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Krishna Chaitanya Rao Kathala, global engagement graduate assistant in the Office of Global Affairs, along with collaborators from Saint Louis University, virtually co-presented research on advancing data practices in higher education through a cloud-based framework at the 19th International Conference on P2P, Parallel, Grid, Cloud and Internet Computing (3PGCIC-2024), held Nov. 13-15 in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.

Kathala collaborated with Saint Louis University researchers Shruthi Sreenivasa Murthy, assistant director of research computing, and research fellow Guangli Zhang on the study, “Cloud Framework for Data Practitioners in Research and Higher Education.”

As a lead contributor in data practices, Kathala emphasized that academia’s growing data challenges, particularly the prevalence of data silos and the need for unified data access, demand robust cloud-based solutions.

“A centralized cloud framework can enhance institutional research, promoting efficiency and interdisciplinary collaboration among stakeholders, which are critical for the future of academic and institutional research,” Kathala noted.

Murthy shared insights on the technical model, which was piloted at Saint Louis University.

“We developed a cloud-based framework to help researchers manage and analyze vast GPS datasets more effectively,” she explained. “Our goal was to create an accessible, scalable solution that allows researchers to leverage this rich data source without being limited by technical constraints.”

Their study introduces a sophisticated geo data warehouse that integrates tools like Apache Spark, AWS services and Apache Sedona. This streamlined pipeline facilitates end-to-end data management, from ingestion to analysis, cutting computational demands and costs. Their framework’s automated processes and advanced data partitioning improve both data access and analysis speed, offering a model for effective data governance and operational efficiency within academic institutions.

The 3PGCIC-2024 is a scientific conference that focuses on research and advancements in various distributed computing technologies, including peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, parallel computing, grid computing, cloud computing and internet computing.

The full conference program can be accessed on the 3PGCIC-2024 website and its published proceedings are available through the Springer Nature Link.