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

Abstracts Due June 2

Incentives for Participation

Ready to Submit?

We are currently accepting panel submissions until April 28, 2023.

Engage the HPC Community

As a panelist at SC23, you will have the opportunity to share your ideas and insights with some of the foremost experts in the industry. You can network with other attendees, learn about the latest advances in HPC, and make a name for yourself as a thought leader in the field. This is a chance to engage the field while we’re all under one roof, so bring your hot takes, best practices, recipes for success, common pitfalls, and of course, an appetite for discussion.

Various panels, encompassing both technical and non-technical subjects, are highly recommended. This presents a chance for individuals of all backgrounds, including experts, HPC veterans, or novices, to partake in discussions relevant to the field. The most captivating panels combine compelling and diverse opinions – so don’t hesitate to step forward and express your thoughts.

Topics can remain in a particular subdomain, or apply to HPC more broadly. Panels at SC22 did both, including “Computing at the Edge: A Discussion about Supporting Recent US Space Missions” and “Relaxing Correctness via Approximate Computing: Is It Feasible in HPC?”. Panels can be forward-looking, asking open-ended questions that propose completely novel or revolutionary approaches with technologies yet to come. They can also be reflective, addressing the most prominent challenges and pains that many in the room had no doubt experienced.

Technical topics aren’t the only ones that gather an active crowd. Popular panels from years passed span a range of topics, such as “Strategies for Working Remotely: Sustainable Hybrid Approaches for HPC” from SC21, and “Empowering STEM Women with Skills for Success: How to Offset the Paradoxical Skills Asymmetry at a Workplace” from SC22.

SC23 Panels present an opportunity to try out new ideas, share experiences, and get feedback from the prominent figures in industry, academia, national laboratories, and everywhere in between. These interactive sessions foster a collaborative environment, enabling participants to learn, grow, and further refine their ideas while expanding their professional networks. Such a broad range of topics affords us all the opportunity to reflect on all of our experiences, both technical and non-technical, as we push the field forward into new frontiers. We invite you to join the discussion by submitting a panel proposal with up to five panelists, and we look forward to the lively debate that will ensue.

Propose a Panel