Grid computing yet to energize the physical world

(Click) The seven challenges (01 Nov 2001), in general, continue to be real for us in Orissa. Are we ever going to be able to overcome these challenges? Challenge #6 still poses the question: How to make the virtual space complement the physical space? Though technology is making rapid advances, organizations are lagging behind in terms of realizing the potential benefits.

The global computing grid has been unveiled by CERN to handle real-time data related to particle physics research. Click this link for details (Oct 03, 2008) titled "Computer grid links 7,000 scientists around the globe"by Jonathan Lynn, Reuters. Here is an excerpt:

[Quote]
The data flow will be about 700 megabytes per second, or 15 million gigabytes a year for 10 to 15 years – enough to fill three million DVDs a year or create a tower of CDs more than twice as high as Mount Everest.

“To analyze that amount of data, you require not only a lot of computing but a new computing paradigm – that's what we call the Grid, and that's what we're here to celebrate today,” CERN spokesman James Gillies told a press briefing.

Just as the Worldwide Web – invented in 1990 at CERN – allows users to share access to information over the Internet, computer grids allow the linking of computing resources such as data storage capacity and processing power.

CERN has only 10 per cent of the computing capacity needed for the LHC experiment, which will allow scientists to observe sub-atomic particles and probe the nature of gravity and matter. The grid will provide the rest.
[Unquote]

(Academic) Corridors of Power

Persons interested in behavioral studies must have come across Stanley Milgram’s experiments on “behavioral study of obedience” (1963). Refer this Spiritual Quotient by Mukul Sharma titled “Power of authority is in ourselves” (Economic Times dated 13 October 2006, Friday) for the experiment. (Please click on the image to enlarge)

Academic administrative functionaries wearing similar “white coats” (read designations) ought to take note of what their roles ought to be in the emerging knowledge economy.

The serious academic (in India) should be asking whether he/she belongs to the significant majority 2/3rd or the significant minority 1/3rd. Or maybe to the unspecified “minority within the minority 1/3rd” who would like to bring reason into the way things are currently being done.

Indian education sector has to move away from the unhealthy influence of such (academic) corridors of power. The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) of India has been making recommendations incessantly for drastic reforms in the education sector – almost down to the level of granting greater academic autonomy to the individual. The moot point to all Academic Functionaries: Are they interested in changing their old mindsets?

Building an Educational Institute is becoming the order of the day in Orissa (as in India). However, dedicated Institution builders are becoming a rare breed. Is it because of the existing models of Educational Governance that do not promote "out-of-box" thinking? Or, Is it due to our legacy that values blind obedience over constructive dissent? Do we really need these legacy systems where orders are to be obeyed without questioning the possible outcomes?

A Law on Hope

There should be a “Law on Hope” said Justice S.B.Sinha, Judge, Supreme Court of India, while delivering the 1st H.M.Seervai Memorial Lecture organized by the KIIT Law School on 20th September 2008.

A Law on Hope – seems to be quite an apt proposition for our times. We live in times when there is deception all around us – be it health, education, industry or plain governance. Raising expectations of people without doing enough to meet these expectations creates frustration and an environment of hopelessness.

Here is an excerpt from Dr K P Prabhakaran Nair’s article titled “The real India is getting poorer by the day”

(Quote)
When the World Bank says that four out of ten Indians live below the poverty line, one could quarrel with the methodology used, but, there is no disputing the cause — pathetic governance.

According to the September 30, 2007 status report of the Ministry of Programme Implementation, out of 897 projects, 276 suffered cost overruns with an anticipated cost of Rs. 1,42,227 crore, against the original estimate of Rs 95,913 crore, a colossal 48 per cent increase. This shows that for more than 30 per cent of the projects, the accountability factor is of a very low order
(Unquote)

It is time we moved away from extolling the practice of celebrating foundation stone laying ceremonies. It is important for India to ensure successful completion of projects.

