His impressive career includes being the first African American to earn a doctorate in theoretical physics from Stanford University. Since then, Giles has held key roles, such as SC Conference General Chair in 2002 and serving on the Boston University Board of Trustees. He also has been recognized with honors, including the A. Nico Habermann Award; multiple teaching awards; and is an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow (2019). He is a driving force in promoting diversity and excellence in computing research and leads the SC23 Keynote and Invited Talks programs, exemplifying his advocacy.

Humanizing Technology

In this I Am HPC profile, Giles shares his unique perspective, providing insights into his work as a prominent physicist and computer engineer, as well as his passionate mission to humanize technology and bridge the digital divide.

Roscoe C. Giles, III

Professor, Boston University

Roscoe on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Giles: Probably not really a single event but a sequence of high points spread over time. My first introduction to a computer was an IBM 1620 when I was in high school around 1963 or 1964. We programmed it in FORTRAN II. Everything (including the two-pass compiler) was on cards. Still, it did amazing things.

Working as a graduate student around 1973, I studied string-like models and used computer simulations (this time an IBM 360/91 at SLAC) to compute their oscillation modes and produce (simple) graphics.

My turning point (from physics to computing) arose with early massively parallel computers, particularly the Connection Machine, which we had at Boston University around 1990. I loved programming it in LISP (list processing) and mapping problems onto its hypercube communication network.

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Giles: Not so sure. I did early work on massively parallel computer simulations in QCD (quantum chromodynamics) and molecular dynamics back when 1 million particles was considered a large problem. I also helped lead education and outreach efforts for one of the NSF (National Science Foundation) supercomputing partnerships in the late ’90s.

Another set of community impacts came from my work on the DOE (Department of Energy) Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee, which I served on starting at its founding in 2000 and through the start of the exascale computing initiative. I served on the Computational Science Graduate Fellowship steering committee for many years.

Finally, I chaired the SC02 conference over 20 years ago.

I would like to think that in some of these roles, I helped encourage Black and other underrepresented groups of people to engage with computing and HPC.

Q: In the past 35 years, what is the most significant overlooked breakthrough that has impacted the field in your eyes?

Giles: The vast improvement in software tools and the level of software engineering in the best of HPC systems. We are much better than we used to be in building composable, maintainable, testable software—and still probably have a long way to go :-))

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Giles: The community needs to be more culturally diverse and embrace a wider range of perspectives, ideas, and problems. I love the theme of this year’s SC, which draws our attention to the human dimensions of our work and efforts.

Q: What would do you look forward to regarding the HPC/computing community?

Giles: As you probably have gathered, I have been around for a long time in the HPC community. I am very encouraged and proud of the current and future generations I see coming up in our community. I look forward to the ideas they will generate and the directions they will take us.

Currently, Ellingson serves as an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, where she also manages High-Performance Computing Services at the Markey Cancer Center. Her research combines simulations, big data analysis, and machine learning to improve drug binding predictions.

Beyond her research, Ellingson is committed to mentoring and outreach, particularly for underrepresented groups in the field of computational sciences. Her involvement in the SC Conference, dating back to 2014, has been extensive. She has contributed significantly to various programs within the conference, such as the Broader Engagement program, Student Volunteer program, Mentor-Protégé program, and School Tours. Currently serving as the Students@SC Chair, her volunteer efforts have had a lasting impact on the community.

Momentum & Mentoring

In Ellingson’s I Am HPC blog, she emphasizes the importance of maintaining the momentum of diversity and inclusion efforts within the HPC community and underscores the significance of mentoring the next generation to ensure a more inclusive and diverse environment.

Sally ellingson

Assistant Professor, Division of Biomedical Informatics, UK College of Medicine

Sally on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Ellingson: Touring the computer room at Oak Ridge National Laboratory when I was interviewing for graduate school. 

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Ellingson: My volunteer work through the SC Conference.

Q: In the past 35 years, what is the most significant overlooked breakthrough that has impacted the field in your eyes?

Ellingson: I’ve been pleased to witness the growing emphasis on diversity and inclusion within the Supercomputing conference and the HPC community. During my grad school days, I participated in a program aimed at enhancing diversity and fostering a sense of community within the conference. While it was disappointing to see it discontinued, I’m proud to see these initiatives gaining momentum. Today, inclusivity stands as a top-tier priority for the conference, influencing every facet of the event. This underscores the commitment to cultivating a diverse workforce and nurturing inclusive work environments to sustain the vibrancy and diversity of our community.

