Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T10:26:35.474Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

High Performance Computing (HPC) Wales and the Next Generation Workforce: Strategies to Ensure Propagation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 July 2013

Laura M. Redfern*
Affiliation:
High Performance Computing (HPC) Wales, Ty Menai, Ffordd Penlan, Parc Menai Business Park, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 4HJ, United Kingdom; Research and Enterprise Office, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG, United Kingdom.
Get access

Abstract

High Performance Computing (HPC) Wales was launched in 2010 as a five year joint venture between Wales’ six Universities, working in partnership with a variety of academic and industrial stakeholders and funded by the EU, UK and Welsh Governments. The aim of HPC Wales is to deliver a pan-Wales HPC infrastructure: primarily to assist with economic regeneration in the Principality of Wales (which has a population of approximately 3.6 million) through the up-skilling of individuals and by promoting uptake of HPC in Welsh businesses, but also open to collaborations from outside Wales. It is the first national service of its kind in Europe.

In order to encourage the uptake of HPC into small and medium sized enterprises (of up to 250 staff) in Wales, and for HPC Wales itself to become a sustainable business, the development of a strong skills base is vital. Successful delivery will be marked by the successful upskilling of individuals via accredited training programmes, and through outreach and engagement activities. Recognising that a significant amount of upskilling is required, further work is being undertaken by HPC Wales to develop workflows which can help to simplify the HPC job submission process for the end user. This will make it possible for businesses to achieve results without their needing to acquire a high level of specialist HPC skills in the short term.

At a mid-point in this ambitious venture, this paper examines the strategies being developed by HPC Wales which will help to ensure propagation throughout the educational chain so that the requisite skills and workflows are in place which will benefit the next-generation workforce. Through this, HPC Wales hopes to assist in the overall advancement of scientific discovery which will, in turn, help Welsh businesses to become more competitive in the global marketplace.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

At the date this paper was written, URLs referenced herein were deemed to be useful supplementary material to this paper. Neither the author nor the Materials Research Society warrants or assumes liability for the content or availability of URLs referenced in this paper.Google Scholar
BBC News Website, 30 years of the international internet http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3280897.stm (2003).Google Scholar
BP Press Release, BP to Build U.S. Facility to House Largest Commercial Research Supercomputer in the World, http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7081252 (2012).Google Scholar
Royal Museums Greenwich Website, History of the Royal Observatory, http://www.rmg.co.uk/about/history/royal-observatory/ (2013).Google Scholar
The National Archive Website, Records created or inherited by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and related bodies, http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/details?Uri=C89 (2013).Google Scholar
HM Treasury Website, The Plan for Growth, http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_growth.pdf (2011).Google Scholar
The Register, Wales joins supercomputer club, http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/07/14/hpc_wales (2010).Google Scholar
HPC Wales Website, Fujitsu win contract to boost super computing in Wales, http://www.hpcwales.co.uk/fujitsu-win-contract-to-boost-super-computing-in-wales (2011).Google Scholar
Office for National Statistics Website, 2011 Census, Population and Household Estimates for Wales, http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/population-and-household-estimates-for-wales/index.html (2011).Google Scholar
Welsh European Funding Office Website, Objective 1, http://wefo.wales.gov.uk/programmes/20002006/objective1 (2013).Google Scholar
South Wales Argus, Major Investment of Future of Welsh Economy, http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/business/8268763 (2010).Google Scholar
Welsh Government Website, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Summary Advice from the Sector Panel, http://wales.gov.uk/docs/det/publications/121210ammadviceen.pdf (2010).Google Scholar
Welsh Government Website, Edwina Hart announces 3 new priority sectors, http://wales.gov.uk/newsroom/businessandeconomy/2011/110922sectors (2011).Google Scholar
Welsh Government Website, Creative Industries Sector, http://wales.gov.uk/topics/businessandeconomy/sectors/creativesector (2012).Google Scholar
Sector Skills Council for Creative Media, Computer Games Sector – Labour Market Intelligence Digest, http://www.creativeskillset.org/uploads/pdf/asset_16891.pdf (2011)Google Scholar
Welsh Government Website, Energy and Environment Sector, http://wales.gov.uk/topics/businessandeconomy/sectors/energyandenvironment (2012).Google Scholar
Welsh Government Website, Financial and Professional Services Sector, http://wales.gov.uk/topics/businessandeconomy/sectors/financialservices (2012).Google Scholar
Welsh Government Website, Life Sciences Sector, http://wales.gov.uk/topics/businessandeconomy/sectors/lifesciences (2012).Google Scholar
Technocamps Website, About us, http://www.technocamps.com/node/207 (2013).Google Scholar