The explosive growth in the number and resolution of sensors and scientific instruments, of enterprise and scientific databases, and of internet traffic and activity has engendered unprecedented volumes of data. The frameworks, metadata structures, algorithms, data sets, search and data mining solutions needed to manage the volumes of data in use today are largely ad-hoc. The goal of this proposal is to initiate a new Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Advanced Knowledge Enablement. The proposed center will study the representation, management, storage, analysis, search and social aspects of large and complex data. The proposed center, hosted at Florida International University (FIU), will facilitate research on problems of relevance to industry and in a forum that protects the proprietary nature of the asset. The research program will involve state-of-the art techniques for enhancing semantics, internet technology and knowledge representation techniques for improvements in applications. The activities proposed by FIU will have a wide ranging impact on the industry for improved application of data management and access. The investigators at the proposed center will leverage their track record of involving FIUs predominantly Hispanic student population in research with programs such as affinity groups that enable research performed by the graduate and undergraduate students to be shared with other students. The Center also plans to expand opportunities of mentoring and graduating computer scientists from under-represented populations at the BS, MS, and PhD levels. The center plans to build a cohesive structure spanning multiple institutions, in part by enabling extended research visits at partner sites for faculty and doctoral students.
