25 Apr 2013

Governor Quinn Announces UIC Health Technology Research Hub

By Erin Wilson

Health, Technology, Innovation at Chicago Will Provide Lab and Office Space, Crucial Support to Drive Life Science Innovation and Job Creation

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by officials from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and the Illinois Medical District (IMD) Commission to announce a $3.4 million, 12,000-square-foot lab and office space that will serve as a new hub for Chicago's flourishing bioscience industry. Part of the governor's agenda to create jobs and drive Illinois' economy forward, the Health, Technology, Innovation (HTI) at Chicago Technology Park will bring scientists, clinicians, engineers and industry together and create the nexus for an interdisciplinary approach to drug, diagnostic, medical device and information technology development. The announcement comes as Chicago hosts the BIO Conference, the largest biotech conference in the nation.

"Illinois' thriving, cutting edge life sciences sector creates jobs while improving people's lives," Governor Quinn said. "The HTI will drive further growth in the field, serving as a key resource for our medical science researchers and providing a new platform through which innovative ideas can be developed and introduced to the marketplace."

Strategically located within the Illinois Medical District near the campus of UIC's Medical School, the new facility is funded through a $1.7 million state capital investment that was matched by $1.7 million of UIC funds. It is expected to open this summer and will house both shared wet and dry laboratory space, in addition to co-working office space. The HTI will be anchored by a fully-equipped meeting and classroom with high-definition video conferencing, recording and streaming.

The facility will provide the infrastructure where technology development work can take place outside of academic labs, with support and access to professional services to assist in commercialization planning and venture formation guidance. Access to talent, industry networks and connections to capital sources will be a future offering.

With a community based approach, HTI will serve University faculty, staff and students, Chicago area research institutions as well as the broader entrepreneurial community as a nexus of biotechnology commercialization. Laboratory and office space will be ready for occupancy in summer 2013.

HTI is an outgrowth of the Illinois Innovation Council which was created by Governor Quinn in February 2011 to identify and advance strategies that accelerate innovation, economic growth, and job creation. 

"Biotechnology start-ups have an often complicated road through development," University of Illinois President Robert Easter said. "With a fresh approach to incubating promising technologies, HTI will provide a foundation that aligns technology and market feasibility early on, even before companies are formed. Our aim is to produce not only more start-ups but more viable start-ups - companies that will advance both health care and economic development."

"IMD is very pleased to be able to work with our partners to deliver on Governor Quinn's vision of harnessing the brainpower of our researchers to advance medical science and create jobs," IMD Director Warren Ribley said. "The HTI will provide both a physical space and support services that will validate technology, convert innovation into products, and accelerate projects to venture readiness."

"Life science start-ups have unique challenges, including the need for major capital and long development lifecycles," Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Adam Pollet said. "We hope to create a platform that lowers barriers, addresses early stage risk and provides access to resources."

Governor Quinn announced earlier this week that a new independent study by Ernst & Young LLP ranked Illinois at the top of the nation's biotechnology industry, and the state is at the core of the most vibrant bioscience hub in the United States. The report, "The Economic Engine of Biotechnology in Illinois," shows the Midwest Super Cluster, which includes Illinois and the surrounding eight-state region, surpasses California and the East Coast in biotechnology-related employment, number of establishments and research and development expenditures.

According to the new report, within the Midwest Super Cluster there are more than 16,800 biotechnology establishments employing more than 377,900 people. In addition, the overall economic output of Illinois' biotechnology industry is more than $98.6 billion, accounting for 81,000 direct jobs and more than 3,500 biotechnology companies in the state.

The full report may be viewed at ibio.org/illinoisbiotechreport.

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24 Apr 2013

Iowa Wind Energy

By Larry Flowers
I wanted to provide you a quick update on Iowa Senate bill SF 372, legislation that proposed to make it easier for owners of smaller scale wind energy projects to contract with utility companies at a fair market price.

SF 372 made excellent progress in the Iowa State Senate, but it will not be passed into law this year.  The Iowa Senate Majority Leader sent the bill back to the Senate Agriculture Committee, which had already approved the bill by a unanimous bipartisan vote. 

