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National Visualization and Analytics Center (NVAC), USA

The National Visualization and Analytics Center (NVAC) is committed to helping build the next generation of scientists and engineers to address problems of national importance.  In keeping with that focus, NVAC runs it own special programs and also makes full use of academic outreach programs available through its host institution, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Each year, the NVAC hosts both undergraduate and graduate student interns.  These interns collaborate with NVAC researchers to explore a wide variety of visual analytics activities for 10 to 12 weeks.  In addition, NVAC hosts professors on sabbatical for collaborative research.

The NVAC is organizing a team that includes representatives from the VACCINE, CCICADA, and FODAVA centers to put on a workshop on visual analytics curriculum development at the upcoming VAC Consortium meeting.  This workshop is geared toward people who are currently teaching a course in visual analytics or would like to develop a course.  Through this workshop, professors will share lessons learned and best practices from their courses, as well as begin developing common ideas about the content of a visual analytics curriculum.

In an effort to support the development of the next generation of scientists from Minority Serving Institutions, the NVAC is exploring opportunities for involvement with faculty and students at Jackson State University (JSU) in Jackson, Mississippi.   JSU has been involved in VAC Consortium meetings since 2008, and most recently hosted staff from DHS, NVAC and PNNL as part of their closing festivities for Bioinformatics Awareness Month. 

PNNL is also working with Jackson State to develop internship and research opportunities. One early success in this regard is Shyretha (Shy) Brown, a recent graduate of Jackson State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology/Pre-Medicine.  Shy joined PNNL as a research associate on a one-year post-baccalaureate appointment in February 2010. She has a dual assignment as part of two different teams:  computational biology and bioinformatics and information analytics.  She is applies her education in biology and experience in JSU’s Visual Analytics Career Development Program to support multiple programs.   These include the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC) Technology Emergence Detection project and internal research focusing on the application of visual analytics tool for biology.

For more information educational opportunities at NVAC, please see http://nvac.pnl.gov/edu.stm.