Ascending with HPC
Tennessee Tech shines at SC24 conference
(From Eagle Drive magazine, February 2025)
The stars are aligning for HPC in Tennessee – especially at Tennessee Tech, where students and faculty with a passion for high-performance computing are poised to shine.
“We couldn’t be better positioned to grow and prosper than we are right now,” said Tony Skjellum, professor of computer science, noting not only Tech’s successful debut as an exhibitor at the SC24 international supercomputing conference but also its prime location amid the state’s ramping tech sector.
“Tennessee is the center of the world for supercomputing, from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, home of the world’s fastest supercomputer, to Memphis, where Elon Musk and xAI are set to build the world’s fastest AI supercomputer,” he said. “In between, Tennessee Tech is advancing HPC research, driving workforce development and building large-scale HPC and quantum resources at our forthcoming data center. Plus, our ASCEND (Advanced Scalable Computing, Extreme Networks and Data) center is in the works.”
To spotlight its ascent in the HPC space, Tech was among nearly 500 exhibitors at SC24, which drew a record-breaking 18,100 attendees to Atlanta in November 2024 to explore the latest innovations in high-performance computing, networking, storage and analysis. More than 20 students, faculty and staff represented Tech at the event, with some showcasing the university’s achievements at its new 20x20-foot booth and others taking part in technical workshops, networking with industry professionals and presenting their research. The conference also provided an opportunity to connect with alumni, as well as strengthen Tech’s efforts to recruit, engage and retain students and faculty.
“We achieved more than 100 percent of our goals at SC24,” Skjellum said. “We built a lot of goodwill around the quality of our students, department and university, especially among local employers who didn’t realize they could tap into our talent. They know about us now.”
And that presents new opportunities for everyone.
“We have follow-up meetings with organizations like Oak Ridge National Laboratory,” Skjellum said. “Plus, we’ve established collaborations with key technical partners, providing our students with valuable opportunities to engage directly in the profession.”
These new connections are solidifying Tech’s position as a key player in computing – and, as if by cosmic design, the playing field is becoming increasingly bright in Tennessee.
“With companies like Microsoft and AWS (Amazon Web Services) already established here and Oracle moving its world headquarters to Nashville, the demand for a skilled AI workforce is skyrocketing – and HPC makes AI go,” Skjellum said.
Tennessee Tech aims to build on its SC24 debut by increasing its technical presence at supercomputing conferences.
“Our investment has been in engaging with others to raise awareness about Tennessee Tech so that we’re attracting prospective students and faculty and ensuring employers recognize the value of our graduates,” Skjellum said. “At the same time, we’re putting our current students front and center in their discipline.”
So they can shine like stars.