When the Iowa legislature reconvenes next year, we will alert you to opportunities to express your support for this legislation.
23 Apr 2013

Facebook chooses Iowa for next data center location

By Office of the Governor of Iowa

Minimum $299.5 million investment coming to Altoona

 

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today joined Altoona's Mayor Skip Conkling in officially welcoming Facebook to Iowa.  The social networking company, which helps more than 1 billion people around the world connect and share with each other, announced that it will build a new, state-of-the-art data center in Altoona.

"Today's announcement further solidifies Iowa's position as a destination for tech companies - from major data center operations like Facebook's to the innovative start-ups we continue to see popping up around our state," said Gov. Branstad.  "Our productive workforce and our overall cost of doing business help us to win great projects like this."

Lt. Gov. Reynolds added, "We are so proud to add Facebook to our list of world-renowned tech companies located in Iowa. Facebook's investment continues sending the signal that Iowa is open for business and this administration is committed to attracting business and jobs here in all economic sectors."

Facebook will invest a minimum of $299.5 million in the project, which is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs and dozens of full-time operations jobs. The company evaluated several other sites before choosing the Iowa location.

The first phase of the project will result in a 476,000-square foot data center that will be among the most advanced and energy efficient of its kind. The data center will feature an innovative outdoor-air cooling system and the latest in Open Compute Project server designs, and it will be built to LEED Gold standards.

"I welcome Facebook to the Altoona community," said Altoona Mayor Skip Conkling. "Quality companies and development make our city and state an even greater place to do business and to live and play. I want to thank all parties for their endeavors in securing this project."

Earlier today the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) board approved $18 million in tax benefits through the High Quality Jobs program to Facebook to create at least 31 new jobs at a qualifying wage of $23.12 per hour. The project will have a minimum capital investment of $299.5 million. Local incentives from the city of Altoona were also approved today.

"We're thrilled to become a part of the Altoona community, and especially appreciative of all the partners who helped make this project happen," said Jay Parikh, vice president of infrastructure engineering for Facebook. "Facebook's mission is to connect the world. Thanks to Iowa, we're building the global infrastructure to bring the next billion people online."

The 194-acre site selected in Altoona could accommodate up to two additional data center buildings that may be constructed in future phases of the project.

Other elected officials weighed in on the announcement today.

"I regret that I cannot be there in person today to join with Mayor Conkling, City Council members, and officials from Facebook to welcome the news of Facebook's intention to expand into Iowa," said U.S. Senator Tom Harkin. "We have long known that Iowa is a great place to do business. Altoona in particular has been very focused on providing quality infrastructure at a fair cost to attract companies like Facebook, which add to our continued economic growth. So I welcome this announcement and I look forward to the improvements it will generate for our entire state."

"America knows that Iowa is one of the tech-friendliest states in the country with an outstanding workforce to match, and Facebook's announcement today firmly confirms that fact," said U.S. Congressman Tom Latham. "This new data center is unprecedented in scope and will bring jobs and economic development to Altoona, as well as further Iowa's reputation as a top-notch place to innovate and do business. I congratulate the good people of Altoona for being a part of this exciting project, commend Facebook for pursuing it, and look forward to seeing the immense benefits it brings."

 

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19 Apr 2013

Q&A on the Keystone XL Pipeline with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

By Grassley Press

Q:        Why do you support the Keystone XL Pipeline?

A:        The crude oil pipeline from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast called the Keystone XL pipeline would provide 830,000 barrels of crude oil a day and help to counteract insufficient domestic oil supplies and reduce America's dependence on less reliable foreign sources.  The way I see it, the energy and economic development benefits of this pipeline are too important to delay any longer.  Keystone XL contributes to a necessary, three-pronged approach for America's energy policy.  We need to develop traditional oil and gas resources in America.  We need development, production and use of alternative renewable fuels.  We need to conserve energy.  What's needed now is an increased supply of oil.  The Keystone XL pipeline would help maintain adequate crude oil supplies for U.S. refineries and let us decrease dependence on foreign crude oil supplies from the Persian Gulf and Venezuela.

Q:        What have you done to advance this pipeline?

