Euromath Network and Services for the New Independent States,
Phase I

Project INTAS-CR-94-001

Phase I (EmNet/fSU/I)

Work Programme

Devised 1993/94.

The contract lasts 15 months, from Nov 01,1994 until Jan 31,1996.

Objectives


The objectives of the project "Euromath network and services for former Soviet Union - Phase I" (EmNet/FSU/I) are:

Organisation

The following bodies have been formed to manage, administer and execute the EmNet/fSU/I activities:
  • the Co-ordinator,
  • the Board,
  • the Council
  • the Technical Co-ordinaters,
  • the Technical Committees.
    • A principle for all bodies is that electronic communication will be widely used to minimise the cost of meetings. In view of the size of the Board and the importance of efficient communication, procedures will be defined which will enable efficient decision making and implementation.

    Description and Activities

    Networking Environment.
    One of the main topics of the project is to provide or upgrade the networking environment within and between the sites. At the fSU-partner sites, and financed by the participants themselves, the capabilities will be improved duuring 1994. Each site will provide a description of the current situation and future plans. The Technical Coordinators will send out a description of the information needed from each site, who in turn will deliver a report enabling a discussion between the participants.

    Computing environment
    To enhance the computer capabilities the most adequate platforms for the setes will be defined. Thereafter a call for tenders from several vendors including DEC, IBM and SUN will be issued. Offers will then be evaluated and subsequently a plan of equipment acquisition will be agreed upon and executed.

    Information system.
    To establish services tailored to the needs of EmNet/fSU, an information system and a base for electronic publishing will be created with a distinction between
    - what can be implemented during Phase I and
    - what can be achieved only partially in Phase I.
    The former will encompass creation and usage of a basic information system; a latter electronic publishing, taking also into account the concept of living documents. The report concerning the first item will contain:
    - a listing of what is available today,
    - reccommendations regarding the collection of local information.
    As a working tool, the Technical Coordinators will prepare a document listing available information services (systems and directories) and the possibility of accessing them (telnet, ftp, Gopher, WWW, etc.). Utilization of the Euromath System, developed by the European Mathematical Trust, is anticipated.

    Software applications
    Identificarion of thr applications needed/wanted at EmNet/fSU sites will be made, such as Em, CA-systems (e.g.Maple, Mathematica, Axioms,MuPad), numerical/symbolic software (e.g.MatLab) and statistical packages (SAS, SPSS), compilers (Fortran, C+) and data bases (BASE MATH, MATHSCI). Furthermore, the Technical Coordinators will
    - present an overview with a short description of available relevant software,
    - inform undel which procedures MuPad can be made available for sites of EmNet/fSU.

    Creation of Centres
    Several centres, ideally one at each site of the fSU-partners, will be established. The names of a centre will be 'EmNet Centre name', where 'name' is the local identification; for example 'EmNet Centre Ekaterinburg', having the following tasks:
    - to be source of information,
    - to provide services, such as electronic access to preprints (abstracts, possible full text) and access to other relevant information,
    - to adapt to common guidelines of usage (non-hacking, polite behaviour),
    - to prepare for selling the build-up knowledge and services to non-university customers,
    - to cooperate with all relevant bodies, - to keep track of the equipment received (must not be removed and sold) and ensure that piracy (illegal copying of software) does not take place.

    Preparation for Phase II
    The expansion into phase II will be taken up, investigating which other countries and sites in the fSU are interested in joining. In January 94 organizations from Kazakhastan, Azerbaidjan, Armenia and Belarus (not yet incorporated in the project) have already shown an interest in joining.

    Mobility
    Mobility sites include CERN (Geneva),     CAM (Helsinki), EmC (Copenhagen), and universities in Torun, Prague, Budapest, Sophia, Bratislava, Canterbury, Open University Buckenshire (UK). Centres established in Central and Eastern Europe will also be included as mobility sites. Mobility outside of fSU can be divided into shorter and longer stays. The special wishes of each fSU site for mobility (area and/or place of interest) will be formulated by the fSU partners. The budget allocated for mobility will be approximately equal for long and short term mobility.

    Press release
    Press releases will be sent out at appropriate times (such as upon signature of the contract with INTAS).

