National Center of Excellence for High Performance Computing Technology

A consortium of four community colleges, each serving a geographically defined region, together with seven affiliate supercomputer sites and business partners, constitute a National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education Center of Excellence for High Performance Computing (HPC) technology. High Performance Computing refers to multi-processor computers performing complex computational operations with a particular focus on clusters. Each college in the consortium has at least one partner High Performance Computing facility, referred to as an HPC site. The National Center is partnering with business and industry to develop skill set standards and competencies needed for certifying HPC technicians and for developing an articulated Associate Degree program in HPC technology. The Regional Education and Training Centers (RETCs), established at each community college, are developing curricula in HPC Technology that articulate with four- year college information science, computer science, and high performance computing technology programs and that include the establishment of 2 + 2 agreements with regional high school Tech Prep Programs.

Maui Community College is the lead institution in a consortium with Wake Technical Community College, Pellissippi State Technical Community College, and Contra Costa College, each chosen because of the diversity of student populations, partnerships with HPC sites and regional business and industry, and potential four-year college affiliations. An NSF planning grant (award 0101643) supported a nation-wide survey that revealed that within the next 2 to 5 years, a) 71% of surveyed business and industry will utilize high performance computing, (2) PC-cluster use will grow by 9% and there will be a distinct shift offsetting the balance between PC-cluster and supercomputer use in favor of PC-clusters and c) industry will continue to struggle to recruit, train and/or retain HPC employees.

The National Center administrator is responsible for (a) creating and administering a web-based certification examination for technical personnel, (b) overseeing curriculum development and teaching methodologies, (c) developing strategies for recruitment, retention and placement; (d) creating a national repository of PC-cluster software, curricula and training materials for HPC technician educational programs; (e) providing professional development activities for college faculty, secondary teachers and business professionals; (f) developing and providing a consortium communications infrastructure; and (g) supervising dissemination, evaluation and reporting activities.

RETC directors are responsible for (a) developing curriculum and learner centered teaching methodologies, (b) educating faculty, people from business and industry, and secondary teachers in PC-cluster construction, management and use; (c) providing professional development activities; (d) developing and coordinating professional internship programs at HPC sites and business for college faculty and secondary teachers; (e) coordinating student internship programs; (f) assisting with program graduate placement and (g) developing four-year college articulation agreements and local high school 2 + 2 agreements.