Grid connects scientists across Europe

Scientists across the UK and continental Europe are being hooked up via a research grid that incorporates educational facilities, data centres and individual PCs.

The network, named EGI, aims to provide processing power that might otherwise be inaccessible to scientists across the continent.

Within the UK, two projects represent the nation's contribution to the grid - GridPP and the National Grid Service, both funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Science and Technology Facilities Council and JISC.

The last of these, educational technology promotional organisation JISC, coordinates the uptake of IT in colleges and universities for learning and research.

Executive secretary Dr Malcolm Read says: "JISC is pleased to be contributing to this significant European infrastructure initiative for the UK.

"EGI is a particularly important shared service enabling valuable research to be conducted cost-effectively."

In addition to its initial commitment to the project, the UK - like other participating member states - has agreed to put additional funding into the scheme in the future in order to sustain its operation.