High Performance Computing Communities: Working Together as Regional and National Research Organizations

Overview
This Birds of a Feather (BoF) session, co-hosted by the UK High Performance Computing Special Interest Group (HPC-SIG) and the US Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation (CASC), examines the formation, organization, and funding of regional and national research-focused high performance computing (HPC) communities worldwide. This BoF highlights best practices and models for fostering collaborations and partnerships.

Session Goals
The session invites established and aspiring HPC community leaders to exchange knowledge on building sustainable and collaborative HPC ecosystems. Key objectives include:

- Showcasing HPC Organization Models: Sharing insights into how HPC organizations worldwide structure and fund their activities.
- Facilitating Global Partnerships: Exploring opportunities for collaboration and shared funding strategies among HPC communities.
- Developing a Resource Map: Laying the foundation for an international HPC resource map and website to connect organizations and resources.

Topics of Discussion
Discussions will focus on organizational and operational aspects of HPC communities, including:

Diverse Organizational Models: Member-based and government-supported structures using examples from Ireland, France, EuroHPC, PRACE, Digital Research Alliance of Canada, and regional Research Software Engineer (RSE) groups.

Funding Models and Sustainability: Strategies like government support, membership-based funding, and sponsorships for sustaining activities and collaborations.

Partnership Development: Case studies on co-funded projects, co-branded events, and initiatives that support research computing and digital infrastructure communities.

Mapping Resources: An introduction to CASC’s 2025 position paper, "Mapping and Expanding the RCD Regional Collaboration Ecosystem," which proposes a comprehensive map of HPC communities to foster partnerships and guide funding.

Interactive Format
The session encourages active participation through:
- Speed Networking: Quick, 3-minute presentations where participants share organizational goals, projects, or collaboration ideas.
- Roundtable Discussions: Small groups addressing challenges like funding and partnership development, exchanging strategies for success.

Building an International Resource
A key outcome of the session will be the groundwork for an international HPC community resource website. Inspired by platforms like lightsources.org and the UK Reproducibility Network (UKRN), this hub will connect HPC organizations, enabling collaboration and resource sharing globally.

Expected Outcomes

Participants will gain:
- Insights into organizing and sustaining HPC communities.
- Connections with collaborators across regions.
- Contributions to an international HPC resource website.
- Input into 2025 community-driven initiatives.

This session will strengthen the global HPC ecosystem, advancing innovation and support for research computing through enhanced collaboration and resource sharing.

---

Organizers:

• Kathryn Kelley
• Andrew "Ed" Edmondson