The Research Computing (RC) Steering Committee

Mission Statement

The Research Computing Steering Committee (RCSC) advises on research computing at Mines, guiding infrastructure investments, software acquisitions, policy, and support decisions. Comprised of faculty, researchers, and IT professionals, it ensures alignment with research goals, fosters collaboration, and empowers scholars to leverage advanced computing resources for their work.

Members

Andrew Moore

Chief Information Officer, Information Technology

andrewjmoore@mines.edu

Matthew Ketterling

Sr. Director, Infrastructure Services

mketterling@mines.edu

Governance & Policy

Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1

Key Goals………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2

Governance Structure………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2

Program Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2

Mission and Vision…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3

Key Stakeholders……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3

Governance Structure…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3

Governance Committee…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3

Committee Scope and Responsibilities…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

Policy Development and Oversight………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

Policy Vetting Process………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

Steering Process………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4

Resource Allocation and Financial Oversight……………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

Strategic Plan Development……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5

Resource Optimization…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

Oversight Role………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

Collaboration with University Leadership………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

Risk Awareness…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5

Ensuring Equitable Access…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6

Equitable Treatment of Physical and Computational Lab Spaces………………………………………………………. 6

Merit-Based Allocations for All Researchers……………………………………………………………………………………… 6

Computers as Essential Research Tools…………………………………………………………………………………………… 6

Communication Strategy…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

Evaluation and Continuous Improvement…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

Appendix I: Glossary of Terms……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7

Executive Summary

This document outlines the governance structure and key principles for the Research Computing (RC) Program at Mines. The program aims to create an inclusive and robust computing ecosystem that supports research and education in Earth resources, energy, environment, and climate.

Key Goals

• Enhance Research Output: Provide faculty, researchers, and students with the necessary computational resources, support, and expertise to conduct cutting-edge research.
• Foster Collaboration: Promote interdisciplinary research by creating a centralized and accessible computing environment.
• Ensure Inclusivity and Accessibility: Ensure equitable access to resources for all members of the Mines community, regardless of their background, discipline, or funding source.
• Optimize Resources: Utilize resources efficiently and effectively, ensuring financial sustainability and maximizing the return on investment.
• Drive Innovation: Stay at the forefront of technological advancements in high-performance computing and foster innovative applications.

Governance Structure

• Research Computing Steering Committee (RCSC): An 11-member committee oversees the program, providing strategic guidance, ensuring compliance, and advocating for the needs of the research community.
• Key Responsibilities:
  • Strategic planning and resource optimization.
  • Policy development and oversight.
  • Needs assessment and feedback.
  • Communication and collaboration.
  • Risk management.
• Equitable Access: The program prioritizes equitable access to resources for all researchers, recognizing the critical role of computing in modern research.

This governance framework will ensure that the RC Program effectively supports the research mission of Mines while maintaining financial inclusivity and fiscal responsibility.

Program Overview

Mission and Vision

Create an inclusive, robust, and compliant computing ecosystem with a low barrier to entry to enhance research output in Earth resources, energy, environment, and climate. This ecosystem will encompass resources, personnel, and funding, supporting both research and education. It will integrate cloud-based, co-located, and on-premises infrastructure.

Key Stakeholders

The program serves faculty, instructors, researchers, students, and administrators engaged in computational research and data-driven projects.

Governance Structure

Governance Committee

The Research Computing Program will be overseen by a Research Computing Steering Committee (RCSC), sponsored by the Office of Research & Technology Transfer. The RCSC is responsible for vetting new ideas, evaluating spending requests, and developing RC-related policy. The committee ensures that all decisions align with inclusivity, accessibility, and fiscal responsibility.

Committee Members: The committee will consist of 11 members, including:

• Faculty representatives from different departments.
• Research computing staff or IT representatives.
• A financial & compliance officer.
• Chair: One member will serve as the committee chair, responsible for organizing meetings and facilitating discussions.

Committee Scope and Responsibilities

The committee’s responsibilities include:

1. Communication & Collaboration
   1. Serve as a communication hub for all RC-related activities at Mines, ensuring effective dissemination of information across departments and research groups.
   2. Promote collaboration among researchers by fostering an inclusive, centralized RC environment that supports cross-disciplinary initiatives.
2. Needs Assessment and Feedback
   1. Act as a sounding board & advocate for RC-related needs and challenges by facilitating regular feedback mechanisms, including user surveys and meetings.
   2. Ensure that RC infrastructure evolves to meet the changing demands of the research community by continuously assessing and addressing emerging needs.
3. Strategic Planning and Resource Optimization
   1. Develop and maintain a comprehensive RC strategic plan that aligns with Mines goals and priorities.
   2. Optimize current RC resources, ensuring financial efficiency and guiding future acquisitions and expansions.
4. Innovation and Best Practices
   1. Lead efforts to identify and promote best practices in RC management and usage, positioning Mines as a leader in high-performance computing.
   2. Stay ahead of technological advancements to foster innovation in RC applications and infrastructure.
5. Task Force Formation
   1. Launch specialized task forces to address specific RC-related challenges or opportunities, such as grant proposals or infrastructure enhancements.
   2. Ensure the successful execution of task force objectives with measurable outcomes.

