Abstract: We describe the seven stage process that resulted in the operational Renaissance Computing Institute's Engagement Facility at NC State University (RENCI@NCSU). These stages include: 1) Creating the Partnership between RENCI and NC State University; 2) Building the Facility; 3) Hiring the Staff; 4) Establishing the Computing Infrastructure; 5) Reaching out to Researchers; 6) Developing Visualizations and 7) Expanding Horizons. RENCI@NCSU had its grand opening on March 23, 2007, so we have only just begun! We highlight the visualization and access grid technologies available at RENCI@NCSU and show some of our first visualization work. Some of our intended future directions are also discussed.

Short Bio: Theresa-Marie Rhyne is the Director of the Renaissance Computing Institute's Engagement Facility at NC State University (RENCI@NCSU). She is also the editor of the Visualization Viewpoints Department of IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications Magazine. Previously, she was the founding visualization expert at the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Scientific Visualization Center. When not working as a director of a facility or as a visualization engineer, she is also a fine artist in computer graphics and collage.