The Informatics unit at the University of Oklahoma Libraries specializes in information engineering, emphasizing the automation, storage, and retrieval of data through digital infrastructure. This unit supports campus researchers through consultations and by integrating Informatics specialists into grant-funded projects, thereby enhancing research capabilities and outcomes. All grant-related work is supervised by Tyler Pearson, Director of Digital Scholarship and Data Services. The team includes Varun Sayapaneni, Research Informatics Specialist, who brings expertise in data-intensive research and digital scholarship projects, along with the team of Graduate Research Assistants.
Featured Projects
Nautilus/Jupyter Service at the University of Oklahoma
Overview
The Nautilus/Jupyter initiative, supported by the Digital Scholarship and Data Services (DSDS) team at the University Libraries, empowers OU researchers and instructors by providing access to cutting-edge computing environments tailored for instructional and research purposes. Built on the National Research Platform’s Kubernetes Nautilus portal, this service enhances reproducibility, scalability, and equitable access in computational research while supporting innovative teaching practices.
Service Highlights
Users can onboard through consultations and demonstrations led by the service team. Contact us here.
A ticketing system ensures timely support, with responses typically within 48–72 hours during business hours.
Faculty and researchers can access a library of FAQs, Tutorials, and Documentation.
Technology
The DSDS team utilizes Nautilus as an end-user application platform rather than managing the underlying hardware. This enables seamless application execution on the infrastructure without direct administrative responsibilities. The DSDS hosts the Nautilus platform as a service for all the students, researchers and faculty. To use this service, visit the following webpage and log in with the users OU credentials.
Learn More
Explore the Nautilus Portal to discover its capabilities and official documentation.
Web Archiving Workflow
Overview
The Digital Scholarship and Data Services (DSDS) team offers a comprehensive web archiving workflow to preserve faculty and researcher websites in alignment with University Libraries (UL) policies. This service ensures that valuable academic and research content is captured, preserved, and made accessible for long-term use. Using tools like wget, Conifer and Browsertrix, the DSDS archives entire websites or specific pages, maintaining the integrity of the content while adhering to best practices in digital preservation. Archived websites can be hosted on other platforms or accessed locally, offering flexibility in how they are utilized.
By providing guidance and technical support, DSDS enables researchers to meet preservation standards, ensuring their websites remain a sustainable resource for future research and scholarship. This workflow reflects a commitment to safeguarding the digital footprint of the university’s academic community.
Harnessing AI with LiteLLM on Nautilus
Overview
The Nautilus platform, supported by the National Research Platform (NRP), offers seamless integration with advanced AI models through LiteLLM, an intuitive and accessible proxy for large language models (LLMs). This service allows researchers, educators, and digital humanities enthusiasts to leverage cutting-edge AI tools for a variety of purposes, including research, instruction, and digital scholarship—no programming expertise required.
For an interactive experience, explore the OpenWebUI Chat, where you can directly engage with AI models running on Nautilus. This streamlined service demonstrates how LiteLLM, combined with Nautilus’s robust infrastructure, simplifies access to cutting-edge AI, empowering the OU community with innovative tools for research and education.
Consultations with the Digital Scholarship and Data Services (DSDS) team ensure that these tools can be applied effectively across disciplines, from computational research to digital humanities projects.
Dr. Steve Bradford's Project: Digital Prosopography (In Progress)
One notable application of Nautilus and LiteLLM tools is Dr. Steve Bradford's project, which modernizes his seminal work, Prosopography of Lacedaemonians, into a digital resource. In collaboration with Dr. Sam Huskey and the DSDS team, this initiative explores leveraging LLMs to translate legacy data into machine-readable formats. The goal is to create a lightweight static website with basic search functionality, showcasing a database of Lacedaemonians from 323 B.C. to A.D. 396. As of December 2024, the DSDS team is investigating how AI tools can streamline complex workflows, contributing to both scholarship and digital preservation.
Nautilus and LiteLLM empower the OU community to unlock the potential of AI, transforming innovative ideas into impactful research and accessible digital tools.
Impact Stories & Publications
NAUTILUS PILOT PHASE II
Phase II of the Nautilus service aims to expand access and functionality, offering comprehensive support for updated computing notebooks to OU students, researchers, and other affiliated users.
Ruediger, Dylan, Thea P. Atwood, Neelam Bharti, Bryan Briones, Patrick Campbell, Paula Carey, Daniel Castillo, et al. "Big Data Infrastructure at the Crossroads: Support Needs and Challenges for Universities." Ithaka S+R. Last Modified 1 December 2024. https://doi.org/10.18665/sr.316121.
Eli S. Bridge, Jay Wilhelm, Meelyn M. Pandit, Alexander Moreno, Claire M. Curry, Tyler D. Pearson, Darren S. Proppe, Charles Holwerda, John M. Eadie, Tez F. Stair, Ami C. Olson, Bruce E. Lyon, Carrie L. Branch, Angela M. Pitera, Dovid Kozlovsky, Benjamin R. Sonnenberg, Vladimir V. Pravosudov, and Jessica E. Ruyle. An Arduino-Based RFID Platform for Animal Research. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Front. Ecol. Evol., 10 July 2019. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00257
Presentations
- Laufersweiler, M., Pearson, T. (2023). Troubleshooting Kubernetes and Generating Metrics. Presentation, GPN 2023 Annual Meeting.
- Laufersweiler, M., Pearson, T. (2023). Leveraging the National Research Platform to Build a Scalable Research and Education Environment. Presentation, CNI Spring 2023 Membership Meeting.
- Laufersweiler, M., Pearson, T. (2023). A Common Environment for Instruction and Research: One Year Later. Presentation, University of Oklahoma Academic Tech Expo.
- Laufersweiler, M., Pearson, T. (2022). BoF: A Common Environment for Education and Research: An OU Implementation of Nautilus. Presentation, GPN 2022 Annual Meeting.
-
Laufersweiler, M., Pearson, T. (2022). A Common Environment for Instruction and Research. Presentation, University of Oklahoma Academic Tech Expo.
MEET THE EXPERTS WITH OU LIBRARIES DATA SERVICES UNIT
Tyler Pearson, Director of Informatics, supports researchers by transforming their ideas into functional code and providing expertise on research workflows and a range of other services. Tyler is one of the OU research specialists holding office hours in the Data Services Unit, located in the Zarrow Family Faculty and Graduate Student Center on lower level 1 - 121 of the Bizzell Memorial Library.
Varun Sayapaneni, Research Informatics Specialist, contributes expertise in data automation and management to the team.
Graduate Research Assistants:
Sanjana Reddy Ella and
Kumudini Mandava