Susan Baldwin, Executive Director of Compute Canada, presented these slides as part of the Cybera Summit 2010 session "The Nexus of Science Policy and ICT Policy: Implications and Outcomes". For more information, visit http://www.cybera.ca/nexus-science-policy-and-ict-policy-implications-and-outcomes

1. The
Nexus
of
Science
Policy
and
ICT
Policy:
Implica9ons
and
Outcomes
September
21,
2010
Susan
Baldwin
Execu9ve
Director
Compute
Canada
susan.baldwin@computecanada.org

2. Vision
To
advance
research,
support
and
accelerate
innova4on
and
excellence,
develop
highly
qualified
personnel,
and
enable
compe44ve
advantage,
economic
prosperity
and
well-­‐
being
for
all
Canadians
through
the
effec4ve
use
of
high
performance
compu4ng

3. Mission
To
create
a
na4onal
plaBorm
of
shared
world-­‐
class
high
performance
compu4ng
and
data
resources
and
personnel,
accessible
by
researchers
in
all
disciplines
independent
of
resource
or
researcher
loca4on
and
to
promote
high
performance
compu4ng
na4onally
and
interna4onally

5. Enabling
Canadian
Research
Focus
is
on
ensuring
the
ability
of
the
Canadian
researcher
to
do
beKer
research
by:
– Using
the
right
facility
(wherever
in
the
country)
– Using
the
right
methods
– Using
the
right
amount
of
compute
cycles
– Having
the
HQP
support
they
need
– Knowing
HPC
capacity
will
grow
in
lock
step
with
their
research
This
requires
predictability
and
sustainability

6. Digital
Infrastructure
• A
dynamic
shared
plaBorm
for
advanced
educa9on,
science,
and
discovery
• Digital
infrastructure
includes:
– Repositories
of
complex
data
sets
– Network-­‐accessible
research
equipment
– Digital
devices
and
distributed
sensors
– High-­‐speed
networks
– Related
tools
and
services
– Rapidly
increasing
compu9ng
capacity
– Support
and
research
experts
(HQP)

7. Digital
Infrastructure
• HPC
is
one
of
the
components
of
digital
infrastructure
–
essen9al
to
crea9ng
new
knowledge
• Digital
Infrastructure
is
not
a
project;
Canada’s
HPC
pla[orm
is
not
a
project
• Science
policy
must
differen9ate
between
projects
and
shared
infrastructure
–
and
fund
them
differently

8. Integrated
Science
Policy
• Is
there
close
collabora-on
between
policy-­‐makers
and
those
whose
work
supports
advanced
educa-on,
science,
and
discovery?
– Digital
Economy
Consulta-on
–
did
they
listen?
– There
is
a
“great
divide”
and
a
“digital
divide”
– Canadian
Science
Policy
Conference
–
trying
to
reach
policy-­‐makers
– NSERC
asked
for
advice
–
and
took
it,
but
will
there
be
a
policy
from
Government?
– And
the
rest
of
the
world?

9. Integrated
Science
Policy
• How
do
we
ensure
that
these
policies
are
integrated,
forward-­‐
thinking,
and
designed
to
support
common
outcomes?
– Must
find
a
way
to
make
our
voices
heard
with
a
common
message
– Are
common
outcomes
desirable?
• Outcomes
=
–
new
knowledge
–
new
applica9ons
–
new
products
–
new
rela9onships
–
new
advantages
–
compe99ve,
social,
well-­‐being
These
are
not
necessarily
predictable

10. Integrated
Science
Policy
• An
integrated
science
policy
must
set
the
framework
for
the
people
and
the
shared
infrastructure,
thereby
enhancing
the
value
proposi9on
of
Canadian
educa9on,
research
and
discovery