Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe

Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe is a collaboration between European Union countries, European Commission, and European Research Council to advance High-Performance Computing (HPC) capabilities. The partnership aims to promote Exascale Computing and Artificial Intelligence research, leveraging expertise from institutions like CERN, European Organization for Nuclear Research, and Fraunhofer Society. By fostering cooperation among European Space Agency, Max Planck Society, and German Research Foundation, the partnership accelerates innovation in fields like Materials Science, Climate Modeling, and Genomics. This initiative also involves prominent research institutions, including University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

● Introduction

The Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe is designed to strengthen Europe's position in the global HPC landscape, competing with initiatives like the United States Department of Energy's Exascale Computing Initiative and Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Post-K Computer project. By facilitating collaboration between European Institute of Innovation and Technology, European University Institute, and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, the partnership promotes the development of HPC Applications and Data Analytics tools. This effort involves key stakeholders, including IBM, Intel, and NVIDIA, to drive innovation in Computer Architecture and Software Engineering. The partnership also engages with organizations like European Association for Theoretical Computer Science, Association for Computing Machinery, and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers to advance Computer Science research.

● History

The Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe was established in 2010, building on the success of earlier initiatives like the European Grid Initiative and DEISA (Distributed European Infrastructure for Supercomputing Applications). The partnership has evolved over time, incorporating new members and expanding its scope to include Quantum Computing and Cybersecurity research. Key milestones include the launch of the PRACE (Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe) research infrastructure in 2010, which provides access to world-class HPC resources, including Blue Gene and Cray XC30 systems. The partnership has also collaborated with organizations like NASA, National Science Foundation, and Australian Research Council to advance International Cooperation in HPC research.

● Organization

The Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe is governed by a Board of Directors comprising representatives from Member Countries, European Commission, and European Research Council. The partnership operates through a network of National HPC Centers, including Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Barcelona Supercomputing Center, and CINECA, which provide access to HPC resources and expertise. The organization also engages with Industry Partners, such as Siemens, Bosch, and Total, to drive innovation and Technology Transfer. Additionally, the partnership collaborates with Academic Institutions, including University of California, Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University, to advance Research and Development.

● Research_and_Development

The Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe supports a wide range of research activities, from Materials Science and Climate Modeling to Genomics and Artificial Intelligence. The partnership has made significant contributions to the development of Exascale Computing and HPC Applications, working closely with organizations like Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories. Researchers from Member Countries have access to world-class HPC resources, including SuperMUC and Piz Daint systems, to advance their research in fields like Fluid Dynamics, Solid Mechanics, and Computational Biology. The partnership also collaborates with International Organizations, such as United Nations, World Health Organization, and International Energy Agency, to address global challenges.

● Infrastructure

The Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe operates a network of HPC Systems, including Tier-0 and Tier-1 systems, which provide a total peak performance of over 100 Petaflops. The partnership has invested heavily in the development of Exascale Computing infrastructure, including the EuroHPC initiative, which aims to develop a European Exascale Supercomputer. The partnership also provides access to Data Storage and Data Analytics tools, including High-Performance Storage Systems and Big Data Analytics software. Additionally, the partnership collaborates with Cloud Computing providers, such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, to offer Cloud-Based HPC Services.

● Member_Countries

The Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe has 26 Member Countries, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. These countries contribute to the partnership's research and development activities, providing access to their National HPC Centers and Research Institutions, such as Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, European Southern Observatory, and CERN. The partnership also collaborates with International Partners, including United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan, to advance global HPC research and development. Category:Research organizations