Research Interests
Remote Access to Large-scale Scientific Databases, Usability Requirements in High Performance Computing, System Software and Tools for High-Performance Computers, User Interface Design, and Interactive Web Technology.


Research Description
My research focus is usability engineering, or the study of how we can engineer software to be more usable. The particular target audience I focus on is practicing scientists and engineers.

For ten years, I applied usability engineering techniques to software tools for high-performance computing (HPC). During this time, I worked with IBM, Intel, HP, and other HPC companies to improve their graphical tools so that technical programmers could be more effective in developing large parallel applications. I have also been active in developing national and international standards for HPC software, helping to found such groups as the Parallel Tools Consortium and the High Performance Debugging Forum.

More recently, I have focused on the special problems scientists and engineers have when they access very large databases across the Internet. My research group has pioneered the use of multi-level Web-to-database interfaces, which make it possible to customize access to meet the needs of very different user groups (e.g., middle school children versus professional scientists). We have also developed software infrastructure that allows scientists to construct their own Web interfaces without needed to learn specialized computer science skills.

I currently serve as chair of the Parallel Tools Consortium and Director of the Northwest Alliance for Computational Science and Engineering (NACSE).


Application of Research
Remote monitoring systems, distributed groupware applications simulation programs.


Current Research Collaborations & Projects

1. "Computational Support for Tsunami Research ," NOAA subaward through University of Alaska-Fairbanks, $237,556 for first year, 2004-2005, PI.
2. "Developing IT and Coordination Architectures for CLEANER," NSF planning grant, $100,000, 2004-2005, PI.
3. "NEES Consortium Operations: FY2005-2014," NSF, funded in two increments, $106,848,916 for first five years, 2004-2014, co-PI.
4. "George E. Brown Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation NEES Consortium Development Project," NSF, $2,090,000, Oct 2001-Sept 2004, co-PI.
5. "Video/Multimedia Computing Facility," Oregon State University, $68,130, Jan 2004-June 2004, PI.
6. "Student Computing Facilities TRF Funding Proposal, FY2004," Oregon State University, $1,123,605, Oct 2004-June 2004, co-PI.
7. "OSU Wireless Learning Environment," Oregon State University, $110,228, Sept 2002-October 2003, co-PI.
8. "Student Computing Facilities TRF Funding Proposal, FY2003," Oregon State University, $1,002,910, August 2002-June 2003, co-PI.
9. "Pacific Northwest Node for the National Biological Information Infrastructure," USGS, funded annually, $300,008 for first three years, Sept 2001-Aug 2005, PI.
10. "Personal Digital Field Guides: Mobile Access to Comprehensive Regional Flora," NSF, $688,875, July 2001-June 2004, PI.
11. "REU Site: Interdisciplinary Approach to Coastal Processes and Hazard Management," NSF, $360,316, Mar 2003-Feb 2005, co-PI.
12. "Upgrading Oregon State 's Multidirectional Wave Basin for Remote Tsunami Research," NSF, $5,419,458, NSF, Feb 2001- Sept 2004, co-PI
13. "National Partnership for Advanced Computational Infrastructure," National Science Foundation (subaward through UCSD), $1,237,239, October 1997-September 2004, PI.