CC* Compute-Campus: Modernizing Campus Cyberinfrastructure for AI-Enhanced Research and Education (ModernCARE)

Saint Louis University (SLU) is modernizing its campus cyberinfrastructure to support artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced research and education. The existing high-performance computing (HPC) system is outdated, limiting the ability of researchers to conduct data-intensive AI research. ModernCARE addresses these challenges by establishing a new HPC cluster with advanced CPU and GPU nodes. This infrastructure supports nine key science drivers, allowing researchers to efficiently solve complex problems in biology, chemistry, engineering, genomics, molecular structure prediction, solid mechanics, trustworthy computation, and more. The system enhances collaboration across the university campuses and reduces data management complexities, creating a more efficient research environment. It also offers students hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology in AI and HPC, strengthening STEM education at the university. The infrastructure includes high-end GPU nodes equipped with NVIDIA H100 tensor-core GPUs and mid-range GPU nodes designed for diverse AI applications. Intel Software Guard Extension (SGX)-enabled CPUs provide a trusted environment for secure AI research. ModernCARE connects the university to the national Open Science Grid, with 20 percent of the system resources allocated for off-campus research. This infrastructure is expected to have a significant impact by advancing research capabilities, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, and preparing students for careers in AI and high-performance computing. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.