A:        In March, I voted for an amendment offered by Senator John Hoeven to the Senate budget resolution.  The amendment expressed support for the approval and construction of the pipeline and passed with a bipartisan vote of 62 to 37.  It was mostly a symbolic vote because the budget resolution does not become law and isn't binding.  But the vote demonstrates strong support within the Senate for approval of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Q:        How has President Obama delayed the Keystone XL?

A:        Authority for siting oil pipelines generally lies with the states, but the construction of facilities at the U.S. border for exporting or importing petroleum or other fuels requires a Presidential Permit issued by the Department of State.  In this case, consideration has been drawn out, most likely to try to stop the pipeline from being built.  In 2008, TransCanada applied for a presidential permit from the State Department to construct and operate the pipeline.  In January 2012, the State Department recommended that the Presidential permit be denied.  The same day, the President stated his determination that the Keystone XL pipeline project would not serve the national interest.  This year, in January, the Governor of Nebraska approved a proposed reroute of the Keystone XL pipeline to avoid the Sand Hills due to the area's unique soil properties.  So, TransCanada reapplied to the State Department in May 2012, along the new route through Nebraska.  This year, in March, the State Department released a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) on the new Presidential permit application.  The report basically found that the pipeline would not accelerate greenhouse gas emissions or significantly harm the environment along its route.  A final decision from the State Department and the Obama Administration on whether to grant the Presidential permit is expected after expiration of the comment period for the draft SEIS at the end of this month.

Monday, April 15, 2013
15 Apr 2013

ELECTRONIC DEMANUFACTURING FACILITY MAINTAINS R2 CERTIFICATION

By Brandy Welvaert

DAVENPORT, Iowa?Waste Commission of Scott County's Electronic Demanufacturing Facility has completed and passed its annual surveillance audit to the Responsible Recycling (R2) Standard.

The facility is the first public agency in the world and the only agency in the state of Iowa to achieve this certification. There are approximately 360 facilities in the world that hold R2 certification.

By adhering to the R2 standard, the facility assures its customers that any sensitive data and toxic materials inside their electronics will be managed in the most responsible way. Data-containing items are caged and locked, monitored through a security system, and ultimately destroyed. All potentially harmful materials inside electronics?such as mercury, cadmium and lead?are captured and recycled responsibly. No harmful materials are shipped to developing countries. All of these practices are verified by an independent auditor.

The Electronic Demanufacturing Facility, 1048 East 59th St., Davenport, accepts e-waste with a circuit board and/or cathode-ray tube. Hours are 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays. No appointment is necessary, and there is no charge for residents of Scott and Rock Island counties. For more information, call (563) 823-0119 or visit www.wastecom.com. For more information about the R2 Standard, visit www.r2solutions.org.

Waste Commission of Scott County is an inter-governmental agency established in 1972 to provide environmentally sound and economically feasible solid waste management services for Scott County.

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08 Apr 2013

Demand for Computer & Software Jobs Offers 2nd Career Opportunity

By Ginny Grimsley
'You Don't Have to be a Math Whiz to Learn,'
Says Trainer/Programmer

There are plenty or good jobs to be found on sites like Monster and Craigslist, says Mark Lassoff, a self-described computer geek and founder of LearnToProgram, Inc. (www.LearnToProgram.tv). The problem is, the glut of unemployed, college-educated professionals available to fill them aren't qualified, he says.

"American companies will post positions for jobs like developing mobile apps and video games - good, high-paying jobs with benefits - but there just aren't enough qualified computer programmers out there so, after a few weeks, they send these jobs overseas," says Lassoff, who has trained employees at the Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin and Discover Card Services.

Computer programming jobs are expected to grow by 12 percent by 2020, while software developer jobs are forecast to grow by 30 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2010, the median salary for software developers were earning more than $90,500.

There aren't enough people to fill these jobs because technology and the job market are moving much faster than education in high schools and colleges, says Lassoff, who develops online courses, books and other materials for people who want to learn programming.

"People think you have to go back to school to learn programming and other computer skills, but you don't," he says. "There's also the myth that you have to be some kind of math or science genius to learn it. Not true. You just need to learn the process, and then practice it. You can build a portfolio by doing volunteer work for a church or charity."

What types of people are ripe for skills like web development through an online course - and landing a great new job?