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Ellingson: As we move forward, it’s crucial that we maintain our momentum and remain steadfast in our commitment to DEI initiatives. Additionally, we should not lose sight of the significance of mentoring students. This investment in the next generation is pivotal for the continued growth and strength of our community. By providing guidance and support to emerging talent, we not only contribute to their personal development but also fortify the collective knowledge and capabilities of our community. Together, we can ensure a more inclusive, diverse, and thriving environment for all.

A Role Model for Success

Angie’s IT background and journey in a male-dominated field make her a role model for women in tech, particularly in Colorado. We believe her story could inspire countless young women considering careers in the tech sector.

Angie Asmus

Manager of Network and Security Operations, Colorado State University

Angie on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Asmus: I was first introduced to HPC/computing while attending the SC Conference in 2016. At the time, I was a network engineer contributing to SCinet, where I played a role in constructing the high-performance network for the conference. This experience broadened my perspective on HPC and exposed me to the diverse career paths within both HPC and networking. Since then I have remained a part of the HPC community by attending the conference and participating in SCinet, working with some of the best engineers who support HPC networks.

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Asmus: My most significant impact on the HPC/computing community lies in my dedication to fostering diversity and supporting related programs. In 2016, I became a WINS (Women in IT Networking at SC) awardee, marking the beginning of my ongoing involvement in this valuable initiative. WINS addresses the acknowledged diversity gap in HPC and networking, taking intentional steps to support a varied group of SCinet participants. As the SC24 SCinet Chair, I am actively advancing diversity efforts, particularly in advocating for a diverse representation of women in leadership positions.

Q: In the past 35 years, what is the most significant overlooked breakthrough that has impacted the field in your eyes?

Asmus: The strides made in the past 35 years have been remarkable, but one often overlooked breakthrough that has significantly impacted the field is the increasing recognition of the value of diversity. While technological advancements grab the headlines, the acknowledgment that diverse perspectives drive innovation is a game-changer. Embracing a variety of voices, backgrounds, and experiences has not only enriched the field socially but has also proven to be a catalyst for groundbreaking ideas and solutions. It’s a breakthrough that goes beyond algorithms and processors, shaping a more inclusive and dynamic future for computing.

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Asmus: As we move forward, it’s crucial that we maintain our momentum and remain steadfast in our commitment to DEI initiatives. Additionally, we should not lose sight of the significance of mentoring students. This investment in the next generation is pivotal for the continued growth and strength of our community. By providing guidance and support to emerging talent, we not only contribute to their personal development but also fortify the collective knowledge and capabilities of our community. Together, we can ensure a more inclusive, diverse, and thriving environment for all.

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Asmus: I currently hold the position of the manager of network and security operations at Colorado State University and am also serving as the Interim Director of Network & Telecommunications. My involvement with SCinet began at SC16, where I participated as a WINS awardee, contributing to the construction of the conference network. Since then, I’ve been an active participant in SCinet every year. The honor of being chosen as the SCinet Chair for SC24 is especially significant, as I am the first WINS awardee to assume this role where I will be leading a team of exceptional volunteer network engineers to create the fastest and most powerful volunteer network for SC24.

For more than five years, Foulds has been an integral part of the SC Conference, especially with SCinet. As SCinet Management Team Executive Director (starting in 2020) and Project Management Team Chair (2018-2020), she has led efforts to coordinate the network’s project managers across all teams and direct activities for nearly 200 program volunteers annually. This year, Foulds brought her pr

Planning Committee Skills

Casey’s connection to the SC Conference is just one thing that makes her proud to say, “I Am HPC.”

Casey Foulds

Enterprise Project Manager, The University of Texas at Dallas

Casey on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Foulds: I was invited to project manage the XNet group [SCinet experimental network] to help drive cutting-edge network projects for SC18, and I was hooked!

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Foulds: I have served on various committees with SCinet and the SC Committee in both project management and management roles.

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Foulds: Waiting on the next big, featured thing. I can’t say what that [thing] is because I am not a subject matter expert, but I know that change drives innovation.

