Lauren Michael

Years at WID

About

Lauren began working as the first Research Computing Facilitator (RCF) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in January 2013, where she engages with researchers leveraging the CHTC’s large-scale computing resources and navigating the world of compute-related services and training. In her past research experiences, Lauren applied compute-intensive methods during the completion of B.S. degrees in Biology and Chemistry, as well as a M.S. in Biophysics. Alongside her research efforts, Lauren enjoyed a variety of teaching experiences, completed a graduate minor in Life Sciences Communication from UW-Madison, and gained formal experience in science communication as an editor and writer. In her current role, Lauren now directs the CHTC RCF group, which enables hundreds of new researchers to achieve compute-enabled research transformations, annually.
As a result of the documented success of the “facilitator” model, pioneered by Lauren and CHTC Directory Miron Livny, Lauren organizes a growing campus community of RCFs and leads the national network of Advanced CyberInfrastructure Research and Education Facilitators (ACI-REF). She also serves as the UW-Madison principle investigator on multiple projects around compute-driven research transformation and national communities of research computing professionals.

Education

• B.S., Chemistry, Biology, Truman State University
• M.S., Biophysics, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Affiliations

Center for High Throughput Computing

Advanced Computing Initiative

ACI-REF

Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Research and Education Facilitators (UW-Madison PI and Lead Facilitator)

Campus Research Computing Consortium (UW-Madison PI and Council Representative)

Selected Publications

• Ericksen, Spencer S., et al. "Machine Learning Consensus Scoring Improves Performance Across Targets in Structure-Based Virtual Screening." Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling (2017).
• Michael, Lauren, and Bruce Maas. Research Computing Facilitators: The Missing Human Link in Needs-Based Research Cyberinfrastructure. Research bulletin. Louisville, CO: ECAR, May 16, 2016. Cornilescu, Gabriel, et al. "Structural analysis of multi-helical rnas by NMR–SAXS/WAXS: application to the U4/U6 di-snRNA." Journal of molecular biology 428.5 (2016): 777-789.
• Michael, Lauren, et al, Water, shape recognition, salt bridges, and cation–Pi interactions differentiate peptide recogni-tion of the HIV Rev-responsive element, J. Mol. Biol. 392 (2009) 774–786,