• Career-hoppers with an IT background: Current and former Information Technology workers are fast learners when it comes to new computer skills. If their current job is in customer service or corporate support, getting the tools to unleash their creativity may be the ticket not only to better pay but to a more gratifying career.

• Retirees: The cliché is that older folks are so far behind on tech knowledge, they struggle with email. However, many retirees are highly motivated, curious and have plenty of time for the business of learning. They may even have worked with early computers in their careers. "I know seniors who learned programming later in life and they like staying stimulated and challenged, and having an in-demand skill," Lassoff says.

• The kid who plans to study computer science: Junior high and high school curricula are still woefully behind when it comes to preparing kids for careers in computer technology. Ambitious kids who want to take their relationship with technology to the next level are thoroughly engaged by web, mobile and gaming code classes - and they do very well.

• The good-idea person: Very often, someone has a great idea for a mobile app, but no idea what to do with it. A basic understanding of mobile app coding can start turning that great idea into an entrepreneurial adventure.

Courses for these training programs do not have to be expensive - high quality yet affordable programs can be found for less than $200, he says.

About Mark Lassoff

Mark Lassoff is the founder and CEO of LearnToProgram.tv, Inc. Lassoff majored in communication and computer science in college, and later worked in the software and web development departments at several large corporations. While his contemporaries were conquering the dot-com world, Lassoff fell in love with training. He's a top technical trainer whose clients including the Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin, Discover Card Services and Kaiser Permaente. For people who want to dip a toe into programming, he offers free tutorials on his website.

05 Apr 2013

Is Your Organization Protected Against the Risks of Technology?

By Janet Dufour
Midland Communications  Explains the Right Way to Invest in Communications Technology Today

DAVENPORT, IA - April 4, 2013 - Making the right investment decision is critical, especially in challenging economic times. It can mean life or death for any small to mid-sized business (SMB). This includes the manner of investing in new technology, because technology brings with it two embedded risks - obsolescence and unforeseen cost.  Technology is a depreciating asset and business 101 teaches us to never pay cash for a depreciating asset. Plus, there is an ongoing and unknown cost to technology after it is implemented within a company. Midland Communications understands these risks and has a unique solution known as the Current Technology Assurance Plan (C-TAP) to overcome them.
C-TAP is designed to increase an organization's profitability and give it a competitive advantage. This technology investment vehicle fixes the cost of technology by bundling together hardware, software, unlimited training and all of Midland Communications' professional services. It's a method of acquiring technology that gives businesses a brand new element of flexibility that is much needed in today's world.
The biggest benefit of the C-TAP program is that businesses no longer face the frustration of paying cash for a depreciating asset. After purchase, it is only a matter of time before new technology becomes obsolete and this program has taken that into account.  Business owners have more control over their technology budget than ever before, because C-TAP allows businesses to add in new hardware, software, equipment, or installation without increasing monthly expense. In the traditional model, businesses do not have this flexibility. For example, if a business was stuck utilizing antiquated PCs and obsolete phone systems, the business owner would simply have to purchase all new equipment via a large capital expenditure. Under C-TAP, companies can add new computers, phones or other technology solutions, while keeping their monthly cost the same. Furthermore, Midland Communications waives any labor or installation fees that would normally be incurred.
"The growth of the C-TAP program is self-perpetuating," stated Jason Smith, Vice President of Midland Communications. "It's a much simpler way of acquiring technology, and our customers love that. Businesses are continually evolving and infrastructure needs to shift with these changes in order to remain competitive. When our customers are able to get the technology they need without being 'nickeled and dimed' and we are able to earn our customers' business month after month, both parties win. We firmly believe that the best way to win our customers over is to enhance their productivity and increase their bottom-line profitability. By partnering with our customers, we see them succeed and that turns into a positive result for everyone."

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS

Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.

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03 Apr 2013

Unanimous, Bipartisan Vote Puts Iowans First Bill would level playing field for farmers to generate renewable energy

By Gregg Heide

As it heads to a possible vote in the full Iowa Senate, farmers and clean energy advocates in Iowa are touting the benefits of a farm-focused wind energy bill passed in a rare unanimous and bipartisan vote by the Iowa Senate Agriculture Committee (eight Democrats and five Republicans).

