University of Illinois computational science expert to address future of scalable computing environments

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Jan 28, 2008) — 

Wen-mei Hwu

The Ohio Supercomputer Center Statewide Users Group and the Ralph Regula School of Computational Science present Wen-mei Hwu, Ph.D. as the next speaker for the Ohio Computational Science Lecture Series.

Hwu, who serves as the Walter J. Sanders III-Advanced Micro Devices Endowed Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois, will discuss “The Future of Scalable Computing Environments” at 2 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008, at Ohio State University’s Wexner Center Theater, 1850 College Road, Columbus. For more information or to register for this event, go to www.osc.edu/education/ocslectures.

“Industry relies increasingly on the technology of parallel processing and multi-cores,” said Hwu, whose research interests include the areas of architecture, implementation, and software for high-performance computer systems.  “That is why it is vital to teach these skills to educators and students today.”

Critical acclaim for Dr. Hwu’s began with his doctorate studies in computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, which was successfully adopted into many microprocessor products, such as the Intel P6. Most recently, Hwu joined a panel discussion at SC07 in Reno, Nev., on the range of newly emerging computing architectures and the challenges and opportunities that will come from these technologies.

“Through the Ohio Computational Science Lecture Series, we strive to create a dialogue between a broad range of educational leaders in areas including K-12, undergraduate, graduate and industry workforce training,” said Steve Gordon, senior director of education and client support at OSC. “Attendees should find Dr. Hwu’s presentation as an ideal opportunity for students and teachers to advance their knowledge about computational science and engineering technologies.”

A fellow of the IEEE and ACM, Hwu also serves as the director of OpenIMPACT, a project to deliver effective software and hardware performance solutions to the computing industry.

The Ohio Computational Science Lecture Series, which is part of a joint effort by the Ohio Supercomputer Center and the Ohio Board of Regents to improve awareness and understanding of computer modeling and simulation.

Celebrating 20 years of service, the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) is a catalytic partner of Ohio universities and industries that provides a reliable high performance computing and high performance networking infrastructure for a diverse statewide/regional community including education, academic research, industry, and state government. Funded by the Ohio Board of Regents, OSC promotes and stimulates computational research and education in order to act as a key enabler for the state's aspirations in advanced technology, information systems, and advanced industries. For additional information, visit http://www.osc.edu.

The Ralph Regula School of Computational Science is a statewide, virtual school focused on computational science. It is a collaborative effort of the Ohio Board of Regents, Ohio Supercomputer Center, Ohio Learning Network and Ohio's colleges and universities. The school acts as a coordinating entity for a variety of computational science education activities aimed at making education in computational science available to students across Ohio, as well as to workers seeking continuing education about this technology.