BGSU Research to Speed Ahead Thanks to New Internet2

BOWLING GREEN, O.--A better understanding of the laws governing the universe will be Bowling Green’s passport to the next phase in Internet communication, Internet2. Dr. Comer Duncan, a Bowling Green State University professor of physics and astronomy, has obtained a grant from the National Science Foundation to bring Internet2 to BGSU to further his research into astrophysics and relativity theory.

His $150,000, two-year grant is titled "Internet2 Connection for Research in Numerical Relativity and Relativistic Astrophysics at Bowling Green State University."

Internet2 is a not-for-profit consortium, led by more than 180 U.S. universities, developing and deploying advanced network applications and technology. With participation by more than 60 leading companies, Internet2 recreates the partnership of academia, industry and government that helped foster today's Internet in its infancy.

Duncan described Internet2 as a "well-oiled pipe" that allows large amounts of data to be sent very quickly. This higher speed connection will facilitate his use of Ohio’s Supercomputer Center in Columbus to do the extremely complex calculations involved in his two computational physics research projects.

Internet2, which has much greater bandwidth and higher speed than Internet1, will fulfill the function originally conceived for the Internet as a means of communication for scholars and scientists. "By opening up another lane of traffic, it will segregate academics from the rest of the communications traffic," said Dr. Linda Dobb, BGSU executive vice president. "It’s the next logical step and very exciting."

Several other Ohio universities such as Case Western Reserve, Cincinnati, Kent State, Ohio State, Ohio University and Miami are already Internet2 members.

BGSU’s Internet1 and, beginning in January, Internet2, connections are supplied by OSC/OARNet, the state’s network system for universities. As longtime members of the networking and computing support organization, Duncan and Dobb serve on statewide committees that recommend policies and help plan future deployment of high-end support and applications. In fact, Duncan wrote the NSF proposal that brought Internet1 to BGSU in 1989.

They said Internet2 membership will open many more research and applications opportunities for BGSU faculty. In addition to physics and astronomy faculty, other researchers interested in utilizing Internet2 are those in biology (both for biomolecular research and sharing of electron microscope images), mathematics, chemistry and neuroscience.

Beginning in the spring semester 2002, the new Internet2 connection will be put in place and initial work will be under way to use it for Duncan’s research with the OSC. Simultaneously with this work, Duncan will lead a group of faculty on campus in exploring how the Internet2 connection can be used in a variety of research and teaching areas.

Bowling Green has made a serious commitment to bringing Internet2 to campus, both by agreeing to cost sharing for the project in the amount of $244,600 and by implementing the technology infrastructure across campus. Without the speed allowed by the BGsupernet, the Internet2 connection would not be possible. "It’s one thing to bring the packets of information to your door, which is what Internet2 does, but it’s another thing what you do with them," Duncan said. His grant proposal to NSF included the specifications of BGSU’s network, which were judged adequate for Internet2 interface.

To learn more about Internet2 and the advanced networks that convey it, visit http://www.internet2.org.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Comer Duncan is available for interviews or to answer questions. To schedule a session with him, call Bonnie Blankinship, Monitor editor, Office of Marketing and Communications, at 419-372-2618.