This summer, a dozen Clark State Community College and Central State University students will take part in a new model of computer science internship training led by Clark State Community College and Avetec. The internship is being supported by Microsoft, Intel, Cincinnati Bell Technology Solutions and the National Science Foundation (NSF-ATE Award #0903228).

June 21-August 13, eight Clark State and four Central State University students will intern at Avetec, where they will conduct hands-on HPC, convergence technology and simulation projects to learn technical computer system skills.

The internship curriculum aims to expose students to high performance computing (HPC) environments and develop knowledge and skills in setting up a clustered computing environment; installing and configuring Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008; managing, maintaining and troubleshooting Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008; and applying these skills to science, engineering and mathematic problems.

"There is a tremendous need for students to come out of college with HPC skills, spanning administration to applications," said Dr. Stephen Wheat, Intel's senior director for HPC Strategy. "We view this partnership as a model that can be developed, proven, and proliferated to help fill that need, while preparing future leaders in computer science and computational science, all the while bringing the benefits of HPC to everyone."

Clark State received a two-year National Science Foundation grant of $145,000 (NSF-ATE Award #0903228), a part of which will be used for this summer's classroom instruction and hands-on learning. With support and direction from Avetec, Microsoft and Intel, the students will learn to administer Windows HPC Server 2008 and create projects which will be presented at the conclusion of the internship. In addition, interns will learn about convergence technology, such as voice-over IP (VoIP) technology for phone systems.  In addition, three Clark State faculty members will participate in the project with the students, gaining hands on industry experience to take back to their classrooms this fall.

Instructors plan to take students to several academic and commercial HPC laboratories and the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Defense Shared Resource Center.

The interns have already been selected from Clark State's Computer Networking and Cyber Security-Information Assurance Program and Central State University's Computer Science program.

The program will conclude with a Microsoft Regional HPC Showcase at Avetec in August during which students will present their project results and network with and academic and enterprise HPC and marketing professionals and local business leaders.
 
Avetec Chief Information Officer Al Stutz has a vision to turn this pilot program into a model that will certify qualified HPC administrators from associate degree programs in HPC-Technical Computing.