It took a good long while, but we now have a contract that has been approved by CMU and NSF, and has the Apache 2.0 license as requested by the Advisory Board.  I want to thank you all for your patience as we regain momentum and push ahead with the COASTE research agenda.

I will be reaching out to all those who attended our planning meeting to work together to make this Center happen!

Here is a link to the pdf of the contract.

Thanks to our Advisory Board for all the great comments and discussion of our proposals.  We have taken the proposals the Board rated highest and chose to invest in, added a new one the Board wanted to see, and we have revised them to incorporate the Board’s suggestions and comments.  The updated versions are now online (with one exception — see below*).  For each proposal, we have also written a response, to describe specifically how we’ve responded to each of the Board comments.

I will be contacting all prospective members in the next week or so, including a number of new possible Board members, using contacts and introductions our Board members have provided.

On the legal front, our CMU attorneys are working out a new agreement that (a) deviates as little as possible from the standard NSF agreement, and (b) meets the Board’s requirement that we license copyright and patent rights under an appropriate GPL-compatible license, preferably Apache 2.0.  More on that front when the CMU attorneys have something for the NSF to review.

All in all, great progress.  I’m planning to talk with each Board member to discuss what we need to do to sign you up for our full proposal Sept. 26.

Jim

*ECO-Sim has not been updated yet.  The PI has been traveling continuously, and teaching on two continents, from the moment our Planning Meeting ended.  Expect an update soon.

I want to thank everyone who attended the COASTE planning meeting.  It was great to see such a collection of intellect, experience, and wisdom gathered in one room.  The consensus was to move as rapidly as possible toward revising the initial proposals — and crafting a new one — along the lines suggested by the group that will become our Advisory Board.  Work on that is beginning as I write this.

Thanks also to our NSF representatives, Rita and Alex, who provided needed insights on CISE and I/UCRC.  I am grateful for their energy and guidance.

Now, on toward the full proposal!

Jim

Most of the initial proposed project descriptions are now available via links on the Agenda page.  The rest will be added soon.

Please have a look and share them with your colleagues.  These descriptions will act as our straw man, i.e., a starting point for discussions about the Center research agenda.

I would also like to invite our prospective members to think about the things you would most like the Center to accomplish.  What would have the greatest value for you and your organization?  What problems need to be solved in order to best facilitate the rapid creation, evolution, and tuning of vibrant ecosystems?

I look forward to seeing you all next week!

Jim Herbsleb

Things are shaping up for a great meeting with a terrific set of attendees.  Please register so we can be sure to have a room and meals ready for you.

I look forward to seeing you in Pittsburgh July 12-13.  And don’t forget the Socio-Technical Soiree at the Wyndham on July 11.

Jim Herbsleb

The COASTE planning meeting is coming up soon: July 12-13.  And don’t forget the Socio-Technical Soiree on the evening of the 11th.

COASTE is well positioned to shape a new scientific perspective that will guide effective ecosystem design.  We look forward to integrating the insights of all the potential members to design a research agenda with maximum impact.  We are bringing together a number of the leading ecosystem practitioners, researchers, and industry participants.  I can’t wait to engage with you all!

We have an exciting mix of presentations, interactive discussions, posters, and social events.  Take a look at the agenda.

Please register by Tuesday, 6/28, so we can finalize the catering and assign hotel rooms.  We have arranged for everyone to receive a favorable CMU rate of $125/night at the Wyndham, and we’ll make reservations for everyone based on the arrival and departure dates when you register here unless you tell us otherwise.

See you in a few short weeks!

- Jim Herbsleb

The planning meeting for the new NSF-sponsored Center for Architecting Socio-Technical Ecosystems (COASTE) is set to take place from July 12 – 13 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University.

Please use the links above to register for the event, view the conference agenda, and general information about Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University.