MRI/Acq.: High Perfomance Computing Cluster Dedicated to the Energy Science
Project Proposed: This project, acquiring a high performance computing cluster with the intent of bringing a new dimension of capability to research in energy sciences, enables seven initial projects catalyzing the development of a culture of HPC for this community. The projects include: seismological modeling for fuel deposit identification, biomass energy conversion, hydrogen production photoelectrochemistry, polymer batteries, relating CO2 emission to climate change, with topics such as hydrocarbon deposits, hydrate nucleation and growth, biomass energy conversion, photoelectrical production of hydrogen, etc. Administered by the Golden Energy Computing Organization (GECO), the facility promotes activities which cross disciplinary lines and fosters links between education, scientific inquiry, and industrial pursuits covering a broad spectrum of energy-related research.
Broader Impact: The GECO cluster positively impacts national efforts to discover and develop new sources of energy enabling a critical aspect of HPC education, implementation of a training program in HPC maintenance. Furthermore, the institution has established a multi-faceted outreach program involving a college mainly serving Native Americans, Salish Kootenai, on Flathead Indian Reservation. Special training and research opportunities will also be made available to women engineers.