Curfman McInnes holds key positions, serving as the Deputy Director for the Software Technology focus area of the DOE Exascale Computing Project and co-leading the IDEAS scientific software productivity project. This project has birthed initiatives like the Better Scientific Software (BSSw) site, BSSw Fellowship Program, and the Extreme-scale Scientific Software Development Kit (xSDK).

With a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Virginia, Curfman McInnes is a SIAM Fellow (2017) and has received numerous honors, including the SIAM/ACM Prize in Computational Science and Engineering (2015). She was also recognized with the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award (2011) and the R&D 100 Award (2009) for her work on PETSc.

Curfman McInnes’ significant contributions shine through in her featured publications in renowned journals such as Nature Computational Science, ACM Transactions, and SIAM Review. Her pioneering research in optimizing parallelism in numerical software libraries has made a lasting impact.

On Wednesday, November 15, SC23 attendees had the privilege of attending her invited speaker presentation, “Broadening Participation in HPC: Together We Can Change the World.” During this session, she provided a comprehensive overview of workforce initiatives across the HPC community, highlighting opportunities for engagement. McInnes delved into the vital role played by DOE lab staff involved in the ECP Broadening Participation Initiative, as they are addressing DOE’s workforce challenges through a lens that acknowledges the unique needs and culture of high-performance computing.

Progress Though Team-Based Science

Curfman McInnes is a computational science pioneer whose work and leadership have left an indomitable mark on the field. In this I Am HPC profile Lois shares her HPC journey with us.

Lois Curfman McInnes

Senior Computational Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory

Lois on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Curfman McInnes: During my time as a grad student (in applied math at the University of Virginia), I spent a summer working at Argonne National Lab. This exposure to high-performance computational science and the multidisciplinary culture of DOE labs hooked me; I returned to Argonne as a postdoc … and I continue to be grateful for the opportunity to work in such an exciting field with such terrific colleagues throughout the HPC community.

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Curfman McInnes: All of my work in HPC has been as part of exciting team-based collaborations. So, I would say that my biggest contribution has been, over time, being a member of a variety of terrific teams. Because “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” in team-based science, we are making strong progress in advancing scalable algorithms, productive and sustainable scientific software ecosystems, and diverse collaborations needed to tackle next-generation challenges in high-performance computational science.

Q: In the past 35 years, what is the most significant overlooked breakthrough that has impacted the field in your eyes?

Curfman McInnes: As the impact of high-performance computational science has grown tremendously, driving advances throughout science and society, so has the complexity and scope of HPC applications and software technologies. This shift demands intentional work toward software ecosystem approaches for HPC, explicitly considering relationships among diverse HPC contributions. I consider this topic – software ecosystem approaches for HPC – to be an “in-progress” breakthrough, not yet fully realized but with important progress underway by various groups throughout the international HPC community. One example is work in DOE’s Exascale Computing Project, where a robust scientific software ecosystem is supporting a diverse set of applications for scientific discovery.

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Curfman McInnes: The combined expertise of diverse teams is essential for pursuing new frontiers in HPC. We need to expand partnerships across the HPC community to address the full life cycle of the HPC workforce, including broadening participation of underrepresented groups.

With his background in computer science, Mbunzama has become a prominent figure in the tech landscape of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly within areas of disinformation analysis, AI/ML, and cybersecurity, and his goal is to drive innovation and digital resilience in the region. He has been instrumental in leading various projects that have advanced AI applications, harnessed blockchain for transformative solutions, enhanced cybersecurity, and leveraged cloud computing for efficiency.

Driving Technological Progress

Mbunzama actively promotes knowledge sharing, mentors emerging talents, and collaborates with local and international stakeholders to drive technological progress in the DRC. Read more to find out how HPC has shaped Mbunzama’s career.

Narcisse Mbunzama

Founder, Digital Security Group

Narcisse on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Mbunzama: The decision to pursue a career in HPC/computing has been influenced by my participation on a research project that involved heavy computational simulations.

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Mbunzama: My participation on several projects related to big data and cloud computing, where large-scale data have been processed and analyzed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, are my biggest contributions to the HPC/computing community.

Q: In the past 35 years, what is the most significant overlooked breakthrough that has impacted the field in your eyes?

Mbunzama: Personally, I think that the development of parallel computing concepts—the idea of parallel computing, where multiple processors work together to solve a problem—is foundational to HPC. Innovations in parallel computing architectures, algorithms, and programming paradigms, like MPI and OpenMP, that have been critical in making HPC systems more efficient and scalable, are the most significant innovations in the field.

In her concurrent role as a Research Assistant Professor in the UT Department of Nuclear Engineering since January 2021, Penchoff’s focus centers on data science and high-performance computing (HPC) applications in radiochemistry. Her research spans exascale computing, artificial intelligence (AI) applications, selective binding optimization for rare earth elements (REEs) and actinides, nuclear forensics, and radiotherapeutics.

Penchoff’s career has been punctuated by impactful roles, such as the Director of the Institute for Nuclear Security Scientific Fellows Program at the UT Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy from 2018 to 2020. Here, she harnessed computational protocols to address national security needs and facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration.

Her expertise extends to education, with her former role as Co-Instructor of “Advanced Policy Process and Program Evaluation” at the UT Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy in 2020. Penchoff currently is a Fellow of the Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, where she serves in the Center for Energy, Transportation and Environmental Policy and the Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs. She has actively contributed to various professional organizations, including the American Chemical Society (ACS), where she holds multiple leadership positions and chairs committees focused on computational science, data science, and AI applications in nuclear and radiochemistry.

Penchoff’s dedication to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is evident through her roles on committees and commissions within the university. Her research contributions, encompassing computational science and modeling, and her involvement in DEI efforts have led to numerous publications and awards, including the 2023 UT Tickle College of Engineering Commitment to Inclusive Community Award.

An Influential Figure

Penchoff’s multidimensional roles in leadership, academia, research, and advocacy, including as SC23’s Plenary Productions Chair, underscore her substantial impact across scientific, educational, and professional spheres. Her commitment to advancement and collaboration marks her as an influential figure in the world of computational science and beyond. In this I AM HPC profile, Penchoff articulates a visionary aspiration of unrestricted collaboration across the scientific realm, seeking to transcend barriers and foster unity.

Deborah Penchoff

Associate Director of the Innovative Computing Laboratory and Research Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee (UT)

Deborah on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Penchoff: While in graduate school, I was working on a project focused on optimization of separations of REEs and actinides. This was critical to guarantee a national supply of REEs and to develop strategies to bind actinides for applications in national security. Throughout this project, I realized the power of HPC resources and how they could accelerate solution development for these applications. Since then, I have been passionate about developing strategies to connect HPC with research areas that can benefit from HPC’s accelerating capabilities.

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Penchoff: I think my biggest contribution so far has been to develop protocols to facilitate HPC-driven tools to address needs in radiochemistry.I think my biggest contribution so far has been to develop protocols to facilitate HPC-driven tools to address needs in radiochemistry.

Q: In the past 35 years, what is the most significant overlooked breakthrough that has impacted the field in your eyes?

Penchoff: I have been in this field for a little bit over a decade. I can’t say at this point what may be an overlooked breakthrough from the past 35 years. I certainly look forward to future multidisciplinary advances in the field.

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Penchoff:  I would like computer scientists and domain scientists to see themselves as part of a large team striving to develop solutions for needs critical in society with local, regional, national, and global scope. Historically, fields developed in defined areas of research, and great advances have been achieved thanks to efforts in each community. Moving forward, I would like for scientists to be part of a larger team with less defined boundaries to create an environment in which everyone can feel that they belong. This would allow everyone to contribute their best efforts to develop solutions that require multidisciplinary expertise.

With a wealth of experience, Harrell’s journey in the realm of computational science and HPC spans over two decades. Prior to joining TACC, he spent more than six years as a Senior Computational Scientist within the Research Computing group at Purdue University. He also boasts a decade of experience in industry Linux system administration.

As a testament to his commitment to the field and dedication to fostering the next generation of computational scientists, Harrell serves as the chair for the ACM SIGHPC Computational and Data Science Fellowship.

Commitment & Dedication

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Harrell has actively participated in the SC Conference for several years, taking on various leadership roles. His extensive involvement in SC demonstrates his dedication to the HPC community and its growth. Notably, he has chaired key committees, including the Best Reproducibility Advancement Award and Tutorials committees. Currently, he is the SC23 Executive Assistant.

In this I AM HPC profile, read more about Harrell’s HPC contributions and how his expertise makes him a valuable asset in the advancement of scientific computing and research.

Stephen Harrell

HPC Engineering Scientist, Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC)

Stephen on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Harrell: I came from an IT/Systems Administration background in industry. I got hooked when I started an academic job 15 years ago and realized I could make more of an impact in the world supporting science. I have been supporting science and engineering in academia ever since.

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Harrell: I have contributed in small ways many, many times. I think, in general, my contribution is helping scientists learn about our world. I do some computer science research as well, but there is nothing more satisfying for me than supporting new discoveries about our world, our universe, and us.

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Harrell: I would like to see the different organizations that push HPC forward start to share their own technology, as well as building on others’ work. There is often a push to do something “new” when a good amount of the ideas [generated] in the project-in-planning are implemented somewhere else. We need to reuse this work and collaborate across programs, institutions, agencies, and countries.

It is often more fun to reinvent the wheel. However, we only need so many kinds of wheels. What actually is needed are carts with wheels that anyone can replace.

Learn more about Harrell’s work and contributions on his ORCiD profile. 

Badia has been recognized with the Euro-Par Achievement Award in 2019, noting her work on parallel task-based programming models, workflow applications, and systems; the Dona TIC Award 2019 (Academia/Researcher category); and the International Symposium on High-Performance Parallel and Distributed Computing (HPDC) Achievement Award in 2021. In 2023, she was invited to become a member of the Institut d’Estudis Catalans, a private academic, scientific, and cultural institution dedicated to researching Catalan culture, further solidifying her status as a distinguished academic in her field.

As a longtime SC Conference participant, Badia has held diverse roles, including as an exhibitor, tutorial presenter, panelist, workshop organizer, invited speaker, poster author, and Birds of a Feather session organizer. She also has contributed her share of technical papers as both an author and presenter. For SC23, Badia took an even bigger leap by serving as Co-Chair (with Kathryn Mohror of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) of the Technical Program. 

Researcher & Volunteer in Parallel

Notably, Badia’s substantial involvement with the SC Conference happens to coincide with her decision to pursue computing as a career. In her I AM HPC profile, Badia shares some of her journey thus far and where she still would like to see the computing research community evolve.   

Rosa M. Badia

Workflows and Distributed Computing Manager, Barcelona Supercomputing Center

Rosa on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Badia: One event significantly impacted me and made me want to belong and contribute more to the HPC community. I was already contributing to the European Center of Parallelism in Barcelona (CEPBA), the precursor of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. At that time, I had the opportunity to attend SC02 in Baltimore—my first SC! I enjoyed the event so much and was so excited about the Technical Program, the Exhibits, and all the components of SC that when I left, I told myself I wanted to be more involved with this community.

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Badia: During the last 15 years, I have done research on task-based programming models for different target platforms: multicore processors, GPUs, and distributed computing. For example, in SC06, we presented a paper about CellSs, a task-based programming model for the Cell processor. Also, from BSC, we proposed the tasking model, which has been adopted in the OpenMP specification. My recent research focuses more on distributed computing through the PyCOMPSs/COMPSs programming environment and on the development of workflows that combine traditional HPC simulations with artificial intelligence and data analytics. 

Q: In the past 35 years, what is the most significant overlooked breakthrough that has impacted the field in your eyes?

Badia: I am not sure I can identify any overlooked breakthrough. However, multiple innovations have impacted the field in recent years. To mention a few, the appearance of the multicore chips posed large challenges on how applications should be programmed or the heterogeneous architectures (mainly GPUs but also FPGAs). More recently, artificial intelligence has been changing the field a lot and is opening a considerable controversy regarding its impact on traditional modeling and simulation. 

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Badia: Ideally, I would like [to make] more international collaboration possible. While there are initiatives that try to foster this, in the end, it isn’t easy. I see groups in different regions (United States, Europe, Asia) working on similar topics and sometimes duplicating efforts because there are no common funding instruments that enable real international collaboration. Unfortunately, it is something challenging to achieve since even regions with good political relationships have no programs allowing this collaboration. Another aspect that I will be happy to see change is gender and diversity in general. SC is doing an excellent job promoting it, but, in fact, the numbers in the institutions still show that there is a lot of work to be done. 

Q: What are you most looking forward to at SC23?

Badia: For almost the last two years, I have worked with Kathryn Mohror as Co-Chairs of the SC23 Technical Program. This has involved a committee of more than 500 members in eight program components. Although this has required a great effort from all of us, we are very excited about the forthcoming SC23 and wish for a very successful event. 

A Loyal SC Committee Member

Brian Smith is a loyal SCinet volunteer, participating in numerous teams throughout the years. His first SC conference was in Orlando in 1998 and he has been to many more over the years. He has served on the Planning Committee a few times, usually in the Tech Program area as a reviewer for the Papers and Posters programs. He has been active in SCinet for the past 5 years and currently co-leads the Contributor Relations Team and the Logistics Team.

Brian Smith

Director of Technology, Cornelis Networks

Brian on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Smith: My first job in college was at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Ames Laboratory at the Scalable Computing Lab (SCL). Despite being a very small DOE lab, the SCL had a lot of high-end HPC hardware, including two MasPars, two NCubes, an Intel Paragon, and several large SGI multiprocessor machines. We built multiple “Beowulf” clusters as well and provided compute resources to other groups on the Iowa State University campus. Getting to play with such high-end hardware at the time made me realize I needed to stay in HPC.

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Smith: I was a team leader for the IBM BlueGene L, P, and Q communication stacks. I really feel the BlueGene program was one of the best things in HPC in a long time and I’m very proud of my work on the project. We had a very balanced machine (memory per CPU, network per CPU, etc.) and pushed the envelope on a number of fronts, including a scalable messaging stack that is still being used in products today.

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Smith: More diversity. HPC has gotten more diverse in the last 25+ years, but it still has a long way to go. The WINS program is a great program but we can definitely do more as a community.

Brian Smith (left) with fellow SCinet volunteer Wes DeWitt.

Brian Smith (right) with Marcia Elliot.

Dan’s journey began with a focus on high-performance computing, leading him to work on numerous initiatives that bridge scientific research and advanced technologies. His leadership at various institutions and his work as an NSF program officer have been instrumental in fostering collaboration between different disciplines, bringing together experts to solve complex challenges.

Beyond his technical prowess, Dan’s commitment to open science, research software sustainability, and data sharing is evident in his advocacy for the importance of transparent and accessible research. This dedication is evident through his involvement in creating policies that encourage open-source software, data sharing, and reproducibility, thereby shaping the future of scientific research.

Dan’s role as an educator at the University of Illinois further solidifies his impact. By mentoring students and collaborating with fellow researchers, he imparts his vast knowledge and enthusiasm for computational science to the next generation. This dedication to education ensures that his influence extends beyond his own work, leaving a lasting mark on the wider scientific community.

Advancing Research & Innovation

Dan stands as a luminary in the world of computational and data-enabled science. His technical expertise, commitment to open science, and passion for education collectively underscore his significant contributions to advancing research and innovation in the digital age. In this I Am HPC blog, Dan graciously shares with us.

Daniel S. Katz

Chief Scientist, NCSA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Daniel on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Katz: I was excited as a graduate student to realize the power of computational simulation to model the physical world to make it understandable and predictable, and quickly realized that HPC was essential to using simulation for understanding of the world with detail and at scale.

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Katz: Raising awareness about the importance of research software—that it must be maintained by people in order to continue to be useful over time, and that those people (many of whom are now known as Research Software Engineers or RSEs) need to have career paths in academia as well as national labs, and that these career paths depend on the use and impact of their work being seen, measured, and valued.

Q: In the past 35 years, what is the most significant overlooked breakthrough that has impacted the field in your eyes?

Katz: The commoditization of HPC at many levels, from the systems (starting with the Beowulf project and moving through GPUs) to the usage modalities (such as cloud and AI/ML).

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Katz: While there have been improvements during my career, we still need much more work on diversity, ranging from demographics (e.g., gender, ethnic background, etc.) to discipline (e.g., STEM vs. other fields) to opportunities (e.g., students in non-research-focused universities and community colleges). The best ideas aren’t limited to those who are currently in HPC, but also exist in those who aren’t in HPC and may not even be aware of it.

Dan Katz (left) with 2023 REU students and team members.

