News

QCIF’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

 
26/03/2020

As the COVID-19 situation develops, QCIF has been preparing initiatives to ensure researchers can still access our resources and services even while our staff work from home.

QCIF offers users resources that are predominantly virtual, meaning that for the most part, the effects of COVID-19 on staff location do not change our ability to provide computational, storage and eResearch platforms. 
 
We are liaising with our members to ensure our infrastructure is accessible and functional, even if our staff, or theirs, work from home.  
 
For many of our users, this is no different from the way they normally consume our infrastructure. Subject to a core network being available, users can be almost anywhere in the world and still access our high-performance computing and cloud infrastructure, storage, and other eResearch platforms. 
 
QFAB biostatisticians and bioinformaticians continue to provide the ‘Members Advice’ free consultations and are available via Zoom to help with:

  • Advice on experimental design and study design
  • Recommendation and coaching on statistical analyses
  • Help with the interpretation of results and reporting
  • Choice and use of software
  • Access to bioinformatics resources and compute infrastructure
  • Recommendation on data capture, validation, transformation and processing
  • Content and pilot analysis for grants, including power calculations
  • Review of publications and help with reviewer comments.



Requests can be made via this form. 
 
Unless otherwise stated in a future update and subject to the policy and decision-making processes of our members, we will endeavour to provide the same support services as we would during normal business hours.
 
Please note all QCIF training will be conducted online until further notice. If you've booked any upcoming training sessions, you'll be emailed with further information about next steps. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions.
 
Hacky Hours have either been suspended or are available online. UQ and QUT are trialling online Hacky Hours, and USQ and CQU’s Hacky Hours are already virtual. Follow your institution’s Hacky Hour feed on Twitter for updates.  
 
We encourage our members and users to make contact via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. should you have any questions.