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Atkins named U-M associate vice president, cyberinfrastructure
(Sep 2008) The U-M community will benefit from School of Information Professor Daniel E. Atkins' knowledge of cyberinfrastructure through his new part-time role with the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Office of the Provost.
Atkins will serve as associate vice president for research, cyberinfrastructure. In this newly established position, Atkins will lead institutional planning for the integration of existing and future cyberinfrastructure resources.
The appointment has been recommended for approval to the U-M Board of Regents.
The University's goal is to maximize its research computational capabilities to make U-M a leader in computationally rich areas of research. As the associate vice president, Atkins will direct efforts to inventory current resources, coordinate with all University stakeholders to determine resources that need to be developed, identify funding sources, and develop models for growth and operation of these computing resources.
The professor will continue with his teaching and research at the School of Information where he is serving as the first W.K. Kellogg Professor of Community Information. He is also a professor in the Division of Computer Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering.
In addition, Atkins will coordinate large-scale efforts pursued in collaboration with peer institutions and will serve as the University's point of contact on cyberinfrastructure matters with the State of Michigan, the federal government, and the private sector. Atkins will work with John L. King, U-M vice provost for academic information and professor of information, in addressing the University-wide cyberinfrastructure needs and opportunities.
From June 2006 to June 2008 Atkins was on leave from the U-M to serve at the National Science Foundation as the inaugural director of the Office of Cyberinfrastructure. In previous roles at the U-M, he served as dean of the College of Engineering and was founding dean of the School of Information.
Atkins began his research career in the area of computer architecture and did pioneering work in parallel computer architecture and high-speed computer arithmetic that is widely used in modern processor chips. He also conducts research and teaching in the area of distributed knowledge communities and open learning resources. He has directed several large experimental digital library projects as well as projects to explore the socio-technical design and application of collaboratories for scientific research.
Atkins served as chair of the National Science Foundation Advisory Panel on Cyberinfrastructure. The panel issued a landmark report in February 2003 recommending a major Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Program intended to revolutionize science and engineering research and education. The report catalyzed new priorities and the new Office of Cyberinfrastructure at the NSF.
Among his many distinctions, Atkins was the 2008 winner of the Paul Evan Peters Award from the Coalition of Networked Information, Association of Research Libraries, and EDUCAUSE. The award recognizes notable, lasting achievements in the creation and innovative use of information resources and services that advance scholarship and intellectual productivity through communication networks.
Stephen R. Forrest, vice president for research, and Teresa Sullivan, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the U-M, both lauded Atkins' research experience and expertise and his leadership role in the development of a national cyberinfrastructure strategy.
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