After a five-year hiatus, the HPC Technology Exchange made a triumphant return on March 6, 2025, at the Lab. This invite-only event brought together leading HPC experts, research IT professionals, and administrators from Stanford, UC Berkeley, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and Berkeley Lab. With a goal to share best practices for research computing and explore emerging technologies that could shape the future of HPC, the one day event strengthened the Bay Area’s HPC community, leading to future partnerships and collaborations.
A Long-Awaited Reunion
HPC groups in the Bay Area have a long history of gathering to exchange ideas, share expertise, and collaborate on research IT and HPC advancements. However, due to the pandemic, these in-person meetings had been on pause since 2019. Bringing the HPC Technology Exchange back to life after this extended break required significant effort. Led by Wei Feinstein, Lead of HPC User Services for Science IT, planning began in September 2024.
A Dynamic and Engaging Agenda
The one-day event featured breakout sessions allowing participants to dive into specific topics including: HPC Infrastructure, Monitoring & Kubernetes, Software Installation & Maintenance, Cloud and Hybrid Computing, AI Services and Support, Secure Computing for sensitive data, Outreach, User Engagement & Training, Open OnDemand Web Portal and Storage, Backup & File Systems. Throughout the day, attendees shared insights on system design, security challenges, and the evolving role of AI in scientific computing. The breakout sessions allowed for dynamic discussions, with participants refining key topics and forming actionable takeaways in real time.
“This was a conference designed for technical experts—those who thrive on collaboration and deep technical discussions,” said Gary Jung, Science IT Department Head, IT Division. “Rather than traditional presentations, we prioritized hands-on breakout sessions, creating a space for experts to exchange insights, tackle shared challenges, and explore new solutions together.”
Looking Ahead
The success of this year’s event reaffirmed the importance of these gatherings, not only for technical knowledge exchange but also for relationship-building among institutions. Plans are already in motion for the next HPC Technology Exchange, set to be hosted by Stanford in Fall 2026.
The return of the HPC Technology Exchange marks a renewed commitment to collaboration, innovation, and advancing high-performance computing. As the scientific landscape continues to evolve, these connections will be essential for driving discovery and tackling complex computational challenges.
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