CHALLENGE
For a statewide land-grant university widely recognized for its leadership in environmental, climate, and marine science research, staying at the forefront requires a digital infrastructure that can adapt over time. As computing needs evolve, this institution must plan and modernize within the governance, budgeting, and procurement realities of a public university environment, while also managing federally funded research activity and long-term operational continuity.
For more than 15 years, LEDG has served as the university’s go-to partner, providing assessments, design support, construction administration, and project oversight to help guide changing data center and high-performance computing (HPC) requirements.
EARLY START WITH RESEARCH COMPUTING AND FEDERAL GRANTS
The university first engaged with LEDG to modernize its research computing environment as well as prepare for the introduction of a new supercomputing platform. LEDG provided comprehensive design and construction support for a full renovation of the space, including new power, cooling, and telecommunications infrastructure. LEDG worked closely with stakeholders to review designs and coordinate phased implementation within an active data center environment, helping maintain uptime for academic and research operations during the renovation.
ASSESSMENT-LED PLANNING FOR EVOLVING RESEARCH NEEDS
As the university’s research computing environment continued to evolve, subsequent engagements shifted toward assessment-led planning. LEDG conducted evaluations of mechanical, electrical, and network infrastructure across multiple data centers, helping the university understand current constraints, plan future capacity, and evaluate options for phased enhancements.
Throughout this work, LEDG’s planning approach has accounted for the presence of federally funded research programs supported by U.S. agencies such as NASA and NOAA. Rather than designing to specific grant provisions, recommendations focused on supporting the reliability and adaptability expected of advanced research HPC environments to compete for and secure research funding.
As a public institution within a state-governed university system, the school was required to follow statewide competitive bidding and public contracting processes. While LEDG did not conduct procurement directly, the team worked within these frameworks, coordinating with contractors, vendors, and stakeholders to support compliant execution and consistent project delivery.
ONGOING PROJECTS WITH CONSISTENT ADVISORY SUPPORT
Over time, the relationship has expanded beyond individual projects into a long-term advisory partnership. As research computing needs and institutional priorities continue to change, LEDG remains a reliable resource, supporting ongoing upgrades and always being available for whatever questions or concerns arise.
This stability has allowed LEDG to extend its support to additional institutions within the university system, helping guide data center planning and incremental upgrades at other schools across the state. With this and other services provided by LEDG, the university can rely on its partner to:
• Support design and construction administration across phased data center projects, maintaining continuity within active environments
• Deliver assessments of mechanical, electrical, and network infrastructure to support evolving HPC needs
• Work within public-sector governance and procurement frameworks to support compliant, on-time project delivery
• Align infrastructure planning with research activity and institutional budgeting cycles, supporting operational longevity
• Serve as a trusted advisor for more than 15 years, with expanded support across additional institutions within the statewide university system
Together, the university and LEDG have built a long-term partnership founded in transparency, adaptability, and a commitment to support an evolving research and academic mission all within a complex public-sector environment.
“What’s made this partnership successful is the shared understanding that things change. From research priorities to technology itself, we’ve been able to help the university stay ahead of the curve.”
Bambi Rivera, Practice Leader, Technology Services
Leading Edge Design Group