RCC is working with Australian research and eResearch organisations on creating, operating and expanding a variety of software platforms. Among these are Data Enhanced Virtual Laboratories (DEVLs) for the nation’s researchers, including UQ researchers.
DEVLs are domain-oriented online environments that draw together research data, models, analysis tools and workflows to support collaborative research across institutional and discipline boundaries.
DEVLs can save researchers time as they do not have to create and maintain their own online environments and tools. DEVLs can also improve the effectiveness of research by democratising access to digital techniques.
RCC has been actively involved in the virtual laboratory community for many years, and has contributed to several of the VLs. We are currently directly involved in the following virtual labs:
- Characterisation Virtual Laboratory: a common remote desktop environment, integrated with Australian imaging instruments, to support imaging data analysis, data management and collaboration.
- Galaxy Australia: a Web-based platform for accessible, reproducible, and transparent bioinformatics analysis.
- Tinker: an online workspace for humanities and social sciences (HASS) researchers to build skills and confidence in employing digital tools and methods.
- ecocloud: an online platform for ecoscience researchers, providing easy access to large volumes of curated data, analysis tools and compute power.
Australia has a range of other virtual labs covering astronomy, marine, climate and weather, agriculture and earth science. Information about these other DEVLs can be found on the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) website.
The February 2019 edition of RCC News, RCC’s newsletter, has a special focus on DEVLs. Below are links to articles about each RCC-supported DEVL:
