HPC Immersion Archives • SC23 https://sc23.supercomputing.org/tag/hpc-immersion/ Tue, 10 Oct 2023 21:48:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://sc23.supercomputing.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/cropped-sc23_favicon_01@2x-32x32.png HPC Immersion Archives • SC23 https://sc23.supercomputing.org/tag/hpc-immersion/ 32 32 Students Getting Their Feet Wet with HPC Immersion https://sc23.supercomputing.org/2023/10/students-getting-their-feet-wet-with-hpc-immersion/ Tue, 10 Oct 2023 03:26:06 +0000 https://sc23.supercomputing.org/?p=26577 The HPC Immersion program is designed to give undergraduate students a better understanding of the career options in the computational sciences that await them when they graduate. These young faces may not have much HPC experience yet, but with enough hard work and dedication, they will one day be the leaders of their fields. 

To help get them there, HPC Immersion guides students through the SC Technical Program and helps them engage with the community through panels, hands-on learning sessions, mentoring, and workshops. Under Lisa Perez, this year’s HPC Immersion Chair, the program hopes to inspire and educate the next crop of HPC professionals. 

Below is a list of this year’s participants as well as some introductory information about them.

Meet This Year’s Students

madison Lopez

California Polytechnic State University (Computer Science, Graphics)

I am looking forward to the panels and workshops available to students to learn more about HPC.

Hobbies: Art, manga, video games, game developing, modding

Favorite Ice Cream: Jamoca Almond Fudge

Hojahnea Hodges

Bluefield State University, Bluefield, West Virginia (Computer Science)

I am looking forward to seeing the architecture and landmarks that Denver has to offer. I also saw that there is also the Denver Zoo, it would be a dream to visit there.

Hobbies: Cooking, hiking, learning architecture and history, photography, ssurfing the web

Favorite Ice Cream: Cookies & Cream

Ashley Adams

Bluefield State University (Major: Computer Science, Minor: Cybersecurity)

I am looking forward to a fun time! I love that this an opportunity to network with and learn from experts in the field, as well as from my peers.

Hobbies: Listening to new music, nature photography and videography

Favorite Ice Cream: Cheesecake or Chocolate Chip

Md Toki Tahmid

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Computer Science and Engineering)

I am looking forward to my first time outside the country, meeting people from different cultures, and if possible, a calm walk around the city.

Hobbies: Singing and watching cricket

Favorite Ice Cream: Butter Pecan

Olivia Heng

Brown University (Computer Engineering)

I am excited to network and meet like-minded individuals and am especially looking forward to participating in HPC Immersion, where I’ll interact with similarly passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds and have experiences that will expand my perspectives of both HPC and how I can contribute to the HPC community.

Hobbies: Hakathons, trying new foods, and roller coasters

Favorite Ice Cream: Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey

Yimin Wang

Wake Forest (Computer Science and Statistics)

Hobbies: Basketball

Favorite Ice Cream: Oreo

Valery Hoyos

Politecnico Grancolombiano (Software Engineering)

I look forward to seeing the Rocky Mountain National Park and Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

Hobbies: Painting, exploring nature, and playing sports

Favorite Ice Cream: Cookies & Cream

Oliver Higginbotham

Mississippi State University (Computer Engineering)

I am looking forward to seeing local parks and museums.

Hobbies: Working on personal servers and computers, playing tuba, tinkering

Favorite Ice Cream: Cookies & Cream

Namita Shah

Arizona State University (Computer Science)

I can’t wait to explore Denver with my fellow participants, the people and the beautiful city itself. Denver is the hub of historical landmarks and gorgeous views!

Hobbies: Playing piano, singing Indian classical music, hiking, and hanging with friends

Favorite Ice Cream: Cookie Dough

Basit Hussain

BRAC University Dhaka Bangladesh (Computer Science)

I’m excited to participate in panels, hands-on learning sessions, mentoring, workshops, and gaining valuable insights as I explore potential career options. It’s great to see initiatives like this that help me gain practical knowledge and exposure early on in my academic journey.

Hobbies: Reading, coding, traveling, hiking, camping, swimming, and dancing

Favorite Ice Cream: Chocolate

Megan Hendrickson

Tennessee Tech University (Major: Computer Science, Minor: Mathematics)

I have been to Colorado before and loved it, so I’m just excited to be going back!

Hobbies: Cooking, crocheting, working out, and collecting records

Favorite Ice Cream: Ben & Jerry’s The Tonight Dough

Autumn Nguyen

Mount Holyoke College (Computer Science, Math, Philosophy, Environmental Economics)

I want to visit Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver Botanic Garden, and Colorado State Capitol. I also find outdoor activities in and around Denver exciting, like zip lining, rafting on the Clear Creek, or just simply hiking in some beautiful natural sites with other people in the program.

