CSC and TACC Sign HPC Collaboration to Address Global Challenges

Dec. 15, 2022 — The Finnish IT Center for Science (CSC) and the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at the University of Texas at Austin have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote research collaboration in the area of key high-performance computing (HPC) applications to address global challenges.

Dan Stanzione and Kimmo Koski sign the MoU. Back row, left to right: Kelly Gaither (Deputy Director, TACC), Minister for Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari, Mikko Hautala and Erja Heikkinen. Credit: Pasi Rajala

The collaboration will facilitate joint use and exchange of supercomputing resources for providing researchers the best tools for their work and foster advances in data center operations and HPC technologies, e.g. green data center technologies.

CSC is responsible for Finland’s HPC and data infrastructure. CSC also hosts LUMI, Europe’s most efficient supercomputer and seventh on the list of world’s greenest supercomputers.

“As for supporting research, Finland has made choices. Many of them are dependent on the world class data management and computing facility hosted by CSC. Both world class research and CSC infrastructure flourish in complementary international collaboration,” said Director Erja Heikkinen at the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.

The MoU also includes exchanging knowledge, expertise and promoting development of competences which CSC and Finland have been determined to promote.

“Strategic international partnerships enable us to provide researchers with world-class tools for their important work in helping societies make informed decisions and cope with the global challenges we are facing,” said Kimmo Koski, Managing Director of CSC. “I’m particularly happy about the collaboration with Texas Advanced Computing Center as TACC’s longstanding efforts in developing outstanding computing facilities is highly impressive. With this collaboration we are bringing together more than 70 years of experience in developing world-class computing systems and the research communities in Finland and Texas.”

“As a leader in advanced computing, TACC looks forward to collaborating with CSC – the Finnish IT Center for Science so we can jointly address the computational grand challenges faced by modern science and engineering,” said Dan Stanzione, Associate Vice President for Research, UT Austin / Executive Director, TACC. “We are confident that this partnership will promote research collaboration in HPC applications, foster advances in data center operations and contribute to increasing public awareness of advanced computing on a global scale.”

The MoU was signed in Austin, Texas on December 14 as a first example of implementing the Statement of Mutual Cooperation between Finland and the State of Texas signed on the same day.

“High-performance computing will impact global economic relations. It is essential that reliable partners and allies, like the United States and Finland, pool their expertise to stay ahead of the curve,” said Mikko Hautala, Ambassador of Finland to the United States.

CSC has established networks with several other international stakeholders, with corresponding collaborative agreements.

About the CSC

The CSC is a Finnish center of expertise in ICT that provides world-class services for research, education, culture, public administration and enterprises, to help them thrive and benefit society at large.

About TACC

TACC designs and deploys the world’s most powerful advanced computing technologies and innovative software solutions to enable researchers to power discoveries that change the world. TACC’s environment includes a comprehensive cyberinfrastructure ecosystem of leading-edge resources in high performance computing (HPC), visualization, data analysis, storage, archive, cloud, data-driven computing, connectivity, tools, APIs, algorithms, consulting, and software.

Source: CSC