IT Support for Collaborative Research

In support of the CIC Provosts' strategic priority to enable strategies and infrastructure to connect researchers and faculty, the CIC Chief Information Officers have focused their collaborative efforts in three related areas:

  • Network:  The CIC OmniPoP is a high speed, next-generation fiber optic network which allows participating CIC schools to connect to each other and major research centers around the world at speeds 10 times faster than currently available and for far less money than on their own.

  • Data Storage Services:  Researchers are using larger and more complex sets of data all the time, which present great challenges for storing and cataloging as well as for managing who can access the data.  The CIOs are working with the Library Directors and Senior Research Officers to solve these problems, create long-term management plans, and implement services which facilitate research.

  • Identity and Access Management:  With so many resources available online, it's difficult to manage access in a secure and easy manner. The CIOs are working to simplify the sharing of services and resources through technology that allows inter-institutional access using existing campus usernames and passwords.