Policy Development and Oversight

Policy Vetting Process

The committee will evaluate all policy proposals to ensure that they adhere to the program’s goals of:

• Inclusivity: Promoting equitable access to resources regardless of funding source, background, discipline, or status.
• Accessibility: Ensuring that technology and resources can be made usable by all members of the Mines community, including individuals with disabilities.
• Fiscal Responsibility: (coordination on large investments, strategy & budget align with vision, priority) Verifying that funds are spent responsibly on shared resources are used efficiently and effectively, and.

Steering Process

The Research Computing Team will be responsible for reviewing infrastructure options and criteria, choosing the direction for research computing initiatives, and presenting the recommendations to the RCSC for feedback and endorsement. This approach ensures that the team leverages their technical expertise to make informed decisions while maintaining alignment with the broader research community’s needs and priorities. The RCSC’s role in this process is crucial, as it provides oversight, guidance, and input from diverse stakeholders to ensure that the chosen direction is strategic, feasible, and supports the overall research mission.

Resource Allocation and Financial Oversight

The RCSC will provide oversight to ensure that the direction of the RC Program aligns with Mines broader goals and strategic priorities. The committee’s role in resource allocation will focus on verifying that all proposed additions and initiatives support the core values of inclusivity, accessibility, and fiscal responsibility, while optimizing resources for long-term sustainability.

Strategic Plan Development

The Governance Committee will assist in the development and maintenance of a comprehensive RC strategic plan that aligns with Mines overall goals and priorities. This plan will focus on the evolving needs of Mines research community and ensure that future expansions, upgrades, and technological innovations contribute to the institution’s mission. Key considerations include exploring condo models (shared infrastructure) and cloud-based solutions to maximize scalability and flexibility.

Resource Optimization

The committee will work to optimize existing RC resources, ensuring that policy encourages efficient usage to meet the needs of all researchers. Financial efficiency will be a core focus, guiding future acquisitions, expansions and retirements to avoid unnecessary and maximize the value of  investments in computing infrastructure.

Oversight Role

The RCSC will review and verify that the direction of new RC initiatives, spending proposals, and expansions align with the overall strategic plan. This ensures that all investments and developments are consistent with the Mines goals for inclusivity, accessibility, and fiscal responsibility.  The RCSC will not be directly responsible for making decisions on individual acquisitions or resource allocations.

Collaboration with University Leadership

The committee will collaborate with Mines strategic planning office and other leadership teams, including the Information Technology Cyber Priority Committee (ITCPC), to ensure that RC initiatives support the broader academic and research objectives. This collaborative approach will help maintain alignment between the RC program and institutional priorities.

Risk Awareness

The RCSC will regularly assess potential risks to the RC program, including:

• Financial risks: Ensuring that funds are spent wisely, and the program remains financially sustainable.
• Operational risks: Identifying risks and suggesting mitigation strategies related to technology, data security, and infrastructure.
• Inclusivity and accessibility risks: Ensuring that all RC projects and initiatives meet the inclusivity and accessibility goals of the program.

Mitigation strategies will be reviewed by the committee, with contingency plans suggested as necessary.

Ensuring Equitable Access

Equitable Treatment of Physical and Computational Lab Spaces

This governance structure aims to ensure that digital research environments (e.g., computational labs) are afforded the equitable consideration and support as physical lab spaces. Computing resources including servers, workstations, and cloud resources are integral to research, and will be treated as critical research infrastructure.

Merit-Based Allocations for All Researchers

The program will prioritize an impact strategy in resource allocation, ensuring that stakeholders working in both physical and computational spaces have appropriate access to the resources they need to conduct their work.  Resources will be allocated based on impact.

Computers as Essential Research Tools

For researchers in many departments, computers and related computational infrastructure (cloud resources, physical servers, high-performance computing clusters, etc.) are not mere tools but critical lab instruments. Removing control or restricting access to these resources can significantly hinder research productivity and must be avoided, subject to reasonable cybersecurity and policy constraints. The committee will advise on the oversight of these resources to ensure they are managed in a way that reflects their importance to research innovation.

Communication Strategy

• The RCSC will maintain regular communication with stakeholders through the Daily Blast, and monthly updates to Department Heads, Research Council, and Research Advisory Board
• Recommendations by the RCSC will be communicated transparently to Mines leadership.

Evaluation and Continuous Improvement

The RCSC will conduct an annual review of its governance structure and the overall effectiveness of the  RC Program. This includes:

• Performance Monitoring: Developing and using key metrics to evaluate the program’s success in inclusivity, accessibility, and fiscal responsibility.
• Feedback Collection: Gathering user and stakeholder feedback to identify areas for improvement.

Adjustments to the governance structure or policies will be made as necessary to ensure continuous improvement.

Appendix I: Glossary of Terms

Definitions of key terms related to governance, research computing, and fiscal oversight.

Free: Available at no cost to certain eligible individuals or groups, while requiring fee-for-use from those outsides of the designated group.