The Northeast Parallel Architectures Center (NPAC) is a research and development center focusing on modern computer science for both large-scale information and simulation applications. Established at Syracuse University in 1987, the center is directed by Geoffrey C. Fox, a pioneer in the development and application of parallel computers, who assumed NPAC leadership in 1990. NPAC is part of Syracuse University but mixes synergistically faculty, students and professional staff. Thus NPAC can perform leading edge research and also develop significant software systems that can be used by industry.

NPAC's technology approach is based on the assumption (assertion) that Web technology (software, interfaces, protocols, standards, and systems) represents the most powerful software base that has ever been developed. As it implements a general distributed computing model, this Web technology can be used for parallel computing and for both computing (simulation) and information related applications.

NPAC's activities can be divided into broad categories

• Base Web Technology research and development with particular application to collaboration and multimedia systems
• Applications of Web Technology to High Performance computing, Healthcare and Education
• "Classic" Parallel Computing technology and applications
• Education and Training in practical computer science (aka computational science) in both web and high performance computing arenas
• Industrial outreach in leading edge relevant computer science

For a nifty one liner

NPAC's theme is leading edge computer science and its applications of relevance to the real world for academia, business and community.

Many NPAC activities depend critically on pro-active outreach and collaboration. NPAC is a member of the prestigious Center for Research in Parallel Computing (CRPC), a research consortium of seven participating institutions in Parallel Processing: Argonne National Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Rice University, Syracuse University, University of Tennessee, and University of Maryland. We are a member of the NSF Partnership in Advanced Computing NCSA centered at the University of Illinois. We also have well-established foreign links with especially Europe and China. These collaborations enrich our work and ensure that it remains at the leading edge.

Through New York State funding, our InfoMall program that has centers in Central New York, New York City and the Mid-Hudson Valley, allows businesses to participate in NPAC's programs and for NPAC to commercialize some of its research activities. Working with InfoMall, Businesses can get a virtual research and development center, which gives a window to the latest computer technologies. NPAC also develops educational material that helps Syracuse University students become attractive employees for Industry. NPAC also offers through its virtual University WebWisdom.org training programs, which can be offered either through conventional or distance education technologies to businesses. Note that NPAC is judged by the state on the basis of its success in creating jobs in the State and so we are highly motivated to help Industry in very practical ways!

Within Syracuse University, NPAC has particularly strong ties with the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Physics department but has several other ongoing and completed collaborative ties.

NPAC made the commitment in January 1994 that Web technology would be key to essentially all its projects. This decision was based on the observation that the Web is developing technologies for a general open distributed computing model that can in fact be adapted for any important problem whether it be distance education, health care information systems or parallel computing. We believe that software design is not just an abstract science but must build in the basic economic principle that in general the largest market will generate the best software because it has both the greatest competition and the best amortization of development dollars. Thus we envisage the basic engine where the world has the largest market generates very good general purpose distributed computing software. Note this is initially aimed at "information" systems but can be applied to simulation for surely a complex physical simulation is "just" producing a rich form of information. This general worldwide web technology is then applied to particular networks (such as IntraNets for a corporation) and particular application areas such as Web-based Telemedicine.

We also believe that the Web is pioneering a new enterprise model different from that of traditional hierarchically organized organizations. Creative minds around the world are being allowed to collaborate to together produce large systems and this approach builds in community criticism and ability to harness ability whether it may be in a way that is fundamentally different from and better than previous paradigms.

Could have pictures here (Computing bottom up pyramid etc. see my talks)

NPAC is focussed on computational science applications where one seeks to obtain "real solutions to real problems." This practical approach mixes intrinsically research and development and in fact NPAC is often accused of being too practical and not devoted to fundamental principles. We disagree and assert that computing is the study of an inherently practical field, which is defined by the need to harness device technology to enhance and extend the capabilities and knowledge of people. Thus advances in computing must be measured by large-scale experimentation and that is how the most exciting and most fundamental discoveries are made! We try hard not to use the easiest solution but rather to understand how systems and software are evolving. We use this "fundamental vision" to guide our research and development so that our systems are built on lasting standards and the best ideas which will stand the test of time!

Thus NPAC searches out practical applications and is for instance pleased to have a significant role in the DoD HPCC Modernization Program because this is one of the largest practical efforts aimed at advancing the computer capabilities of a large important user community.

Could add words about specific projects. This could be abstracted from project Page.

Our work in education and training combines both teaching courses and the development of Web technologies to support improved and lower-cost education.

Our experience comes from K-12 area where the Living SchoolBook project used ATM connections to three Central New York schools; undergraduate teaching in the Physics department of science for non-science majors; and graduate teaching of computer science including courses taught remotely in China. We also learn from the design of interfaces for disabled children where assessment tools are a particular focus of our work. Our work on Web technologies for education includes both asynchronous (exploratory browsing) and synchronous delivery. The latter involves the use of the Tango collaboration system with its audio-video conferencing and shared curriculum features. We have established a virtual University WebWisdom.org, which offers two types of services:

• Distance delivery of courses related to entire spectrum of web technologies, high performance computing, general computing, basic and advanced network technology, and multimedia. This is illustrated by our course at Jackson State offered synchronously over the Internet using Tango Collaboration and WebWisdom delivery module.
• Hosting of 3rd party distance learning services on our servers, including help in courseware conversion

A start-up company WebWisdom.com will through InfoMall commercialize many NPAC technologies in this arena.