Software and Technology
Centers and Institutes
Center for Complex Network Research (CCNR)
Director: Albert-László Barabási, Distinguished Professor, Physics, College of Arts & Sciences
The Center for Complex Network Research (CCNR), directed by Professor Barabasi, has a simple objective: think networks. The center's research focuses on how networks emerge, what they look like, and how they evolve; and how networks impact on understanding of complex systems. To understand networks, CCNR's research has developed to rather unexpected areas. Certain studies include the topology of the www - showing that webpages are on average 19 clicks form each other; complex cellular network inside the cell-looking at both metabolic and genetic networks; the Internet's Achilles' Heel. The center's researchers have even ventured to study how actors are connected in Hollywood.
Institute for Complex Scientific Software (ICSS)
Director: Gene D. Cooperman, Professor of Computer Science
ICSS is a collaborative of 20 computer scientists and engineers, natural scientists and electrical engineers working together to improve the ways in which a broad range of software expertise can be combined with groundbreaking scientific applications. ICSS is creating reliable, efficient software and hardware tools for scientific computing of data gathered from grand-scale projects, such as the mapping of the human genome, studying the composition of the earth's surface, and medical imaging of the human body. Massachusetts General Hospital, the European Center for Nuclear Research, Sun Microsystems and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute have partnered with the Institute on its myriad research projects, which have received significant funding from the National Science Foundation. Founded in 2002.
Institute for Information Assurance (IIA)
Co-Directors: Agnes H. Chan, Professor and Associate Dean of CCIS, David R. Kaeli, Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering
The Institute for Information Assurance (IIA) is an interdisciplinary effort between the College of Computer and Information Science and the College of Engineering. The major goal of the Institute is to develop new cross-disciplinary methodologies to provide robust and reliable transmission of physically distributed information.
The long term goals of the Institute include: providing technological advances to ensure information security within organizations, providing advisory services to organizations to maintain data integrity and security within their infrastructure, and producing professionals that are appropriately trained in current technologies to guard organizations against malicious attacks.