The SIMDAS project goal is to upgrade the Computation-based Science and Technology Research Center (CaSToRC) of The Cyprus Institute (CyI) into a Centre of Excellence in Simulation and Data Science (referred to as CaSToR-CoE) in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) region. The advanced Teaming partner, with a long tradition in academic and innovation excellence, is one of the largest computing centers in Europe, the Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), which will help to create and sustain the proposed CaSToR-CoE. Local partners are three public institutions, the Departments of Antiquities (DoA), the Departments of Meteorology (DoM), and the Nicosia General Hospital (NGH), as well as two SMEs, Hyperion Systems Engineering (HSE), and SignalGeneriX (SGX).
The core concept of the SIMDAS project is based on the development of simulation and data methodologies, tools and services that address challenges and opportunities in compute- and data-intensive applications in a synergetic approach across disciplines under a cross-sectional CaSToR-CoE. This ‘transdisciplinary convergence’ principle is propelling development of similar initiatives globally. The CaSToR-CoE of the SIMDAS project will be driven by applications from five disciplines, three governmental departments and two SMEs ensuring a healthy mixture of challenging problems helping the upgraded center to build sustainable interdisciplinary expertise but also to focus on timely topics in the various disciplines and issues of societal relevance. The key novelty of the SIMDAS project lies in i) combining the challenges in exascale computing and data-intensive problems (or ‘big data’) under one roof and, ii) focusing on research domains of importance to Cyprus, as identified as part of the S3Cy, and the EM region, exploiting the synergies among them.
Creating a leading computing and data environment with associated technical expertise where multiple disciplines merge to develop new approaches, as envisioned by the SIMDAS project, will enable entire research and industrial communities to address challenging problems, enriching collaborations and ensuring sustainability. Thus, research and technology developed at the CaSToR-CoE will result in tangible benefits to society, the environment and the economy.
The overall objective and outcome of the one-year Phase-1 project was to prepare a robust and comprehensive Business Plan (BP) for SIMDAS, which will serve as a strategic guide for various research and innovation activities. The BP, thus, established the vision and orientation of CaSToRC in order to transform itself into a CoE in Simulation and Data Science (CaSToR-CoE).
