INL opens collaborative computing center

The Idaho National Laboratory formally opened two new buildings in Idaho Falls Monday. Together, the Cybercore Integration Center (CIC) and the Collaborative Computing Center (C3) total 150,000 square feet.

The two buildings will help the state and INL expand collaboration and employment opportunities for Idaho university students. Construction of the facilities was financed by an almost $90 million dollar bond, approved by the Idaho Legislature in March 2017.

“Opportunities for collaborative research between the lab and the universities, in those important areas. And importantly it’s an opportunity to bring students from the universities here to the laboratory and work in partnership, it’s really about developing the next generation of scientists and engineers,” said Idaho National Laboratory director, Mark Peters.

The Cybercore Integration Center will serve as a research, education and training facility for cybersecurity work.

The C3 will allow researchers access to essential resources like INL’s Falcon and Lemhi supercomputers, and next year the space will welcome Sawtooth, whose reputation labels it as one of the most powerful supercomputers in the pacific northwest when it goes online.

“It will create that next generation, it will keep kids at the universities here in Idaho importantly, but also it puts us at the center of the universe for computing and cybersecurity research and it will also create jobs, in addition to those direct jobs, there will be opportunity for the industry to collaborate, which could also produce additional jobs,” said Peters.

Getting to collaborate with researchers from all over in a common productive space, will allow students to gain experience that will help them in their future careers

“It increases their internship opportunities, their ability to have practical experience while they’re in school. For our graduates, once they graduate, they’ll be able to get that information they’ve learned from their professors who are part of this research at the lab and that they learn while they are in school to help them be more employable once they graduate,” said Idaho State University president, Kevin Satterlee.

KIFI 2019