KAUST and Cerebras Systems collaborated on multi-dimensional seismic processing using the Condor Galaxy AI supercomputer, achieving record sustained memory bandwidth of 92.58 petabytes per second. They developed a Tile Low-Rank Matrix-Vector Multiplication (TLR-MVM) kernel to exploit the architecture of Cerebras CS-2 systems. This work was recognized as a finalist for the 2023 Gordon Bell Prize. Why it matters: This demonstrates the potential of AI-customized architectures for seismic processing, with broader implications for climate modeling and other scientific domains in the region and globally.
KAUST Ph.D. graduate Dr. Noha Al-Harthi and doctoral student Rabab Alomairy won the German Gauss Center for Supercomputing (GCS) Award for optimizing solvers for high-performance computing applications. Their work focused on acoustic boundary integral equations, common in engineering and fluid dynamics. The award provides them access to the supercomputer "Isambard" in the UK and other opportunities. Why it matters: This recognition highlights KAUST's leading role in high-performance computing research in the Middle East and the growing expertise in supercomputing among Saudi researchers.
The KAUST Supercomputing Core Lab (KSL) and the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) have been collaborating since 2016 to enhance weather forecasting capabilities in Saudi Arabia. KSL provides consultation, data storage, and computing time on the Shaheen II supercomputer to NCM. This collaboration has led to a significant increase in NCM's HPC facility computing capacity, from 10 to 380 TFLOPS, with ongoing work to reach 1.8 PFLOPS. Why it matters: This partnership strengthens Saudi Arabia's ability to provide accurate and timely weather forecasts, crucial for public safety, aviation, and national security, demonstrating the importance of HPC in addressing critical environmental challenges.
KAUST Ph.D. graduate Tariq Alturkestani won the best paper award at Euro-Par 2020 for his doctoral thesis on overlapping I/O and compute in large-scale scientific computation using multilayered buffering mechanisms. His work re-evaluates the Reverse Time Migration (RTM) method used by geoscientists for oil and gas explorations, utilizing emerging storage technologies. The paper was co-authored with Professor David Keyes and Dr. Hatem Ltaief from the KAUST Extreme Computing Research Center (ECRC). Why it matters: This award highlights KAUST's growing prominence as a hub for Saudi talent and research in supercomputing and extreme computing, particularly in applications relevant to the region's energy sector.
KAUST participated in the Supercomputing Conference (SC17) in Denver, Colorado, with faculty, staff, and students. The university's Shaheen 2 Cray XC40 System was ranked the 20th fastest globally and the fastest in the Middle East. KAUST's IT department hosted talks featuring David Keyes, Jack Dongarra, Thierry-Laurent, Mootaz Elnozahy, and Jason Roos. Why it matters: KAUST's strong presence at SC17 highlights its commitment to advancing supercomputing capabilities in the Middle East and fostering international collaboration.