University to help lead new cloud computing hub

A £2m hub, co-led by the University of York, has been launched to investigate the future potential of cloud computing.

The hub, part of a £6m investment by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), will bring researchers together to drive innovations in cloud computing systems, linking experts with the wider academic, business and international communities.

The team behind the initiative – which is led by Imperial College London and called Communications Hub for Empowering Distributed Cloud Computing Applications and Research (CHEDDAR) – believes it is imperative that new communications systems are safe, secure, trustworthy, and sustainable, from the tiniest device to large cloud farms.

Co-lead of the hub, Dr Poonam Yadav, from the university’s Department of Computer Science, said: “This is a much-needed and timely initiative to bring cohesive and interoperable current and future communication technologies to enable emerging AI, neuromorphic and quantum computing applications.

“CHEDDAR provides early career researchers opportunities to engage with far-reaching ideas along with national and international academic and industry experts.”

Jane Nicholson, EPSRC’s director for research base, said: “Digital communications infrastructure underpins the UK’s economy of today and tomorrow and these projects will help support the jobs and industry of the future.

“Everybody relies on secure and swift networking and EPSRC is committed to backing the research which will advance these technologies.”

Professor Julie McCann, from Imperial College London, added: “CHEDDAR will drive research and networking across the UK academic community to facilitate the connection of UK excellence, early career researchers, and brave new ideas in this field.”