The rise of artificial intelligence, big data, and advanced computing is creating powerful new possibilities for scientific research. The University of Oregon is leading a new statewide effort to ensure researchers, students, and institutions across Oregon have access to the technology needed to drive discovery.
A grant from the National Science Foundation will help make that vision a reality by funding the Cyberinfrastructure Alliance for Oregon (CIAO), a partnership of Oregon’s eight public universities and Link Oregon, the state’s high-speed fiber optic network for government, education and research.
Cyberinfrastructure—high-performance computing, data storage, fast networks, and skilled professionals who support it—is the backbone of modern research. Through statewide strategic planning for cyberinfrastructure resources, the CIAO project will serve as a force multiplier by expanding access to advanced research computing, fostering collaboration across campuses, and laying groundwork for a future-ready workforce in science and technology.
The UO is committed to supporting the development and installation of state-of-the-art infrastructure that will enable the eight universities and others to collaborate, thereby supporting sustainable innovation and statewide economic growth,” said Anshuman “AR” Razdan, vice president for research and innovation at the University of Oregon. “With support from the NSF, CIAO allows us to continue that work by strengthening Oregon’s role in national scientific leadership.”
Powering Innovation Across Oregon
The CIAO initiative will boost capacity for world-class research across the state by maximizing access to advanced computing and data tools. It will empower Oregon’s public universities to collaborate more effectively on complex, cross-disciplinary challenges that no single institution could tackle alone.
That will further enable revelatory research at facilities such as the UO’s Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, a leader in bioscience and bioengineering innovation.
CIAO will also strengthen major multi-institution projects, such as the Oregon Hazards Lab (OHAZ), the Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center (CRESCENT), and the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). These initiatives advance critical work in climate science, biomedical research, oceanography, and AI—fields that rely on robust, shared cyberinfrastructure.
The strategic planning initiative capitalizes on two transformational advances in high-performance computing in Oregon. Oregon State University’s Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex will soon house the fastest GPU-based (graphics processing unit) supercomputer at any US university. And Portland State University’s Oregon Research Computing Accelerator (ORCA) now provides free high-performance GPU resources to researchers across the state, also funded by the NSF.
Workforce Development
Even as computing-fueled research grows, Oregon’s tech sector faces a growing talent gap due to misalignment between industry needs and existing workforce training and education programs.
CIAO seeks to prepare more Oregon students for high-tech careers. Hands-on training in technology, including AI, will help build a skilled, tech-savvy workforce.
Leveling the Playing Field
Not all Oregon colleges and universities have had equal access to advanced computing and data resources. Smaller, rural, and under-resourced institutions face challenges in offering students and faculty the same opportunities as their larger peers.
CIAO aims to change that. Its strategic plan will address gaps in infrastructure and services and foster a more cohesive, collaborative statewide community for research technology.
“Breakthrough research is increasingly interdisciplinary and collaborative,” said Christy Long, associate chief information officer for technology infrastructure, chief of staff for Information Services at the UO, and the principal investigator on the grant. “This planning grant helps us build a model for equitable access to computing, data sharing, and workforce development and alignment, so all Oregon institutions can participate in and benefit from the future of science and tech.”
By expanding access and building connections between institutions, the CIAO initiative is paving the way for new discoveries, broader student opportunities, and a stronger, more inclusive research ecosystem for Oregon.