July 2025

The ACCESS Advance is a monthly newsletter produced by the U.S. National Science Foundation's ACCESS (Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Coordination Ecosystem: Services & Support) program. It contains science stories enabled by ACCESS, program news and opportunities for users.

In this Issue

Videos Help New Users
The National Research Platform is Here
Reminder: Apply for Maximize ACCESS Allocations by July 31
Spotlight: STEPping Out in Miami

Opportunities

Events and Trainings

Community Announcements

Science Stories

enabled by ACCESS

Beneath the Floor is Lava

Simulations performed on the ACCESS resource Stampede3 at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC), University of Texas at Austin, helped researchers map the extensive volcanic system lying beneath Yellowstone National Park, including a volatile-rich cap of magma located less than 2.5 miles below the surface.

Read the full story here

AI Framework Improves Machine Learning Models

A UC San Diego research team used ACCESS allocations on Expanse at the San Diego Supercomputer Center and Delta at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications to develop a framework that could dramatically improve the transparency and performance of AI systems.

Read the full story here

Open Access Molecular Dynamics

Researchers used Jetstream2 at Indiana University to create the first open-access repository to house and analyze hundreds of thousands of community-contributed molecular dynamics simulations – potentially revolutionizing how scientists understand protein structures and drug interactions.

Read the full story here

What's New?

Videos Help New Users

If you're new to ACCESS – or even need a refresher – visit our YouTube channel for all kinds of helpful videos to get you connected with the U.S. National Science Foundation's network of advanced compute and data storage resources.The site offers 20 videos, and you can watch them all as one playlist or check out individual topics.

The National Research Platform is Here

The NRP is a community-owned research and education platform connecting researchers and educators to foster collaboration, accelerate innovation and share resources. Supported by over 50 institutions, including leadership from UC San Diego, the NRP provides access to cutting-edge technologies in AI, high-performance computing, data storage and networking.

Find out more on the NRP website.

Reminder: Apply for Maximize ACCESS Allocations by July 31 – Live Training Webinar Available

The submission window for Maximize ACCESS is open now through Thursday, July 31. Awards will be granted starting October 1. ACCESS offers several resources to help you prepare your proposal:

Review the documentation page
Watch two pre-recorded videos on how to prepare your application (find them on the documentation page under the Maximize ACCESS drop-down.
Attend a live training webinar, Wednesday, July 23, at 2 pm ET. Register now to secure your spot.

Completed proposals should be submitted here. Not able to make this window? The next window for proposals will be Dec. 15, 2025 to Jan. 31, 2026, with awards starting in March 2026.

Spotlight

STEPping Out in Miami

ACCESS Operations' Student Training and Engagement Program (STEP) is in full swing for the summer! Sixteen students gathered in Miami in May for an immersive two-week training intended to introduce them to careers in cyberinfrastructure operations. Five of the students are currently engaged in full-time summer internships, working with staff from the Operations team on projects in the focus areas they're most interested in pursuing as a career. Envisioned as a way to bring new experts into the field of cyberinfrastructure (CI), STEP promotes the development of a strong, competitive STEM workforce by providing opportunities to students who are interested in learning more about careers in CI. The program also included some relaxation time, including the boat trip pictured above.

The two-week training program was the first stage of STEP (STEP-1) for this year's students. The students were hosted at Florida International University (FIU) and Rob Quick, director of the Cyberinfrastructure Integration Research Center (CIRC) at Indiana University, led the program.