In recognition for his many years of dedication to HPC, Valero was awarded the HPCwire Readers’ Choice Award in 2020 for his “exceptional leadership in HPC” and for being “the driving force behind the renaissance of European HPC independence.”

Mateo Valero was also a panelist in the I Am HPC Plenary at SC23.

Fostering Global Collaboration

In this I Am HPC profile, Valero gives a look into his history with HPC, as well as where he sees the industry going.

Mateo Valero

Director, Barcelona Supercomputing Center

Mateo on LinkedIN

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

Valero: The realization that I wanted a career in HPC was sparked when, around 1977-78, I collaborated with my undergraduate students to construct some small-scale (two to four processors) multiprocessor systems featuring 4-8-bit Intel processors and shared memory.

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

Valero: My most significant contribution to the HPC/computing community has been the pioneering work my students and I conducted on Vector Architectures. During a time when the prevailing belief was that pure superscalar processors would render vector architectures obsolete, we defied conventional wisdom. We foresaw that high-performance vector processors would continue to thrive, and this prediction has become a reality today. We also made substantial contributions by bridging the worlds of ILP [instruction-level parallelism] and DLP [data-level parallelism], fostering a productive cross-pollination between these two fields. Our introduction of the concept of “fuzzy computation” evolved into the idea of “reduced data formats,” which has proven immensely valuable in terms of energy and space efficiency while also contributing to the advancement of current AI [artificial intelligence] hardware.

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

Valero: Vector architectures, notably those championed by Cray’s pioneering work and followed by other Japanese companies, have been a fundamental—and often an overlooked—breakthrough in the landscape of HPC and supercomputing. I consider them a hidden treasure in high-performance computing with their remarkable energy efficiency, clean semantics, and profound influence on contemporary architectures like GPUs [graphics processing units]. As the world seeks more efficient and powerful computing solutions, the impact of vector architectures continues to be felt, both in the quest for scientific discoveries and the design of innovative hardware.

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

Valero: I envision a transformation in the HPC/computing community, where we harness the power of our exceptional machines, supercomputers, and various instruments to foster global collaboration in addressing critical societal challenges. Issues such as climate change, sustainable energy solutions, and personalized medicine demand collective efforts from diverse institutions. One of the most challenging and promising research areas in this context is the development of a digital twin for the human body. Achieving breakthroughs in this field necessitates an extensive collaboration, where institutions come together and share their valuable resources. By promoting such cooperation, we can accelerate progress and make a significant impact on these pressing issues.

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.

In keeping with this year’s theme, the I Am HPC Plenary will bring people to the forefront by analyzing the social impact of HPC in the context of leading scientific and technical achievements and resources.

The SC23 opening plenary, I Am HPC: Impact and Future Directions, will be moderated by Valerie E. Taylor, Division Director and Distinguished Fellow at Argonne National Laboratory, who will be joined by several esteemed thought leaders.

All registered attendees and exhibitors are welcome to experience this diverse gathering of minds for the SC23 opening plenary.

I Am HPC Plenary

Meet the Leaders

Valerie E. Taylor is Director of the Mathematics and Computer Science Division and a Distinguished Fellow at Argonne National Laboratory. Prior to her role at Argonne, she served as Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the College of Engineering along with being a Regents Professor and the Royce E. Wisenbaker Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at Texas A&M University. Taylor also contributed significantly to the academic community during her 11-year tenure in Northwestern University’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) Department. Her research specialization centers on HPC with a primary focus on performance analysis and modeling of parallel scientific applications. 

Currently, Taylor’s research endeavors revolve around enhancing energy efficiency in parallel scientific applications and microelectronics. In addition to her distinguished research career, Taylor is an IEEE, ACM, and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow. She extends her impact as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities in Information Technology (CMD-IT), a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and delivering innovative programs that champion and advance underrepresented communities in the tech industry, benefiting society at large.

Valerie on LinkedIN

Enobong (Anna) Branch

In her role as Senior Vice President for Equity at Rutgers University, Enobong Branch is a prominent advocate for equity and inclusion. Branch leads efforts to embed equity principles in research, education, and public engagement across the university, emphasizing diversity’s role in achieving excellence. Previously, Branch integrated diversity into the strategic plan, conducted a campus climate survey, and championed diversity infrastructure at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She also led the National Science Foundation-funded ADVANCE program, promoting institutional transformation and gender and racial equity among faculty.

As a sociology professor, Branch explores labor and work, delving into racial and gender inequality’s historical and contemporary aspects. Her publications, including Work in Black and White and Opportunity Denied: Limiting Black Women to Devalued Work, have had a significant impact in addressing historical inequities. Branch’s expertise in diversity in academia extends to advisory roles in professional societies and organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences. She holds a doctorate in sociology from the University at Albany and a B.S. in biology from Howard University.

enobong on LinkedIN

Mateo Valero is a renowned leader in HPC, serving as the founding director of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and affiliated with the University of Catalonia (UPC). With a prolific career, he has authored 700 papers, played key roles in over 300 international conferences, and delivered more than 600 invited talks. His accolades include prestigious awards such as the Eckert-Mauchly Award, Seymour Cray Award, and Charles Babbage Award from IEEE.

Valero’s influence extends globally with recognition such as HPCWire’s “Readers’ Choice Awards” for his leadership and contributions to European HPC independence. He holds honorary doctorates from 10 universities, is an IEEE and ACM Fellow, and has received high honors from the Mexican government. His remarkable legacy also includes being named a “Favourite Son” of his hometown, Alfamén (Spain), where a public school was named after him in 2006.

mateo on LinkedIN

Katherine (Kathy) Yelick

Kathy Yelick’s expertise lies in HPC, focusing on programming languages, compilers, parallel algorithms, and automatic performance tuning. Currently, she leads the ExaBiome Project for scalable microbial data analysis tools and co-leads the Berkeley Benchmarking and Optimization (BeBOP) group. In addition to her current role as the Robert S. Pepper Distinguished Professor of EECS, Yelick’s distinguished career has included roles as the Associate Dean for Research at UC Berkeley, Associate Laboratory Director for Computing Sciences at LBNL, and leadership of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and AAAS, as well as an ACM and AAAS Fellow.

kathy on LinkedIN

Frank Indiviglio became NOAA’s Chief Technology Officer in April of 2022. In this role, Frank leads the development of technology and innovation programs across NOAA. Frank also leads research and evaluation of emerging technologies to strengthen NOAA’s ability to accelerate its ability to conduct its mission through technology.

Frank has more than 20 years of experience in technology leadership spanning high performance computing, cloud services, machine learning, media, infrastructure, and enterprise services. Before becoming the CTO, Frank was the Deputy Director of the High Performance Computing and Communications Program at NOAA. He has also held roles at NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Columbia and Cornell Universities, and within industry at HPTi and Silicon Graphics.

Frank holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems from Drexel University.

Frank on LinkedIN