1. Cognitus: A Science Case for HPC in the Nordic Region
Rob Pennington
NeIC Conference
8 May 2015

2. Cognitus Charge Summary
Evaluations of the NHPC project and the Nordic use of PRACE made strong recommendations to develop the scientific case for Nordic HPC:
To be used to guide decisions in future Nordic HPC investment and participation in international projects.
Should “contribute to raising the level of scientific excellence in the Nordics, by optimizing access and availability to existing and upcoming HPC services for research groups across the Nordics.”
The science case needs to be developed to “inform open discussions of the balance of Tier-1 and Tier-0 systems that best meets the future needs of Nordic researchers”

3. Definition for Nordic Science Case for HPC
Research programs that require large-scale infrastructure resources (HPC, storage, networks) with the following characteristics:
Address a fundamental scientific question that is widely recognized as important and challenging to solve
Have international interest and relevance
Long-term (multi-year) sustained effort with intermediate goals
Require collaboration among research teams and communities
Deeply involve Nordic researchers in scientifically significant roles

4. Science Domains for Tier-0, DOE INCITE and NSF Blue Waters PRAC

5. Findings and Recommendations
National priorities:
Define the RI needs from the science cases
Connect the national funding to the science RI needs
Extending across the Nordic region:
NeIC focus on collaborations from the Nordic region
Information exchange through NeIC
Regional Nordic science case from NeIC
Fund international aspects as part of national
programs
Sustainability and Funding:
Develop long term funding plans
Develop long term implementation plans

6. Findings and Recommendations
Finding #3: Researchers in different research domains may rely on access to different sets of computational and data resources... Recommendation #3: The national science cases, along with other indicators and information, should be used to inform the continued development of the Nordic science case as part of the responsibilities of NeIC …

7. Findings and Recommendations
Finding #4: Support for computing and data research infrastructure capabilities that are competitive internationally will be critical to extending this success into the future … Recommendation #4: The national focus and funding needs to be augmented with funding for an international program. This may be in the form of a joint Nordic involvement with PRACE as it evolves that can provide a coordinated Nordic Tier-0 level of capability…

8. Findings and Recommendations
Finding #5: Collaborations are key to national and international recognition and excellence for individual researchers, research groups and research-based organizations… Recommendation #5: The role of NeIC should be expanded to include … collaborations that reinforce those national science cases that cross international boundaries, including outside the Nordic region…

9. Findings and Recommendations
Finding #6: Innovation and exploration are critical to fundamental and applied research … 
Recommendation #6: The exchange of information, experiences, roadmaps and strategic priorities are important aspects of increasing innovation and exploration. This should be facilitated by NeIC …

10. Findings and Recommendations
Recommendation #8: … the national resource providers and NeIC should be equipped with funding and authority to carry out recommendation #4 for sustainable Nordic access to a Tier-0 class capability…