Supercomputing and AI enthusiasts gathered at historic Bletchley Park for Sustainable Reality 2024, a day-long conference focused on technological innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth in High-Performance Computing (HPC). This year’s theme, “Move the Needle,” emphasised how small yet impactful changes can drive significant progress in technology and diversity.
Pushing the Boundaries: HPC, AI, and Sustainability
The event explored the many ways in how the supercomputing community can define sustainability. Highlights included discussions on integrating ecological initiatives into HPC, AI-driven innovations, and promoting social equity in the field. The goal was to reflect on the past year’s progress and set the stage for future actions.
New Horizons in HPC
This year’s lineup featured speakers from esteemed institutions like the University of York, Borealis Data Center, Northern Ireland HPC (NI-HPC), and NAG. They shared insights on key topics, including the role of neurodiversity in innovation and the importance of sustainability in HPC infrastructure.
Keynote speakers Emma Barnes and Richard Fuller from the University of York provided an in-depth look at how they are advancing sustainability in their HPC services through their cluster, Viking 2. These ranged from relocating their supercomputer to a green energy site to developing effective reporting models and engaging their user base. Their success showcases how practical applications of sustainability can lead to award-winning systems.
Innovations from Leading Institutions
Representatives from the University of Cambridge, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Alces Flight shared the latest innovations from their institutions. The emphasis was on ecological impact, smarter hardware use, optimising data locations, and understanding energy consumption in today’s solutions.
The technical presentations highlighted our community’s growing awareness of the efficient use of supercomputing power. By building focused core systems, leveraging partnerships, and utilising secure cloud resources, companies and institutions are enhancing their resource portfolios, paving the way for leaner, greener research.
A Win for Inclusivity
Cristin Merritt and Marta Camps Santasmasas from Women in HPC shared insights on the Move the Needle initiative, a 12-month project co-hosted with Alces Flight aimed at fostering a more inclusive and sustainable HPC community. Now halfway through its timeline, the project has already generated best practices and is developing a knowledge portal to guide future efforts in both technical and social domains.
We are also pleased to report that our speaker ratio for 2024 was 40% female to 60% male, with approximately equal representation in the audience. We remain committed to promoting equity and inspiration across diverse areas in the HPC field, and we thank our audience for their meaningful participation.
Hands-On with History: The Enigma Machine
A standout moment was the hands-on session with the Enigma machine, a vital tool used by codebreakers at Bletchley Park during WWII. Participants engaged with this historical artefact and learned about its significance in cryptography. We extend our gratitude to the education team at Bletchley Park for facilitating this unique experience, connecting the past of electronics to the evolution of computing and machine learning.
Sustainable Reality 2024 was a resounding success, blending cutting-edge technological insights with the rich history of Bletchley Park. Participants left the event inspired, with fresh ideas and connections to help “move the needle” in the HPC industry. We extend our gratitude to all those who attended and to our speakers. We look forward to sharing deeper insights with you very soon.