Provision of access to the following infrastructure:
Name of the infrastructure and installation: University of Leeds (UNILEEDS)
Installation: A virtual diffusion modelling centre Location of the infrastructure: Leeds, Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Web site address: http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk
Annual operating costs of the infrastructure (€): 0 In effect free for duration of project.
The University of Leeds central web team can support a basic research web infrastructure as part of its faculty provision.
Description of the infrastructure: The infrastructure will comprise a web hub to bring together experts in volcanic diffusion modelling and enable communication to end users from a central point; users of diffusion modelling can use the site to communicate with experts rapidly, increasing efficiency. The infrastructure is simple. We anticipate the following basic functions: A web front page, a mailing list (administered by VA participants), a contacts page listing individual entries, an information and news page, and a set of web resources for diffusion (external links). Basic functions could be set up within 2 months of project start and would evolve from that point. Advanced functions could include: hub-hosted blogs, a find-an-expert function, and creation of an “emergency-mode” system – for responding coherently to a crisis that needs these skills. Evolution of the resource would depend partly on how users employ it initially, and partly on the wider buy-in of the diffusion community (much of which exists outside the EUROVOLC project). Services currently offered by the infrastructure: Current activity is via academic networking, leading to short-duration research collaborations with a single expert. This is effective for outputs but is heterogeneous in terms of outcomes; the purpose of the VA is to create a point of contact at a discipline level and to widen discussions.