SC17 General Chair Bernd Mohr from Germany’s Jülich Supercomputing Centre, addresses the audience during SC16.
By now it is already halftime between SC16 and SC17. Preparations for this years’ conference are in full swing. And I think we can say very confidently, that SC17 is really starting to take shape: Be it papers, panels, workshops or tutorials – we have had countless submissions to the SC17 technical program. First feedback by reviewers shows that the quality of the submissions has been as excellent as we’re used to for SC conferences.
And don’t forget: Submissions are still being accepted for many exciting parts of the conference program, such as research posters, the Birds-of-a-Feather sessions and the scientific visualization and emerging technologies showcases.
Bernd Mohr
Also, interest among the next generation HPC folks is as enthusiastic as we’ve known it from previous years. Twenty teams applied for the Student Cluster Competition and 16 were accepted for this year. And there are many ways for the next generation of HPC experts to join the SC17 program. For those still in school or just getting traction in their careers, many opportunities to participate continue to be open: Early Career, HPC for Undergraduates, ACM Student Research Competition, student volunteers, doctoral showcase – submissions to all these parts of the conference are closing in June or July. Check back here for upcoming deadlines and submission guidelines.
On exhibits we’ve already had a major score: So far we have 181 exhibitors from industry and 135 from research occupying in total close to 230.000 sqm – both of which are an all-time high for this time in SC preparations. But don’t worry: You can chip in and get booth space next to exhibitors from over 25 countries globally. Also sponsoring is still possible – check out the opportunities by clicking here.
Finally, one of our focus topics for SC17 is inclusivity and diversity. We’ve been working hard in the last couple of months to keep and extend our efforts in this area. We will have childcare again for SC17 attendees and extend the coverage of this service. We will bring back prayer and meditation rooms, providing spaces to individuals of all religious faiths and non-religious beliefs to experience a place for peace, prayer, meditation and/or reflection throughout the conference. But we’re also looking into the positive effects inclusivity and diversity have in research, as well as trying to come up with new formats. Any ideas or feedback are welcome via e-mail: sc-inclusivity@info.supercomputing.
We also want to emphasize that diversity and inclusivity should not be thought of only as conference-wide programs. Each one of us can do our part, just by saying hi to other attendees or helping someone who looks lost — we want to make everyone feel welcome and included in the community. We will be saying more about all of the ways we can make the conference better for all, so stay tuned.
I can speak for the whole SC17 committee, when I say we’re more than happy with our achievements so far, but we are not satisfied. From welcoming first-time attendees to being sensitive to international travelers’ needs to creating an overall supportive HPC ecosystem – there is still much work to be done.
However, to keep going at this speed, we need the support of the community: So please keep submitting, keep engaging with us via our website, blog and social media channels, and help us keep going strong until the final minutes of SC17, when we all go home winners.
