill sets).
Decisions will be made by April 24, 2014, based on both merit and relevance to the proposed research. Student applicants will be informed via email.
CCC – Center for Cognition, Communication, and Culture
IDEA – Institute for Data Exploration and Applications
EMPAC – The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center