ScaleUp is a new student organization at Virginia Tech formed by graduate and advanced undergraduate students interested in scientific research that transcends multiple scales. More specifically, we focus on a broad range of research topics with a common and increasingly popular theme: understanding how information gleaned from a small scale can be used to understand behavior of a system at a larger scale. For instance, nanoscale material properties have a substantial bearing on bulk material behavior, and correlating the two is a heavily pursued research topic. Similarly, a pair of chromosomes determines the size, shape and form of an organism throughout its development. Most of our members are actively involved in research projects that feature this emerging theme, making the organization a vibrant platform for both technical and philosophical exchanges.
Currently, the group has four specific interests:
1. Organize a seminar series to host speakers from both academia and the industry. The planned sessions will cover both cutting edge academic research as well as its transformative influence on the industry.
2. Organize short technical workshops covering the latest technical skills which are often unavailable in conventional coursework.
3. Expand our membership rolls to participants beyond the Virginia Tech campus.
4. Set up and maintain a public online discussion forum.
A survey has been set up to gather opinion on different important topics in scaling issues related to different disciplines which can be focused and explored more in the group in form of seminar series and workshops.
Please participate in the survey and express your opinion.