The University of Michigan will host a second public community open house on Thursday, Jan. 29, to share updates and gather feedback on its proposed high-performance computing research facility being planned to support the university’s partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The event will take place from 5-7 p.m. at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest, Roy Wilbanks Ballroom.

Community members are invited to attend, learn more about the project’s purpose and speak directly with university and project leaders. Registration is required. Free parking will be available.

This collaboration between two of the world’s most distinguished and innovative public institutions will bring together world-class scientists to drive scientific discovery that improves our quality of life. The planned research center is not built for private profit, but to serve the university’s academic and public service missions. 

For U-M, the proposed facility would allow the university to expand its computing capacity to support advanced scientific research across fields such as medicine, climate science, engineering and energy, using large-scale computing systems often referred to as “supercomputers.”

Locating a site for the project remains in the due-diligence phase, and no final site has been selected.

While the facility is being designed site agnostic, it is being designed with environmental stewardship as a core priority in the process. At the open house, university representatives will be able to provide additional technical and environmental updates that were not available last September. Expanded topics include information about power and water use, sustainability features, public safety planning, and how high-performance computing facilities differ from commercial data centers. Attendees will also have opportunities to ask questions and share feedback.

“This project is about expanding the university’s ability to tackle some of the world’s most complex challenges — from improving cancer treatment and forecasting extreme weather to advancing clean energy research,” said Steve Ceccio, a professor of mechanical engineering and of naval architecture and marine engineering who has been involved in this project since its inception.

“We are committed to engaging openly with the community, sharing accurate information as it becomes available, and listening carefully to local perspectives as we move through our evaluation process.”

Tags:

• high-performance computing
• Los Alamos National Laboratory