Expanding HLRS Academic HPC Simulation Training Programs to More Target Groups

Volume 12, Issue 3 (December 2021), pp. 13–26

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@article{jocse-12-3-2,
  author={Tibor D\"{o}pper and B\"{a}rbel Gro{\ss}e-W\"{o}hrmann and Doris Lindner and Darko Milakovic and Jutta Oexle and Michael M. Resch and Oliver Scheel and Sven Slotosch and Leon Widmaier},
  title={Expanding HLRS Academic HPC Simulation Training Programs to More Target Groups},
  journal={The Journal of Computational Science Education},
  year=2021,
  month=dec,
  volume=12,
  issue=3,
  pages={13--26},
  doi={https://doi.org/10.22369/issn.2153-4136/12/3/2}
}

For a long time, high-performance computers and simulations were of interest only at universities and research institutes. In recent years, however, their application and relevance in a wider field has grown; not only do industry and small and medium-sized businesses benefit from these technologies, but their social and political impacts are also increasing significantly. Therefore, there is an increasing need for experts in this field as well as better understanding of the importance of high-performance computing (HPC) and simulations among the general public. For this reason, the German National Supercomputing Center HLRS has broadened its academic training program to include courses for students and teachers as well as for professionals. Specifically, this expansion involves two projects: "Simulated Worlds," which offers a variety of educational programs for middle and high school students, and the "MoeWE" project with its "Supercomputing Academy" for professionals. These projects complement the center's academic educational focus by addressing the special needs of these new target groups who have otherwise not been able to benefit from HLRS' academic training program. In this paper, we present background concepts, programmatic offerings, and exemplary content of the two projects; discuss the experiences involved in their development and implementation; and provide insights that may be useful for improving education and training in this area.