Formation of CCR

In January of 1998, the Office of the Provost at the University at Buffalo, cognizant of the growing importance of computational science to our nation's economic development, formed an ad-hoc task group in "High Performance Research Computing". This group was comprised primarily of faculty members and staff with expertise in computational science. It was charged with evaluating the current status of computational science at the University, especially with respect to computing infrastructure. It was also charged with making specific recommendations of ways to improve the University's standing in the field of computational science. In April of 1998, the committee submitted its final report in which it was unanimously recommended that the University establish a Center for Computational Research, and outfit the Center with a high-performance multiprocessor computer, a visualization laboratory, and support staff. The University supported the findings of the committee, and in January of 1999 announced the established of the Center for Computational Research and appointed Dr. Russ Miller as its Founding Director.

Computational science is an emerging discipline that unites computer science and mathematics with disciplinary research in biology, chemistry, physics, and other applied and engineering fields. It is already being called the third science, complementing theoretical science and laboratory science. Computational science requires a collaborative effort across traditional academic disciplines. Work in computational science can lead to significant advances in areas such as structural biology, drug design, materials science, high energy physics and global climate change.

One of the major focuses of computational science is on the knowledge and techniques required to perform computer simulation and modeling. In fact, in the design of automobiles and airplanes, simulation is being exploited in an effort to reduce the costs of prototypes, test models, and wind tunnel testing.

Programs in computational science are widespread at Universities and Colleges, and are being introduced into the K-12 curriculum. The National Science Foundation supports computational science, claiming that it is "proving to be an effective way to generate new knowledge."