Source: 1012 Corridor
Tevfik Kosar
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
Age: 34
Quest: Create a means for researchers to crunch massive amounts of data via linked networks around the world
Kosar’s interest in computers started when he began taking programming courses in high school, but at the time, his family didn’t even own one. So he encouraged his older brother to study computer engineering in college, knowing it would prompt his father to buy a PC. The strategy worked; the Kosar family became the proud owner of a Commodore.
Today, the Turkish native is a long way from that 8-bit home computer. He’s developing what’s called an automated distributed computing system that allows researchers in high-energy physics, astronomy, genetics and other fields to tap into thousands of computers around the world to crunch their massive amounts of data.
Who benefits? The Large Hadron Collider at the European Center of Nuclear Research, for one, which is trying to recreate the origin of the universe. It produces data at a rate of five million DVDs per year. And astronomers mapping the universe with high-definition telescopes, who are piecing together images. And geneticists exploring looking for cures for cancer, Alzheimers and AIDS who need to run DNA simulations.
“They have complex problems with massive amounts of data,” Kosar says. “In order to process the data they generate, you need to have more than 100,000 computers together and all of those computers need to be communicating with each other synchronized.” The National Science Foundation recently gave him a $400,000 CAREER grant for his work.
Publish Date:
05-04-2009
