Program Director's Recommendation 1338922 Florida International (FIU); Rishe The proposal requests Phase II funding for the Florida International University (FIU) to remain as an active site in the Center for Advanced Knowledge Enablement (CAKE). FIU at CAKE is the lead institution while Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Is a "Partner" site. The faculty of the I/UCRC CAKE will carry out research in performance studies, benchmark evaluations, and the application of novel algorithms, routines, data models, network analyses and software tools to large-scale data sets. The research will be conducted by faculty at Florida International University (FIU), as well as the I/UCRC CAKE's ongoing affiliated sites, who are investigating a broad range of aspects of the science of data management and search. The Center, which will continue to be administratively hosted at FIU, expects to grow to include other domestic and foreign university partners. The research proposed by the Center addresses challenges that cross scientific domains and vertical markets, as many industries are facing existential problems due to the sheer influx of data generated. The Center broadens participation of underrepresented groups in several ways. The investigators will Leverage their track record of involving FIU's 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 will expand opportunities of mentoring and graduating computer scientists from under-represented populations at the BS, MS, and PhD levels. As the I/UCRC CAKE continues to grow, the center will build a cohesive structure spanning multiple institutions, in part by enabling extended research visits at partner sites for faculty and doctoral students. The Center plans to include other US universities and international collaboration in the framework of its Latin American Grid Project, an existing NSF PIRE, and other work with European and Asian universities.
