Heidi in the Sky (With Data)

Star light, star bright...

The night sky has long fascinated mankind and awed scientists — from Galileo to Sagan — with its sheer vastness.

Right now, an initiative is under way that is pushing the limits of the world's most advanced computers to digitally characterize the structure of the universe. Heidi Newberg, who teaches physics and astronomy at Rensselaer, is among the project’s prestigious star-gazers.

I in the Sky
Newberg is one of the principal software writers and researchers with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), an $80 million collaboration of university, government, and private entities. A multiyear study, SDSS is systematically mapping one-fourth of the entire sky to a level of detail never before achieved — and never before possible. Using the latest information technology combined with state-of-the-art astronomical tools, the survey is charting and analyzing more than 100 million celestial objects.

Byte-Size Milky Way
Newberg’s research is particularly focused on the formation and structure of the Milky Way galaxy. Among her team's findings is the first-ever evidence that the Milky Way is “cannibalizing” stars from smaller galaxies. This discovery was noted in The New York Times and other media.

Information Technology at Rensselaer
The rapid emergence of information technologies has dramatically changed the scope of basic scientific research in computer science, computer engineering, communications, and systems theory. It has rapidly defined new interdisciplinary fields of investigation, from networking to visualization and electronic commerce.

Analysts have identified three major trends in the evolution of information technologies:

• Pervasive computing describes the wide dissemination of information technologies through networked, distributed, mobile, real-time, and embedded systems. These trends are driven by the affordability of computing, the availability of interconnection, and the improvement of interfaces.
  
  
• Deep computing refers to the application of high-performance computers to large and difficult problems, such as weather forecasting, protein folding, and combustion simulation. This trend is driven by the development of accessible and shared supercomputing and the ability to model and write effective simulation code.
  
  
• Revolutionary computing describes the development of concepts and technologies in support of future generations of computers based, perhaps, on quite different principles. These efforts explore the science and potential of molecular and quantum computing, for example.

Rensselaer has major research activities in these emerging areas, as well as involvement in many applications of information technologies.

The scientific basis for new and revolutionary computing technologies is explored in conjunction with the Institute's focus in microelectronics and microsystems research. Rensselaer’s Center for Integrated Electronics (CIE) is doing leading-edge work in electronics design and manufacturing, on-chip interconnects, and the development and utilization of electronic media.

Other areas of principal research span interests in pervasive computing and information compression algorithms to routing control and protocols in high-speed networks. Related work in technical communications, multimedia applications development, and the social and economic context of network communications are complementary aspects.

Rensselaer’s Scientific Computation Research Center (SCOREC) is at work in advanced modeling and the simulation of complex systems. This is part of a wide-ranging research interest in deep computing that includes algorithmic research on adaptive methods for partial differential equations, parallel scientific computation, automated modeling, multiscale computational techniques, and visual technologies. Areas of application include: biomechanics, composite materials and structures, fluid flow problems, materials processing, and nonlinear solid mechanics.

Rensselaer also is exploring the use of data modeling and data-mining techniques in areas such as bioinformatics. Relational database technologies have been developed at Rensselaer, and software systems have been successfully deployed through a commercial spin-off company. Software engineering and programming are vital to complex engineering systems and unique template-based methods are under development at Rensselaer.

In addition, fundamental studies of cognitive science in learning, communications, authoring systems, and human-computer interfaces; studies of social science and cultural implications of information technology; research on electronic commerce and management techniques; as well as creative efforts in electronic arts and multimedia performance studies are indicative of the wide scope of information technology research at Rensselaer.

Why Does Rensselaer Attract “Star” Faculty?
As a leading technological university, Rensselaer views top faculty and researchers as the backbone of everything we do. Professors like Heidi Newberg bring real-world perspective and application to the classes they teach — actively engaging and involving their students. At the same time, our high-caliber students and collaborative atmosphere are a major draw for leading faculty. Excellence attracts excellence — to keep Rensselaer among the nation’s best.

Why not change the world?