Dan Katz, Chief Scientist, NCSA (right) with Bill Gropp, Director, NCSA.

Who Is Your HPC Hero?

Send your suggestions to the SC23 Communications Team. Share their name and a brief description of why they’re your HPC hero.

Suggest your hero

Unsung Impacts of Virtualization

Hossen counts the emergence and widespread adoption of virtualization technology as one of the most overlooked yet profoundly transformative breakthroughs of the last 35 years. This technology’s seismic impact on resource management and the democratization of HPC has laid the groundwork for an uncharted era of innovation. Through the creation of virtual clusters, virtualization has effectively dismantled the barriers of dedicated physical infrastructure, thereby enabling widespread access to HPC resources and nurturing novel avenues for scientific exploration.

Hossen’s perspective underscores the pressing need for a comprehensive blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on expertise in cutting-edge technologies to fully exploit the potential of these advancements. He envisions a collaborative landscape where institutions come together to formulate standardized curricula, facilitate workshops, establish certifications, and foster a pervasive culture of continuous learning. Such collaborative endeavors are poised to unleash the full potential of virtualization’s unsung impacts and pave the way for a future where technological leaps are both celebrated and effectively harnessed for the betterment of scientific progress.

Md Rajib Hossen

Ph.D. Candidate, The University of Texas at Arlington

Rajib on LinkedIN

Q: What single event most made you realize you wanted a career in HPC/computing?

Hossen: During my undergraduate studies, I participated in a research project focused on big data analysis and management. Through this project, I had the opportunity to work with advanced technologies, such as OpenStack, Ceph, and Hadoop, and witnessed the transformative impact that efficient resource management and automation can have on large-scale computing systems. I was fascinated by the immense computational power and the potential for solving complex problems that HPC offered. This experience ignited my passion for HPC and computing, and I realized I wanted to pursue a career in this field where I could contribute to pushing the boundaries of computational capabilities and enabling breakthrough scientific discoveries.

Q: What do you consider your biggest contribution to the HPC/computing community?

Hossen: I consider my biggest contribution to be my research on resource management for microservices and enabling HPC in cloud computing environments. In particular, my work on developing a comprehensive resource manager for microservices, called PEMA+, has garnered significant attention and recognition in the community. Additionally, my research on market mechanism-based user-in-the-loop power oversubscription for HPC systems addresses the challenges of power surge in oversubscribed clusters. Through these contributions, I aim to advance the field of resource management, scalability, and efficiency in HPC and cloud computing, enabling researchers and practitioners to harness the full potential of these technologies and achieve breakthroughs in scientific and computational domains.

Q: In the past 35 years, what is the most significant overlooked breakthrough that has impacted the field in your eyes?

Hossen: In my opinion, one of the most significant overlooked breakthroughs in the past 35 years that has greatly impacted the field is the development and widespread adoption of virtualization technology. Virtualization revolutionized the way computing resources are managed and utilized, bringing numerous benefits and advancements to various domains, including HPC and cloud computing. The impact of virtualization on HPC has been substantial. It has enabled the creation of virtual clusters, allowing researchers and practitioners to leverage HPC capabilities without the need for dedicated physical infrastructure. This has democratized access to high-performance computing resources and opened up new opportunities for scientific discovery and innovation.

Q: What would you like to see change about, within, or among the HPC/computing community?

Hossen: Continuous education and training are vital in a rapidly evolving field like HPC/computing. There should be more emphasis on providing comprehensive education and training programs to students, researchers, and professionals. This includes both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies, tools, and methodologies. Institutions and organizations can collaborate to develop standardized curricula, offer workshops and certifications, and promote lifelong learning. 

Q: Can you share any “words of wisdom” for those navigating the state of HPC today?

Hossen: As a researcher passionate about pushing the boundaries of computational capabilities, I am truly excited about the convergence of high-performance computing, big data analytics, and AI/ML in the cloud. The prospect of seamlessly harnessing the power of these paradigms opens up immense possibilities for tackling complex challenges and accelerating scientific breakthroughs. Enabling HPC workloads in the cloud empowers researchers like me to leverage scalable resources, optimize resource utilization, and drive innovation with cost-effective solutions. It’s a fascinating time to be at the intersection of converging computing disciplines, and I’m eager to explore the limitless potential it offers for advancing computational research.

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