The measure, Senate File 372, would require utilities to pay Iowa farmers the same rate for electricity that they pay themselves for wind from their own assets. It establishes a "feed-in tariff" for distributed wind generation on agricultural land, changing current policy so that Iowa farmers can receive income for wind energy that they supply back to the grid.

"These senators should be applauded for putting Iowans first," said Gregg Heide of the Iowa Farmers Union. "This is a common-sense measure that protects our rural heritage and maximizes our renewable energy economy at the same time. We hope their colleagues in the Legislature show the same commitment to Iowa's farmers."

Federal law requires utilities to connect small renewable generation facilities to the grid. Iowa, however, does not require utilities to offer feed-in tariffs. Currently, a mix of state and federal laws allows Iowa utilities to pay individuals a lower price for electricity than what they pay themselves for energy from their own wind farm assets. This financial disparity all but financially locks out many farmers who could otherwise participate in Iowa's robust renewable energy economy.

"This could be a win-win for Iowa - homegrown renewable energy that strengthens and diversifies our rural economy," said Ed Woolsey of the Iowa Renewable Energy Association (I-Renew).

Senate File 372 passed the Senate Agriculture Committee on March 7. The legislation is currently eligible for a floor vote by the Democrat-controlled Iowa Senate. If enacted into law, it would be the first legislation of its kind in the Midwest, and one of only a handful of similar laws nationally. Under the measure, Iowa farmers could ultimately generate up to a collective 60 megawatts annually.

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01 Apr 2013

Governor Quinn Launches Cyber Challenge

By Rick Martin

Competition Connects Veterans and Students with Careers in Cybersecurity

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by the Cyber Aces Foundation to announce the Illinois Governor's Cyber Challenge, a statewide competition that will fill mission-critical jobs in the emerging cybersecurity workforce. The announcement is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to increase public safety and help Illinois residents find employment. The Cyber Challenge is designed to provide a pathway of learning and workforce training for Veterans and students.

"As technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, the threat to our nation's cybersecurity continues to grow," Governor Quinn said. "Connecting our highly-skilled Veterans and students with these 21st century jobs is a solid way to increase national security and create another pathway to employment."

Illinois is one of the first states to hold a Cyber Challenge. Federal officials are quickly expanding cybersecurity forces to counter evolving threats from abroad. For example, the Defense Department's Cyber Command plans to increase its workforce to 4,000, up from 900. Private sector opportunities in cybersecurity are also rapidly expanding. Currently, cybersecurity careers are the second-fastest growing positions in information technology (IT). They also are among the most secure and the highest salaried in the IT field.

The Cyber Aces Foundation is utilizing Governors' Cyber Challenges across the country to help identify individuals will the necessary skill set for cybersecurity jobs in order to help meet the growing demand for the profession.

"Similar to our shortage of fighter pilots at the start of World War II, we now have a critical shortage of skilled cyber defenders," Cyber Aces Founder Alan Paller said. "And like the pilot training programs of that era, Cyber Aces initiatives, such as the Illinois State Championship, are how we will create the specialists we need."

The cyber initiative includes advanced online training in cybersecurity at no cost to Illinois residents, a special Veterans Cyber Camp for the top performing Veterans and the championship competition to identify the state's top cyber talent for public and private sector opportunities.

To ensure Veterans know of this opportunity, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) will use its IllinoisJobLink.com system to contact more than 20,000 Veterans. IllinoisJobLink.com is the state's help-wanted job board that helps employers identify new hires, and ensures that business owners are aware of available state and federal tax incentives as well as other programs designed to help grow our economy.

Veterans who believe they have the skills and aptitude for cybersecurity are invited to take a free entry-level education and testing program that focuses on fundamentals with emphasis on three critical modules: networking, operating systems and system administration. A tutorial is included in each module and registration is open today. The quiz competition is April 16-29. Top-performing Veterans will be invited to the Summer Cyber Camp. Another entry-level testing competition will occur in the fall and be open to Veterans, students and other job seekers. A state championship event featuring top-performers from both quiz cycles will occur in the spring.

About Cyber Aces

The Cyber Aces Foundation is a not-for-profit working to discover talent and provide a pathway to employment in critical cybersecurity jobs. The foundation challenges students, Veterans and jobseekers with training and competition, develops their abilities with cybersecurity education and prepares them for cybersecurity careers. It is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit cyberaces.org.

