On November 15, 2024, the traditional HPC2024 conference, dedicated to the use of high-performance computing for science and innovation, was held at the Expo Hotel in Sofia. This year, the conference focused on the achievements of the National Centre for High-Performance and Distributed Computing (NCHDC), part of the National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure (NRRI). Additionally, key collaborations established at the national level by the National Competence Center (NCC) in the field of high-performance computing were presented. The Bulgarian NCC was established under a European project for creating and developing a network of National Competence Centres (EuroCC2). The conference brought together over 80 participants, including representatives from business, public administration, and academia, as well as young researchers, doctoral students, and university students.
The program was structured into three sessions, highlighting the significant growth in the use of high-performance computing (HPC) in Bulgaria and the notable achievements of users from the research sector, public administration, and industry. The morning session focused on collaboration and results achieved in the research sector through the use of supercomputing architectures. Short overview of The National Centre for High-Performance and Distributed Computing (NCHDC) was done by prof. A. Karaivanova. After that, a series of scientific results achieved by NCHDC members was presented and described as success stories. Emphasis was placed on successful collaborations with other research infrastructures included in the NRRI, such as the National Geoinformation Center (NGIC), the E-Infrastructure for Bulgarian Language and Cultural Heritage (CLADA-BG), and the Distributed System for Scientific Collections (DiSSCo BG).
The program was structured into three sessions, highlighting the significant growth in the use of high-performance computing (HPC) in Bulgaria and the notable achievements of users from the research sector, public administration, and industry. The morning session focused on collaboration and results achieved in the research sector through the use of supercomputing architectures. Short overview of The National Centre for High-Performance and Distributed Computing (NCHDC) was done by prof. A. Karaivanova. After that, a series of scientific results achieved by NCHDC members was presented and described as success stories. Emphasis was placed on successful collaborations with other research infrastructures included in the NRRI, such as the National Geoinformation Center (NGIC), the E-Infrastructure for Bulgarian Language and Cultural Heritage (CLADA-BG), and the Distributed System for Scientific Collections (DiSSCo BG).
The third session focused on services developed for industry in the areas of HPC/HPDA/AI. Prof. E. Atanassov presented the service portfolio of the Bulgarian NCC. This portfolio includes providing scientific and technical expertise, consultations, and training for access to modern equipment, software codes, and tools. Several success stories involving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were showcased.
The conference concluded with a discussion titled “Opportunities and Challenges for Industrial Users” (moderated by Prof. K. Stefanova), featuring representatives from the industry. The discussion explored ways to raise awareness and highlight the benefits of the NCC’s HPC and HPDA services among startups, SMEs, and other user communities, particularly in the context of the rapid development of AI.
