A brief history of Petascale

The initial Petascale Campus Initiative (PC) was established in 2018, as a five-year plan to accelerate to accelerate the University's capacity for data-intensive research, through capital improvements in computational and data infrastructure. PC's work concluded in 2022, having achieved many significant milestones.

The work of Petascale Campus continues to move forward as the broader DRAC.

Some links below open in the Research Gateway. You'll need to be logged in with your University of Melbourne SSO staff ID to access these resources.

Infrastructure

Much of this work was delivered and is managed by Research Computing Services (RCS)

2018: Architecture review and planning
2019: Network infrastructure updated
2019: Spartan Phase I complete
2020: Update storage software infrastructure
2020: Mediaflux deployed as storage solution
2020: Melbourne Research Cloud complete
2020: Spartan Phase II complete
2021: Backup and retention implemented
2021: 85 Research Instruments connected to data mover platform
2022: Researcher Desktop launched

Research Data Management

This program of work comprised of Infrastructure and Access, Compliance and Governance and Culture and Support. This work is delivered and managed by the Research Data Management team.

2018: Data Storage Review
2019: PCI RDM Team formed
2020: Extensive consultation and information gathering
2021: Sensitive Data Working Group formed
2021: Research Data Classification Framework launched
2021: Research Data Classification Tool launched
2021: Research Data Services Directory launched
2022: Major amendment of the Research Data Management Policy
2022: Service design and communications to support Policy
2022: Launched the Secure Research Environment.

Workforce

Melbourne Data Analytics Platform (MDAP) is a team of Research Data Specialists comprised of Academic Specialists with diverse disciplinary and digital expertise – providing expertise in areas from research design and data collection to modelling, analysis, visualisation, and interpretation.

MDAP has supported 70+ research collaborations and projects and 30 applications to internal, national and international grant schemes in the past two years. These have generated considerable income and outputs including non traditional research outputs (NTRO's).

The team also plays a leading role at UoM through hands-on training and education in digital research methods.

2018: Framework built to employ academic specialists in Data Science, Stewardship and Analytics
2019: Melbourne Data Analytics Platform (MDAP) formed with six staff
2020: MDAP expanded with ten additional hires
2020: MDAP supports secure research environments
2021: MDAP assumes responsibility for Digital Skills Training
2021: MDAP/Research Computing Services (RCS) staff sharing initiated
2021: MDAP supports AWS Pilot program
2022: MDAP incorporates Social and Cultural Informatics Platform (SCIP)
2022: MDAP employs two specialist staff to support digital humanities

Leadership

This work focussed on enhancing research discovery, outputs and impact, academic engagement and ease of doing research through policy, governance, people and process.

2018: Convene Large Scale Computing Expert and Research Data Management expert groups
2018: Construct PCI evaluation framework
2018: Run Digital Research Platforms committee
2019: Commence monthly Infrastructure and Services meetings spanning Research Infratructure and Commercialisation (RIC), Student & Scholarly Services, Business Services, Faculties and Academics
2019: Coordinate attendance at national conferences and workshops for ARDC, RDA and NCRIS
2020: Administer allocations of LIEF grant
2020: Design and implement peer review process for new infrastructure projects
2022: Initiate new LIEF submission
2022: Input to Research Infrastructure Roadmap
2022: Establish Digital Research Academic Convenorship to continue advancing digital research infrastructure and capability at UoM