1. Panel on Training and Developing HPC People
HPC User Forum
Dearborn MI
April 13, 2010
Paul Buerger
Avetec/DICE program
Jim Kasdorf
Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center

2. Panel Members Andy Jones, NAG Sharan Kalwani, KAUST Donna Klecka, CSC
Paul Muzio, CUNY
John Picklo, Chrysler
Irene Qualters, NSF

3. such as memory hierarchies, domain-specific knowledge) and which
1. What particular skills are needed for HPC (e.g., programming techniques, numerical techniques, familiarity with hardware
such as memory hierarchies,
domain-specific knowledge) and which
of these skills are in short supply and/or most difficult to master?

4. 2. Are academic programs (e. g
2. Are academic programs (e.g., computer science, domain-specific sciences)
adequately preparing students for HPC. What should they be doing differently? What about training/preparation outside academia?

5. specific languages (eg, Fortran, C++,
3. How important are specific programming models (eg, MPI, PGAS, OOP) and
specific languages (eg, Fortran, C++,
JAVA) for HPC?

6. codes that are maintainable?
4. Where does one learn how to write, debug, optimize, and document large
codes that are maintainable?

7. 5. How do we deal with the need for life-long
(or at least career-long) learning?

8. 6. Is social networking (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc) useful for training recruiting, developing
HPC talent?

9. 7. One often hears that such qualities as initiative, curiosity, tenacity, logical reasoning, communication/cooperation, etc. are highly desired by employers. Is there anything special here as relates to HPC?