What is e-Science?
"The term "e-Science" denotes the systematic development of research methods that exploit advanced computational thinking"
Professor Malcolm Atkinson, e-Science Envoy.
Such methods enable new research by giving researchers access to resources held on widely-dispersed computers as though they were on their own desktops. The resources can include data collections, very large-scale computing resources, scientific instruments and high performance visualisation.
About the UK e-Science Programme
The UK e-Science Programme began in 2001 as a coordinated initiative involving all the Research Councils and the then Department of Trade and Industry. The e‑Science Core Programme, managed by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council on behalf of the communities of all the Research Councils, has supported the development of generic technologies, such as the software known as middleware that is needed to enable very different resources to work together seamlessly across networks and create computing grids. Each Research Council has funded its own e-Science activities to develop techniques and demonstrate their use across a broad range of research and applications.
In December 2009, RCUK undertook a review of the UK Research Councils’ e-Science Programme. The report of the international review panel is available for download here.
What is a grid?
A grid allows different computational and data resources to work together seamlessly across networks, enabling people to share them, often across traditional boundaries, and form virtual organisations.
What is meant by e-infrastructure?
e-Infrastructure denotes the digital equipment, software, tools, portals, deployments, operational teams, support services and training that provide computational services to researchers. Part of the e-infrastructure is provided by the e-Science Core Programme, for example the National Grid Service. The JANET high bandwidth academic network, which forms the backbone of the UK e-infrastructure, is provided by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC).
Facilities for e-Science
National Grid Service provides access to computational and data resources at a growing number of university sites throughout the UK
Software Sustainability Institute (SSI) works with researchers to identify and shape the software considered to be important for their research
e-Science Centres have traditionally provided support to researchers in the use of e-Science techniques.
Further information
Further information about Research Council support for e-Science can be found on the individual Research Council websites:
BBSRC
EPSRC
ESRC
NERC
STFC