Research Computing Services Needs Survey

Created for the Faculty Senate by the Computers Users Committee

Rationale

UMass Dartmouth:– Carnegie Doctoral status by 2012– Emphasis on faculty research– New junior faculty on the tenure track– New graduate level programs– Increasing numbers of graduate students– Limited resources in support of research

computing

Understanding Research Computing Needs

• Request from Vice Chancellor Green for information on research computing needs

• CUC/CITS collaborated on survey design

Purpose

• “to assess the computer services needs of faculty related to research”1

• To provide a basic understanding of research computing needs– Not intended to be a comprehensive analysis

1CUC Minutes, April 8, 2005

Methodology

• Online survey consisting of multiple choice and open ended questions

• Participation solicited by email to all faculty and librarians

Survey - Part One

• Demographic information about respondents including academic council, years at UMassD, academic rank, and description of current scholarly activity

Survey - Part Two

Questions regarding the following:1) The Importance of Collaboration Tools2) Data Sets3) High Performance Computing4) Methodological & Statistical Support Services5) Survey Tools and Support Services6) Research Software7) Data Storage8) Research Lab Computing Support9) Advanced Research Wide Area Networking10) Software Development11) Other Research Computing Service Needs

SURVEY ANSWER SCALE

NI = NOT IMPORTANT

SI = SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT

MI = MODERATELY IMPORTANT

VI = VERY IMPORTANT

CI = CRITICALLY IMPORTANT

NA = NO ANSWER

 

Results: Nursing

• “High Performance Computing” is important.

• “Methodological and Statistical Support Services” is important.

Results: Social Sciences

• Respondents expressed a need for “Data Sets” such as ICPSR.

• Social Sciences find it important to have “Survey Tools and Support Services”.

• 55% of Social Science faculty state that “Research Lab Computing Support” is very important or critically important.

Results: Science and Engineering

• “Data Storage and Retrieval Services” are very important for Engineering faculty.

• 53% of Science faculty find “Research Lab Computing Support” is at least very important.

• 73% of respondents said “Research Software” is very important or critically important.

• The highest demand (53%) for “Software Development” is from Science faculty.

Results: Business

• Demand for “Data Sets” and “Research Software” such as Matlab, SPSS, STATA and ICPSR, SDC Platinum

• Need for “Methodological and Statistical Support Services”

Results: CVPA

• Some respondents expressed a need for “High Performance Computing” as well as “Research Laboratory Computing Support.”

• There is a need for photo editing software such as Photoshop

Results: Humanities

• “Data Storage and Retrieval Services” is very important to some Humanities’ faculty.

• Some faculty expressed a need for full-text online journals.

Results: General Finding

• The highest demand is for “Research Software.” More than 50% of respondents indicated that this was either very important or critically important. For example, respondents listed math and statistical software such as Matlab, SPSS and Stata.

Conclusions

• One size doesn’t fit all. Research computing needs vary among academic councils.

• Actively inform faculty about the available licensed and open source software.

• Examine aspirant institutions and determine how they meet research computing needs.