Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, where my dad was a professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Kentucky.
What’s your field of study and how did you get into that field?
I have a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My area of specialization is numerical analysis – the mathematical methods behind scientific computing. I did my undergraduate degree in Physics at the University of Kentucky, and one summer I did an internship simulating physics on a computer. It made me realize that I was much more interested in the math and the programming behind the simulations rather than the science itself.
What fascinates you about HPC?
I like that HPC is this collective operation for the advancement of science, that requires many different types of knowledge to succeed. For example, in order to advance the state-of-the-art in materials science, it requires more than just expertise in materials science. Expertise in numerical methods and parallel algorithms is necessary to create a numerically correct, efficient code that is run on a supercomputer. Expertise in operating a supercomputer is necessary in order to provide the supercomputing platform to run the code. Expertise in HVAC is required in order to build and maintain the supercomputer in our machine room. And expertise in computer hardware is required in order to build the supercomputer system from raw silicon up to where it is sitting in our machine room.
What’s your current title and what do you do?
I am the leader of the User Engagement Group at NERSC. My group is responsible for NERSC’s engagement with the user community to increase user productivity via advocacy, support, training, and the provisioning of usable computing environments. I oversee the work of ten full-time staff members, perform most of NERSC’s communications to users (NERSC users see a weekly email from me in their inbox!), and ensure that everything is running smoothly from the user perspective. It’s kind of a dream job for me, because I get to interact with lots of people and use cool technologies.
What energy justice topic is most important to you and why?
It’s hard to name just one aspect that is the most important. Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the topic is the disproportionate impact of climate change, and how the people who are already struggling the most with poverty are facing the brunt of it. The injustice of this situation, the fact that the ones who are creating the mess lack the empathy for those who are primarily the ones having to deal with the mess, is very upsetting. I hope that we can mature as a species before we drive ourselves (and many other species) extinct.