About U.S. Cyber Challenge:

U.S. Cyber Challenge (USCC) is a program of the National Board of Information Security Examiners (NBISE), a 501(c)(3) organization, and has the mission to significantly reduce the shortage in the cyber workforce by serving as the premier program to identify, attract, recruit and place the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. USCC's goal is to find 10,000 of America's best and brightest to fill the ranks of cybersecurity professionals where their skills can be of the greatest value to the nation.

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29 Mar 2013

Governor Quinn Launches Blue Waters Supercomputer at University of Illinois

By Erin Wilson

State Invested $60 Million to House Largest and Fastest Supercomputer on Any University Campus

URBANA-CHAMPAIGN - Governor Pat Quinn today joined the National Science Foundation, officials from the University of Illinois and other state and business leaders to launch the Blue Waters Supercomputer at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Today's announcement comes as part of Governor Quinn's agenda to drive the Illinois economy forward and ensure that the state's universities are at the forefront of 21st century science. The largest and fastest supercomputer on any university campus in the world, Blue Waters will offer unprecedented capability for advanced science and engineering applications.

"The University of Illinois continues to be a national leader in innovation, research and engineering progress throughout the world, and today's launch of Blue Waters will allow users to process some of the largest and most challenging problems in science and engineering," Governor Quinn said. "This revolutionary supercomputer will also provide opportunities for private industry, serving as a powerful economic engine by allowing the development of less costly prototypes."

The state of Illinois invested $60 million to construct the Petascale Computing Facility that houses Blue Waters. The National Science Foundation funded the purchase of the computer itself, investing an estimated $350 million to purchase the hardware, pay for five years of support services, power and cool the computer, and provide their own staff to support the system and work with scientists who use it.

Blue Waters is a collaborative effort of the United States Congress, the National Science Foundation, the state of Illinois, the University of Illinois and the Great Lakes Consortium for Petascale Computation. It is the most powerful system supported by the National Science Foundation, and gives the university a unique opportunity to perform groundbreaking research that would otherwise be impossible.

"Blue Waters is a truly extraordinary computing system that will enable the nation's researchers, as well as our innovative companies, to achieve breakthroughs in a broad range of science and engineering," Thom Dunning, director of the university's National Center for Supercomputing Applications said. "Blue Waters is also a unique resource for the University of Illinois and the state of Illinois, enhancing the path-finding role that Illinois has played in supercomputing for more than 25 years."

"For 146 years the U of I has been bringing solutions to the grand challenges of the world," University of Illinois Chancellor Phyllis Wise said. "Each of our new discoveries has built on the ones before it, creating a chain of knowledge and experience that informs and drives the next idea. Blue Waters represents the next link in that unbroken chain,"

Blue Waters completes quadrillions of calculations every second and is designed to help researchers find insights buried in massive quantities of data. This has crucial applications for astronomy, physics, chemistry and engineering. Blue Waters can simulate how the cosmos evolved after the Big Bang, help design new materials at the atomic level, forecast the behavior of hurricanes and tornadoes, assist with genetic mapping to combat disease and simulate complex engineered systems like the power distribution system and experimental aircraft.

Blue Waters is part of the University's National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). It was built from Cray hardware, operates at a sustained performance of more than 1 petaflop (1 quadrillion calculations per second) and is capable of peak performance of 11.61 petaflops (11.6 quadrillion calculations per second). It would take one person millions of years to complete this many calculations with just a calculator. The system also provides "big data" capacity: 1.5 petabytes of working memory, 26 petabytes of disk and 300 petabytes of tape storage.

"Our university and our state will share an enduring link to the life-changing breakthroughs that Blue Waters yields, discovery that holds promise for accelerating medical advances, predicting the behavior of catastrophic weather events and producing more food to feed a growing world," Ed McMillan, a member of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees said.

The system is now available for the NCSA's industry partners, a group of 26 companies and organizations that includes ADM, BP, Boeing, Caterpillar, Dow, GE, John Deere, Procter & Gamble and Rolls Royce.

In commemoration of today's announcement, the governor also proclaimed March 28, 2013 as Blue Waters Supercomputer Day in Illinois.

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