Thursday event to focus on UFIT services, research

September 26, 2011

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Research Computing Day will take place Thursday with the goal of strengthening the relationship between University of Florida faculty and information technology services available at UF.

The event starts at 9 a.m. in the Reitz Student Union Grand Ballroom with speakers and information sessions about services provided by UF Information Technology, known as UFIT. The detailed agenda can be found at http://www.it.ufl.edu/community/events/rcday/index.html.

The UFIT provides direction and strategic planning for the university in information delivery and computing standards, resources and management. The Research Computing Advisory Committee, part of the UF Information Technology governance, organized the event with the goal to expose researchers at UF to technology that will help increase funding and research capabilities at the university.

“UF’s world-class faculty members continue to successfully compete for research sponsorship in an increasingly competitive environment. Their success has moved UF into the ranks of the top-tier research universities,” said Elias Eldayrie, vice president and chief information officer at UF. “We have to provide an accessible, seamless and affordable information technology environment that is always aimed at supporting the growth and excellence of UF’s research enterprise.”

The event will also feature posters of current research using computing at the university, presentations from faculty, and a panel discussion from the advisory committee. Organizers also hope to encourage discussion about new services needed at UF to create a better research environment.

“The Research Computing Advisory Committee, a cornerstone of the IT governance structure at UF, has identified the need for forums where faculty can help IT staff understand their research needs and goals and where IT staff and computational professionals can showcase tools that are available to facilitate our research faculty’s continuing success,” Eldayrie said. “The Research Computing Day will provide a great opportunity to foster that engagement and communication.”