ARCSIM’s Laura Jackson named NSF ACCESS Campus Champion

Laura Jackson has been named an Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Coordination Ecosystem: Services & Support (ACCESS) Campus Champion

The ACCESS program is a virtual collaboration funded by the National Science Foundation that facilitates free, customized access to advanced digital resources, consulting, training and mentorship. ACCESS helps the nation’s most creative minds discover breakthroughs and solutions for some of the world’s greatest scientific challenges.

Jackson currently serves as an integrative data scientist working with UMaine’s Advanced Research Computing, Security, and Information Management (ARCSIM) unit, which provides expertise and solutions for reliable and cost-effective high performance computing, AI, data storage and information management, data security, and visualization, delivered via consultation, training, and grant writing support.

Shane Moeykens, director of Maine Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (Maine EPSCoR) and ARCSIM says “​​NSF’s ACCESS program provides the national research community with access to computing resources and technical expertise. The role of a Campus Champion is to serve as a local expert and help guide University users with their consideration of engagement with and access to the ACCESS program.”

Campus Champions work to advance scientific discovery by directing researchers to national high-performance computing information, resources and services. 

“I hope Laura receives many inquiries about this program every week, understanding that the more it is leveraged here in Maine, the more our state’s research enterprise will benefit,” says Moeykens.

Jackson joined UMaine in May 2021. She earned her doctorate in bioinformatics at the University of South Dakota after finishing her masters and undergraduate work at Southeastern Louisiana University.

“There are a lot of great programs within ACCESS that provide users with computing, training, and general cyberinfrastructure resources. Being able to guide people and advise them on how to effectively choose and utilize these resources to enhance their research is a very exciting opportunity,” says Jackson. 

For more information about ACCESS email um.arcsim@maine.edu.

Contact: research@maine.edu