CURRENT FUNDING

South Carolina Digital Watershed

Source of Support: Clemson University Public Service Activities
 

PAST FUNDING

ANI-0330543 NMI Enabled Open Source Collaboration Tools for Virtual Organizations

Source of Support: National Science Foundation
PI: Jill Gemmill, co-PIs John-Paul Robinson, David L. Shealy
Duration: 09/15/2003-8/31/2005
Amount: $305,742

Abstract: This project pursues the NMI integration of a set of collaboration tools to support virtual organizations with an emphasis on authentication and authorization functionality. Authentication and authorization subsystem functionality can be categorized as establishing identity, applying access control rules, and provisioning system specific accounts. The Shibboleth architecture supports federated administration of authentication and authorization, but it does not provide account provisioning. System-specific accounts are the vehicle for allocation and tracking of resources within the system. Allocation of these accounts is frequently accomplished manually today and the amount of work involved can serve as a barrier to collaboration; automated account provisioning makes it easier for virtual organizations to form.

NMI and the contributions of this project to NMI are important in broader society. Collaborations across organizational boundaries occur even in small non-profit groups who form city or state-wide committees to address issues of common interest. These organizations would benefit tremendously by tying together their existing computer systems to share information with very little additional administrative overhead.
 

N01-LM-3-3513 Advanced Network Infrastructure for Health & Disaster Management

Source of Support: National Library of Medicine
PI: Helmuth Orthner; co-PIs Gary Grimes, Thomas Terndrup, Jill Gemmill, James Leaming, Eta Berner Weiss, Michael Maetz, Steven Becker
Duration: 09/30/2003-9/29/2006
Amount: $3,235,234

The prehospital (or out-of-facility) medical emergency and public safety information environment is at a threshold of revolutionary change. The change is driven, in part, by several emerging technologies such as secure, high-speed wireless communication in the local and wide area networks (wLAN, 3G), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geopositional Systems (GPS), and powerful hand-held computing and communication devices. Integrating these technologies into an effective infrastructure supporting routine emergency medical services, with the scalability to support large-scale medical emergencies, is challenging. We propose to establish testbeds that will enable us to iteratively develop, test and enhance capabilities new to the EMS community. One testbed will address the need for a new generation 9-1-1 Emergency Response and Medical Dispatch System to enable robust operation even during unpredictable medical disasters. Using GIS/GPS technology we will show the location of EMS resources. We will use another testbed to enhanced communication between the EMS providers in the field and the EMS physicians in the hospital. This testbed will be based on Internet2 technologies and the IP-based 3G infrastructure. We will integrate GIS/GPS devices in ambulances and devices used by EMS providers to enhance their effectiveness and documentation in the field (telemedicine).
 

ANI-0222710 ViDe.Net: Middleware for Scalable Video Services for Research and Higher Education

Source of Support: National Science Foundation
PI: Jill Gemmill co-PI Samir Chatterjee, CGU
Duration: 06/2002-05/2004
Amount: $550,000

Abstract: The multi-institutional project focuses on a novel integration of video conferencing clients and services with NMI Middleware standards, functions and services. The outcome will be a videoconferencing application directory enabling secure, inter-domain authentication for calls that transit institutional organizational boundaries. A testbed for video middleware will be established to test the architecture, its implementation using multiple products, and the interoperability of these products. Testbed results will be provided to the higher education and research community in the form of a video middleware "cookbook". The project has identified 4 goals. - develop the NMI Release 1 communications object class for use in H.323, SIP, MPEG2, VRVS and Access Grid implementations - develop a framework for specification of videoconferencing security requirements - develop a testbed to deploy and test middleware-ware, inter-operable videoconferencing services. - disseminate the results through conferences, publications including a Video Middleware Cookbook
 

UAB Middleware Testbed Program: Integrated Directory Services, PKI, Video, and Parallel Computing

Source of Support: NSF ANI-0123937 via SURA-2002-103 Subcontract
Administrative Lead: David L. Shealy (PI); Jill Gemmill (co-PI)
Duration: 04/01/2002-08/31/2004
Amount: $180,000

Abstract: National Science Foundation Middleware Initiative Testbed participant. Testing and beta deployment of NMI software component
 

Alabama Internet2 Middleware Initiative

Source of Support: UAB component (University of Alabama subcontract 01-016) of the Alabama EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Initiative, NSF EPSCoR, EPS-0091853
PI: David Shealy (PI), Jill Gemmill (co-PI)
Duration: 02/01/2001-01/31/2004
Amount: NSF funds $446,973, State funds $249,108, UAB cost-sharing $32,142

Abstract: Supports Internet2 circuit costs and development of high performance network infrastructure for seven PhD granting institutions in Alabama. Middleware services in support of research activities.
 

Secure Telemedicine Utilizing State-Wide Internet

Source of Support: NIH / SBIR / AZ Technology
PI: Julie Harper (UAB Dermatology). Senior Investigator: Jill Gemmill
Duration: 7/2/2003-11/10/2003
Amount: $25,000

Abstract: Phase 1 use of secure videoconferencing for telemedicine over
Alabama’s Internet2 backbone.

