Spatial Computing: Utilizing spatial principles to optimize distributed computing for enabling the physical science discoveries

GRAND Seminar 12:00 noon, Oct. 5, Tue., 2010, ENGR 4201

Chaowei (Phil) Yang
Associate Professor
Geography, GeoInformation Sciences (GGS)
GMU

Abstract:

Contemporary physical science studies rely on the effective analyses of geographically dispersed spatial data and simulations of physical phenomena. Single computers and generic high-end computing are not sufficient to process the data for complex physical science analysis and simulations, which can only be successfully supported through distributed computing, best optimized through the application of spatial principles. Spatial computing refers to a computing paradigm that utilizes spatial principles to optimize distributed computers to catalyze advancements in the physical sciences. Spatial principles govern the interaction among different scientific parameters and phenomena across space and time by providing the spatial connections and constraints to drive the progression of the parameters and phenomena. Therefore, spatial computing studies could better position us to leverage spatial principles in simulating physical phenomena and by extension, advance the physical sciences. Using geospatial science as an example, this paper illustrates through three research examples how spatial computing could a) enable data intensive science with efficient data/services search, access, and utilization, b) facilitate physical science studies with enabling high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities, c) empower scientists with multidimensional visualization tools to understand observations and simulations. The research examples demonstrate that spatial computing is of critical importance to design computing methods to catalyze physical science studies with better data access, phenomena simulation, and analytical visualization. We envision that spatial computing will become a core technology that will drive the physical science advancement in the 21st century.

Bio:

Chaowei (Phil) Yang is the Chief Architect and Technical Lead for NASA Spatial Cloud Computing and Data as a Service (DaaS, hosted by GSFC) and associate professor at George Mason University, where he founded and co-directs (with Dr. Paul Houser, the previous NASA Hydrological Branch Head at GSFC) the NASA/GMU joint Center of Intelligent Spatial Computing for water/energy science (CISC) based on the concept of spatial computing he proposed in 2005 and the hydrological leadership of Dr. Houser. Spatial Computing refers to utilize spatial principles widely exist to arrange, select, and optimize distributed computing to facilitate the advancements of physical sciences, such as Earth and environmental sciences.

His research, education, and service interests include Geospatial Cyberinfrastructure, Distributed GIS, Spatial Computing and Geographic Information Science. He has extensive research and development experience as reflected by his over 50 peer reviewed publications and over $3M research funding in the past decade. He co-edited the Advanced GeoInformation Science book and is writing the book of Network GIS. His research is funded by NASA, UCAR/NSF, FGDC, EPA, NPS, and other agencies/companies with over $3M as PI and He also participate in several large projects total over $10M. He receives numerous national and international awards, such as the US presidential national environment protection stewardship award in 2009.