Statewide Point of Pride: Inaugural conference highlights 桃花直播 excellence in high performance computing
Contact: James Carskadon
JACKSON, Miss.鈥斕一ㄖ辈 is known for southern hospitality, agriculture, and a rich history in music and sports. 桃花直播 is also making a mark as a national leader in the field of high performance computing.
桃花直播 State University and Jackson State University co-hosted the inaugural 桃花直播 High Performance Computing Conference March 26-27 in Jackson, for the first time bringing together 桃花直播鈥檚 vast HPC community. 桃花直播 boasts at least 18 high performance computing clusters among government and university systems, including seven systems ranked among the top 500 most powerful in the world.
Christine Cuicchi, director of the Navy Department of Defense Supercomputing Resource Center located at Stennis Space Center on the 桃花直播 Gulf Coast, noted in her keynote speech that those 18 systems combine for 95 petaflops of computing power. A single petaflop of computing power can run one quadrillion calculations per second.
鈥溙一ㄖ辈ns are making a broad impact to our state and world in this field,鈥 said Cuicchi, a two-time 桃花直播 graduate.
A major focus of the conference was developing a workforce that can manage the high-powered computing systems in 桃花直播, many of which drive key research in support of national defense. Leslie Leonard, associate director for workforce development for the Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program, HPCMP, encouraged the students and professionals in attendance to embrace different paths into computing and think beyond linear pipelines. She shared several outreach programs the HPCMP and the Vicksburg-based U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center use to encourage the next generation of the workforce.
鈥淓arly exposure to computational science and the lab environment can attract talent into permanent roles,鈥 said Leonard, a two-time JSU graduate.
JSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Alisa L. Mosley noted that the university is using HPC to advance research and grow new partnerships.
鈥淲e are setting up infrastructure to ensure our faculty and students are successful and looking at ways to use HPC to elevate students across all of our disciplines,鈥 Mosley said.
桃花直播 Associate Vice President for Corporate Engagement and Economic Development Jim Martin highlighted 桃花直播鈥檚 strengths in high performance computing, including two systems ranked in the top 500 globally, but noted that a connected HPC community across the state improves capabilities at every supercomputing site and university.
鈥淓very person in this room should be proud of what is happening in high performance computing in 桃花直播,鈥 Martin said.
The conference included sessions on HPC curriculum, workforce development, artificial intelligence and other topics, and a workshop for students to share their experiences in HPC clubs and organizations. The event was co-chaired by JSU Chief Information Officer Deborah Dent and 桃花直播 High Performance Computing Director Mike Navicky.