ViDe Project

Source of Support: Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA)
PI: Jill Gemmill
Duration: 02/2001-12/2002
Amount: $149,282

Abstract: Support for projects and activities of the ViDe (Video Development Initiative) organization related to pioneering use of Internet Videoconferencing, digital video, data collaboration tools, outreach and training.

EPS-9720653 Alabama EPSCoR Cooperative Agreement - Regional Connection to Internet2, UAB component

Source of Support National Science Foundation, Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
PI: David L. Shealy (PI), Jill Gemmill (co-PI), and Stan A. McClellan (co-PI),
Duration: 2/1/98-1/31/01
Amount: NSF funds $506,074, State funds $78,430, UAB cost-sharing $584,504

Results:The goals of this award were to provide high performance network connections among the seven research institutions in the State of Alabama: Auburn University, Alabama A&M University, Tuskegee Institute, University of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama in Huntsville, and University of South Alabama. Grant resources were combined with contributions from an industrial partner (ITC^Deltacom), and a partnership arrangement with Alabama Research and Education Network for NOC services. As a result, the combined Internet bandwidth for these seven institutions has been increased from 13Mbps to 910Mbps, and new and strengthened partnerships have emerged among research faculty at our universities.

ANI-9729500 High Performance Connection for Research Universities in Alabama:

Source of Support: National Science Foundation
PI: David L. Shealy (PI), Jill Gemmill (co-PI), Priscilla A. Hancock (co-PI), Stan A, McClellan (co-PI),
Duration: 2/15/98-1/31/00
Amount: Basic award $700,000 ($350,000 funded FY98, $350,000 approved FY99). Institutional cost-sharing $930,000 ($500,000 from UAB and $430,000 UA-Tuscaloosa). Year 1 award date was February 26, 1998, and year 2 (supplement 3) was awarded February 12, 1999. Supplement 1 for MCI subscription cost of UAB in year 1, $45,000, awarded June 30, 1998. Supplement 2 from NSF EPSCoR for extraordinary cost of advanced telecommunication services, $200,000, awarded September 3, 1998. Supplement 3 was year 2 basic award funding. Supplement 4 for REU support in year 2, $10,000, awarded May 3, 1999. Supplement 5 for MCI subscription cost of UAB in year 2, $118,800, awarded July 15, 1999. Supplement 6 for MCI subscription cost of UA in year 2, $93,067, awarded September 16, 1999. Supplement 7 for REU support for year 3, $10,000. Supplement 8 for no-cost extension to 31 March 2001. Supplement 9 for REU support for year 4, $12,000.
Matching Contributions: Donation of use of OC12 circuit for 5 years, value of $1,800,000 for UAB, UAH, UA, and Auburn; Cisco Equipment grant $200,000.

Results: The goals of this award were to provide high performance connections from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama to the vBNS national research backbone and to provide high performance connectivity for the meritorious research applications included in the proposal. We combined our grant resources with the NCRI award to University of Alabama in Huntsville, found an industrial partner (ITC^Deltacom), and arranged for NOC services to be provided through a partnership with Alabama Research and Education Network. This collaboration is known as the Gulf Central GigaPOP (GCG) http://www.gcgpop.net. GCG was a charter member of the Southern Crossroads (SOX) http://www.sox.net/; SOX is now a consortium of 13 universities forming a major regional gigaPOP for connecting to vBNS, Abilene, and other networks. Our activities are documented at the UAB Internet2 web site http://www.uab.edu/internet2. As a result (a) Each university previously had a single T1 connection to the Internet; currently, each university has commodity service and also OC3 connectivity among our campuses with OC12 connectivity into SOX for connection to Abilene. (b) Our campus previously had a FDDI backbone; we currently have a gigabit Ethernet backbone and have obtained funding approval for a full campus wiring and network electronics upgrade; this upgrade is currently 65% completed. (c) All researchers listed in the proposal have been provided with switched 10Mbps or switched 100Mbps network connections and all required wiring infrastructure upgrades were provided as first priority in the infrastructure upgrade project. (d) A network quality of service lab was created in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. (e) Highlights of how this project impacted research activities include: significantly improved access to NIH/NLM genetics databases resources; creation of distributed high performance computing clusters; significantly increased access to Alabama Supercomputer facility; and a successful demonstration of the first virtual music recording studio using IP transport (see http://www.uab.edu/internet2/panion.pdf)

Internet2-Capable Networking for the Basic Health Sciences Building

Source of Support: UAB Health Services Foundation
PI: Lawrence DeLucas; co-PI’s Mike Carson, Dale Benos, Tom Broker, Jill Gemmill, Eric Sorscher, Richard Marchase, Jamila Horabin, Jeffrey Engler
Duration: 07/1997-09/1999
Amount: $217,120

Results: The World Wide Web is no longer the World Wide Wait for institutions connected via Internet-2. For example, connection to the biological sequence and genomic databases of the NIH National Center for Biotechnology Information (http://www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov) is nearly instantaneous. It is now possible to consider collaborations with investigators at other institutions requiring interactive desktop video or regular exchange of large amounts of data