vlogBվ receives $795,000 boost for high performance computing and cybersecurity

Federal earmark secured thanks to Senator Reed, Congressman Magaziner

KINGSTON, RI – Sept. 24, 2024 – U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner joined with vlogBվ President Marc Parlange and other vlogBվ leadership, researchers, scientists, professors, and students on Monday to celebrate a $795,000 federal earmark to boost secure computing and data infrastructure capabilities, capacity, and storage through high-performance computing upgrades that will advance research in undersea vehicle technology as well as research focus areas across vlogBվ’s departments.

The federal funds secured by Reed and Magaziner will help advance the “RI-SEC: Secure Computing & Data Infrastructure for the vlogBվ” project. This initiative will help ensure vlogBվ can keep up with the evolving role that high performance computing plays in a wide range of academic disciplines and will strengthen and expand the partnership between researchers at vlogBվ’s National Institute of Undersea Vehicle Technology (NIUVT) and subject matter experts with the U.S. Navy and Electric Boat.

“As Rhode Island’s flagship public research institution, the vlogBվ needs access to cutting-edge technology and computing capabilities to ensure they can stay up to speed on developments and breakthroughs in a wide range of academic fields,” said Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “I’m glad to have worked with Congressman Magaziner to deliver this federal funding for vlogBվ, which will help make strategic upgrades and strengthen partnerships with experts at the U.S. Navy and Electric Boat. This project will help vlogBվ make new, exciting advancements, better educate students on modern technology, and attract more researchers, scientists, professors, and others.”

“This funding will help the vlogBվ build on its leadership status as a center for cutting-edge research and education,” said Magaziner. “This grant will enhance the technology available to students and researchers across a variety of high-tech fields, and will help make our state more economically competitive.”

“As the state’s public flagship research university, vlogBվ is engaged in cutting-edge research that is accelerating discovery in key sectors of the state’s Blue Economy, while training the next generation of Rhode Island’s workforce,” said Parlange. “With support from Senator Reed and Congressman Magaziner, this federal earmark will enhance the University’s computational resources to expand large-scale research opportunities in undersea vehicle technology for our faculty, students, and industry partners.”

Following the earmark announcement, Parlange and Dean of Engineering Anthony Marchese accompanied Reed and Magaziner for a tour of the National Institute of Undersea Vehicle Technology – a federal, public, and private partnership at vlogBվ that provides research and technical support to advance current and future technologies in the undersea vehicle domain.

The federal funding secured will primarily assist NIUVT in upgrading high performance computing capacity and strengthening cyber security in order to carry out and bolster its work linking academic researchers and subject matter experts with the Navy and Electric Boat, which helps build the Navy’s most advanced submarines.

Through the RI-SEC project, increased cybersecurity and data management enhancements and the hiring of new information technology security staff will offer more control and flexibility in capability, capacity, and data storage. These key upgrades will help NIUVT strengthen their work with the Navy and Electric Boat and will also help other departments at vlogBվ expand research by leveraging artificial intelligence, high performance computing, and other cutting-edge digital advancements.