May 11, 2006 – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in collaboration with IBM and New York state, has announced a $100 million partnership to create a powerful university-based supercomputing center dedicated to nanotechnology.

The Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations (CCNI), based on the Rensselaer campus and at its Rensselaer Technology Park in Troy, N.Y., is designed both to help continue the advances in shrinking device dimensions seen by electronics manufacturers, and to extend this model to a wide array of industries that could benefit from nanotechnology, according to the partners.

Cadence Design Systems, an electronic design automation software company, and AMD, which makes advanced microprocessor technology and products, will collaborate with Rensselaer and IBM at the Supercomputing Center in advanced simulation and modeling of nanoelectronic devices and circuitry. The CCNI will focus on reducing the time and costs associated with designing and manufacturing nanoscale materials, devices and systems.

The center will be a resource for companies of any size — from start-ups to established firms — to perform research that needs both computing power and research expertise.

The center is expected to be operational by the end of the year.