Hobbies: Writing journals, watching documentaries, and looking at the night sky

Favorite Ice Cream: Any vegan ice cream with nuts

Adebowale Adelekan

Indiana University Bloomington (Computer Science, Economics, Mathematics)

I am looking forward to big, fast, computers and the people/companies that make big, fast computers.

Hobbies: Basketball, cooking, building/upgrading computers

Favorite Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate Chip

Angelica Lucia Vasquez Gudiel

Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (Electrical Engineering)

I am looking forward to immersing myself in the program and meet professionals who share the same interests as me.

Hobbies: Watching movies and series, going out with friends, and spending time with family

Favorite Ice Cream: Cookie Dough

Brinkli Abbitt

Oklahoma State University (Chemical Engineering)

I am looking forward to the mountains.

Hobbies: Art and research

Favorite Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate Chip

Abby Kapocius

UNC Charlotte (Major: Computer Science, Minor: English)

I am looking forward to the downtown area! I would love to see the plains and the mountains as well.

Hobbies: Programming, computers, motorcycles, video games, and gardening

Favorite Ice Cream: Vegan Vanilla Bean

Sukai Fanneh Hydara

Everett Community College (Computer Science)

As a first-time visitor, I’m really excited to finally see the city of Denver! I love museums so I look forward to seeing the Denver Art Museum, or the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Hobbies: Listening to music, writing poetry, spending quality time with family

Favorite Ice Cream: Cookies & Cream or Talenti Alphonso Mango

Zachary Watson

Tarleton State University (Computer Science)

]]> HPC Immersion Opens the Door for Newbies https://sc23.supercomputing.org/2023/06/hpc-immersion-opens-the-door/ Wed, 07 Jun 2023 21:12:58 +0000 https://sc23.supercomputing.org/?p=23604 The Students@SC program is meant to expose bright, young minds to the wonderful world of supercomputing. While many of these students may have a good amount of exposure to computer science in general, they often have little to no experience with high performance computing (HPC.) 

HPC would be a lonely field if recruits needed to have a high level of expertise before they began their training. HPC Immersion was introduced to SC as a way help computing newbies learn as much as they can about HPC and help them understand the many possibilities within the field.

A World of Possibilities

We spoke with Sally Ellingson, an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky and this year’s Student@SC Chair, as well as Lisa Perez, the Director for Advanced Computing Enablement at Texas A&M’s High Performance Research Computing facility and this year’s HPC Immersion Chair, to learn more about this exciting program.

Sally ellingson

Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky

Sally on Linkedin

Lisa Perez

Director for Advanced Computing Enablement, Texas A&M University

Lisa on Linkedin

Starting something new can be daunting. But as Ellingson explains, the HPC Immersion program is specifically designed to help students overcome this fear. 

“HPC Immersion is a program to engage students who have never been to SC and are new to HPC,” says Ellingson. “This program helps bring in people who otherwise would not be exposed to the conference and engages them in a way to help foster their return and interest in HPC, building the community in breadth. HPC can transform all fields and being inclusive unlocks its highest potential.”

That last point is especially relevant in today’s computing climate. While HPC resources were once reserved for academic and high-level research purposes, they’ve since become more accessible to a wider range of people. Combined with tools meant to integrate simpler user interfaces with HPC machines, that means supercomputing is more available and versatile than ever. 

For instance, Perez states that she was introduced to the value of computing as a whole in junior high, using a Macintosh II computer to write a program that drew a rainbow leading to a pot of gold. Going on to earn a degree in chemistry, she learned about the awesome power of HPC and the need to spread these tools as widely as possible. 

“While I chose to pursue a degree in chemistry, I learned about supercomputers and computational chemistry as an undergraduate student which combined my passion for computers, math, and chemistry,” says Perez. “I went on to obtain a Ph.D. in chemistry with a focus on computational chemistry where I not only heavily used HPC as a researcher but also as a system administrator.”

Perez continues, “I was fortunate to attend educational institutions that had the resources to introduce programing and HPC early in my academic career. That had a profound impact on my career path. I am very excited to bring the same opportunities to undergraduate students early in their academic career through the HPC Immersion program. Participation opens up a world of possibilities in all things HPC!”

Welcoming Newcomers

SC wouldn’t exist if the conference didn’t encourage young people lacking experience in HPC to join and learn all they can. As such, HPC Immersion is designed to ensure that everyone feels welcome and valued, and that newcomers gain exposure in many aspects of HPC.

“Prior to SC, an introduction to HPC will be provided to participants,” says Ellingson. “Then during the conference, students will engage in peer mentoring, group activities, attend conference events with Guided Interest Groups, and have access to the rich Students@SC experience with lots of additional mentoring and networking opportunities. Students can expect to learn a lot, meet a lot of people, make new friends, and have fun!”

Don’t let the fear of the unknown keep you from this amazingly empowering experience. Join up for the HPC Immersion program today!

Immerse Yourself in HPC

Have no fear! Learn more about the requirements for HPC Immersion and apply today!

HPC Immersion

If you have questions about HPC Immersion, please contact the program committee.

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