    Division of Tasks

    Euromath Center,University of Copenhagen, Denmark
    (Scientific official responsible for the projekt: Prof. F.Topsoe) will:
    - convene meetings,
    - organise mailing lists and communication procedures,
    - purchase equipment for organisations in the fSU,
    - provide an overview of computer tools for mathematicians,
    - provide the conditions for MuPAD subscriptions - propose information retrieval facilities at EmNet centres,
    - provide overview of available relevant software,
    - give advise regarding interchange of documents,
    - suggest common guidlines for users of EmNet sites.
    - prepare for phase II - coordinate mobility and work out mobility plan for researchers from organisations in the fSU

    The Information and Publishing Department of Steklov Mathematical Institute RAS, SMI (Mr. N.N.Repin) will:
    - send out a call for tender for equipment,
    - evaluate incoming tenders,
    - take care of central implementation of information and directory services,
    - provide UNIX courses in Moscow for the organisations in the fSU,
    - ensure proper radiation of results in the fSU,
    - coordinate tasks and responsibilities among the organisations in fSU,
    - prepare for phase II.

    The Information and Publishing Department of Steklov Mathematical Institute RAS (Mr. N.N.Repin), the Euler International Mathematical Institute RAS, EIMI,(Mr.S.V.Hkruchchev), the Computer Centre of the Institute for Low Temperature Physics and Engineering UAS, ILTPE,(Mr.L.Belous), the Institute for Mathematics and Mechanics Ural Division RAS,IMM (Mr.Y.I.Kuzyakin), the Laboratory of Mathematics and Informaticsof Krasnoyarsk State University, KSU,(Mr.S.V.Znamensky), the Mechanical and Mathematical Faculty of the Moscow State University, MSU, (Mr.O.B.Lupanov),the Communication Research Laboratory of the Mathematical Branch UAS, CRL (Mr.I.V.Skrupnik) and the A.Razmadze Mathematical Institute GAS, RMI,(Mr.I.T.Kiguradze) all will
    - provide a description of their local sites in order to upgrade them to the required standard for EmNet centres,
    - upgrade the networking environment within and between the centres,
    - decide which solution shall bre chosen for information retrieval in the short run and software package to be bought, - establish local EmNet centres with tasks such as being a resource of information, providing services for the users (such as access to information, pre-prints), adaption of common guide lines for users and installation and operation of equipment and services
    - take part in mobility actions.

    The Computing Laboratory of European Mathematical Trust Ltd., EMT,
    (Scientific official responsible for the projekt: Mr. J.B.Slater) will:
    - provide contracts and give advice reflecting the wide work already done by this partner in building a modern research infrastructure,
    - give advice regarding the Euromath System,
    - give advice regarding Document Type Definitions for document handling.
    - coordinate mobility and work out mobility plan for researchers from the organisations in the fSU.

    The next two institutions, the University of Helsinki and the University of Kent will act as Associated Contractors, they tasks are:
    The Laboratory of Computer Aided Mathematics, University of Helsinki, Finland( Mr.M.Seppala) will:
    - provide access to the specific scientific oriented work and knowledge of this partner in the field of Computer Aided Mathematics,
    - provide facilities for mobility,
    - assist in the preparation of the call for tender and in evaluation of the received offers.

    The University of Kent, at Canterbury, (Mrs. G.Tardivel) will:
    - advise as needed regarding all aspects of computer networking,
    - advise with a view of establishing electronic publishing services,
    - provide facilities for mobility,
    - coordinate mobility and work out mobility plan for researchers from the organisations in the fSU.

    Planning

    The contract will last 15 months, from Nov 01,1994 until Jan 31,1996.

    The main activities will be as indicated below:

    1. Start of project & First meeting of the Board - 1 month
    2. Information regarding networking, hardware and software at each fSU site & Participation in EUROMATH AB meeting in Paderborn (Germany)
    3. Call for tenders for equipment to invited vendors & First draft of list of computer tools for mathematicians
    4. Send out conditions for obtaining MuPAD & Receipt of tenders
    5. First draft regarding information retrieval system & Evaluation and selection of tenders
    6. First draft regarding EmNet user behaviour
    7. Ordering of equipment
    8. Intermediate meeting of the Board
    9. End of installation of equipment
    10. Final meeting and reporting

    Reporting schedule

    A periodic progress report will be submitted within one month after the first year of the work programme. A final report will be submitted within two months after the completion of the work programme.