Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute

Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute. The Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute is a pioneering interdisciplinary research center at the University of Utah dedicated to creating and disseminating computational tools for solving problems in biomedical engineering, scientific visualization, and computational science. Founded in the 1990s, it has become a world leader in visualization software, image analysis, and high-performance computing, fostering collaborations across academia, national laboratories, and industry. Its work bridges disciplines from computer science and mathematics to medicine and physics, producing open-source software used globally.

History and founding

The institute was formally established in 1994 by founding director Chris R. Johnson, building upon a legacy of groundbreaking work in computer graphics at the University of Utah. Its creation was influenced by the earlier foundational research of Ivan Sutherland and the University of Utah College of Engineering. Initial funding and impetus came from strategic grants from agencies like the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, which recognized the growing importance of computational science. The early vision centered on solving complex problems in medical imaging and scientific visualization, positioning the institute at the confluence of several rapidly advancing fields.

Research areas and contributions

Core research thrusts include biomedical computing, computational biomechanics, image processing, and data visualization. Scientists at the institute have made seminal contributions to finite element analysis for cardiac electrophysiology and computational fluid dynamics applications in neurovascular disease. The group is also renowned for its work in topological data analysis and uncertainty quantification, providing new methods for interpreting complex scientific datasets. These efforts are frequently published in premier journals and presented at conferences like IEEE VIS and the International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention.

Organizational structure and leadership

The institute operates as an organized research unit within the University of Utah, reporting through the University of Utah College of Engineering. It is led by a director, a position held since its founding by Chris R. Johnson, a distinguished professor also affiliated with the School of Computing. Research is conducted by faculty from multiple departments, senior scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students, organized into focused groups such as the Center for Integrative Biomedical Computing. The leadership team includes associate directors who oversee specific initiatives in areas like education and industrial partnerships.

Educational programs and outreach

A central mission is the training of the next generation of computational scientists. The institute supports numerous PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows through research assistantships and training grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy. It actively participates in K-12 outreach programs, hosting workshops and summer camps to promote STEM education. Faculty are deeply involved in graduate programs within the School of Computing and the Department of Biomedical Engineering, teaching advanced courses in scientific visualization and computational mathematics.

Notable projects and software

The institute is the birthplace of several widely used open-source software platforms. Its flagship project is VisIt, a scalable parallel visualization tool developed in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Department of Energy. Another major contribution is SCIRun, a problem-solving environment for modeling, simulation, and visualization, particularly in biomedical research. The Map3D software for electrocardiography and the ImageVis3D volume rendering system are also notable outputs. These tools are utilized by researchers at institutions like the Mayo Clinic and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Facilities and collaborations

The institute is housed in the Warnock Engineering Building on the campus of the University of Utah. Its computational infrastructure includes access to the University of Utah Center for High Performance Computing and resources through partnerships with the Energy Sciences Network. Key long-term collaborators include Argonne National Laboratory, Kitware, and the American Heart Association. The institute also maintains strong ties with clinical partners at the University of Utah Health system and industrial collaborators in the Silicon Slopes technology region, facilitating the translation of research into practical applications.