Innovative collaborative learning and research environments in academia and government: developing the NCSA ACCESS center

In April, 1999, the National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored National Computational Science Alliance (the Alliance) opened its new 7000 square foot advanced technology training and demonstration facility in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Called the Alliance Center for Collaboration, Education, Science, and Software (ACCESS), it is a new technology transfer and learning mechanism for emerging and advanced technologies, high performance computing, communications, and information technologies. The paper discusses the development of this highly flexible facility for collaborative research and education for high performance computing (HPC) science and engineering users. The leading edge site for ACCESS and the alliance is the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. ACCESS is staffed by NCSA. The paper discusses planning, designing and developing this innovative site, and meeting technological, aesthetic, spatial, and other challenges in setting up this multiple-use, multiple-partner center. It will make recommendations to those wishing to set up similar facilities