Big Bang to Big Crunch - Going back to future

Note the following excerpt titled Big Crunch from http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/the_universe/Crunch.html (last updated prior to September 2000)

[Quote] If there is enough matter in the Universe eventually gravitational forces will stop its expansion. When this happens gravity will cause the universe to reverse its direction and begin to collapse under its own weight. This phase of the Universe's life is known as the Big Crunch.

Eventually all of the matter in the Universe will collapse into a super dense state and possibly even collapse into an unimaginably massive black hole. Some theorize that the Universe could collapse into the same state that it began as and then blow up in another Big Bang. In this way the Universe would last forever but would continually go through these phases of expansion and contraction, Big Bang and Big Crunch and so on...[Unquote]

As the world gears up for the biggest physics experiment tomorrow (10 September 2008) to re-create the Big Bang forces, I pause again (my last was on 26/10/2004) to reflect on Mother Earth’s journey and its bearings on groups and organizations created around us.

• [Our Past] "The Big Bang" gave birth to cohesive masses and solid groups.........
• [Our Present] Human aspirations are forcing groups to stretch and expand….(repulsive forces are also having similar effects)
• [Our Future] "The Big Crunch" will be shaping the future (as some theorize)……
• Human society, being a part of the Universe, is also on this theoretical path of going back to the future....
• It seems to have developed a need to disintegrate in order to fully integrate....
• There are umpteen examples in the socio-politico-economic environment around us that drive home this message time and again.
• We are all hapless entities under the diktats of some unseen "Universal strategic intent"

Nevertheless, Mother Earth’s journey from Big Bang to Big Crunch offers uncountable moments of joy and sorrow to earthlings.

Intelligent cause for academic freedom

This has reference to the express editorial titled “Closed openings – HC underlines the gag in education” (TNIE; 13.02.08). It is true that innovative programs are either unrecognized or are in the process of being de-recognized. While UGC has been mandated to promote education systems for handling the challenges of inclusive growth, ironically the very same regulators (such as AICTE) who have been constituted to enforce quality tie its own hands. Our regulators comprise of faculty members and scientists belonging to elite institutions, which have often enjoyed greater autonomy and large government grants. Their recommendations for growth in education infrastructure have always supported models that promoted the “trickle down effect”. Naturally, therefore, most non-elite institutions governed by the UGC were kept languishing for government grants (a scarce resource). Nor were they given the freedom to develop their own capabilities outside the government’s purview.

One remembers how UGC’s move to launch new courses in astrology was vehemently resisted by some of these elite institutions. One of their arguments was that government funds are meant for “scientific pursuits” only. As we know, “practice without theory is blind and theory without practice is lame”. Yet we fail to encourage new ventures being adopted by some institutes interested in understanding (or perhaps rediscovering) the theoretical base governing some ongoing practices and rituals. We are contented to label them as “blind faith”. It is more disheartening when we see the same educated elite vigorously supporting programs on Artificial Intelligence in the name of scientific discovery. Yet, as they must know, sciences of the artificial are due to our deeper understanding of the natural. Should not we encourage efforts aimed at developing theories and methodologies for re-discovering our past?

Recently, when Harvard University embarked on a research project to uncover the origins of life, proponents of alternative theories cited that initiative as proof that science has yet to disprove alternative theories. One alternative, the Intelligent Design Theory, suggests that nature is so complex that it could not have occurred by random natural selection as held by Darwin in 1859. The proponents hold that our existence is perhaps the result of an “Intelligent cause” and would like this to be taught in schools along with Darwin’s theory of evolution. While this is just one example of where the globe is headed, I hope our elitist regulators will pick up some lessons for creating an enabling environment for greater academic freedom.

Today, while IITs may be embarking on an online project with Carnegie Mellon, the UGC is faced with the uphill task of ramping up its infrastructure to meet the competitive challenges spurred by the recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission. Instead of gagging higher education, it would be heartening to see the regulators (the educated elite in particular) lending greater support to UGC for adopting bolder and innovative models using technology for reaching out to educate the masses. That also includes giving recognition to various learner-centric programs promoted by the Open University system or, for that matter, by the Foreign Education Providers.
Comments (if any) may be mailed to kaushiksahu@gmail.com