This month we were thrilled to join Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in marking five years of Prospero, the university’s High-Performance Computing (HPC) cluster delivered in partnership with Alces Flight and HPE.
The celebration took place over two days in the stunning Moot Room in the John Foster Building, where researchers, administrators, and partners gathered to reflect on how Prospero has transformed life and work at LJMU.
Voices from the Research Community
The first day and morning of the second were dedicated to hearing directly from researchers who run Prospero. Talks from Human Evolutionary Genetics, Engineering, Marine Engineering and Astrophysics showcased just how much Prospero has enabled across disciplines: from Ice Age DNA to sustainable shipping, from advanced 3D printing to the earliest galaxies in the universe.
It was a privilege to listen in as they shared how Prospero has transformed their work, and we were delighted to help capture these reflections. LJMU has published a full set of researcher stories from the event — go have a read and grab even more insights from the day.
Partners in Supercomputing
On the afternoon of the second day, the focus turned to a more in-depth look at the mechanics of Prospero and the supercomputing community. Together with our partners at HPE, we hosted a session exploring both the technical architecture of the system and the people who make it work. Eric Fauvet (HPE) shared insights on the hardware, while our Alces Flight team discussed how we’ve worked alongside LJMU to manage and grow their services. We also talked about the people side of HPC, diving into discussions on the skills gap in tech, connecting them with community opportunities, and encouraging discussion around promoting Prospero’s research to a wider audience.
We closed the event with a new user bootcamp, giving incoming researchers a practical, hands-on introduction to Prospero. It was fantastic to see new faces ready to take their first steps into HPC, ensuring the next five years of Prospero will be just as impactful as the first.
Looking Ahead
The celebration was brought together by Professor Robert Crain, whose leadership has been central to Prospero’s journey. His vision for HPC as a cornerstone of LJMU’s research has helped build the strong community we were proud to celebrate this week.
For us at Alces Flight, the event was a reminder of why we do what we do: HPC is about people, discovery, and possibility. Prospero embodies all three.
We’re grateful to LJMU for inviting us to join this milestone — and we’re excited for what comes next.