April 26-30, 2021- Virtual Conference
Theme: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Salishan Conference
The story of computing and mission-science has arguably been one of conjoined innovation. It is a story of a continuous, at times integrated and at times turbulent, technology-push and demand-pull dynamic in which science problems have driven computing advancement and computing has advanced science capability. The story is set within a complex ecosystem that includes a rarefied collection of performance-driven users, technology and system providers and innovators, and the challenges of a highly unusual market, with each actor navigating the intricate balance between innovation on one hand with system complexity, technical feasibility, and usability on the other. On this 40th anniversary of the Salishan Conference on High Speed Computing, it is fitting to look back on the road we have traveled, to consider knowledge gained and lessons learned, and to celebrate notable achievements, while also gazing forward toward a future filled with grand challenges, technological promise, and scientific advancement.
In the summer of 1976, Nic Metropolis and Jack Worlton organized the historic International Research Conference on the History of Computing, inviting computing pioneers worldwide. The conference covered the evolution of computers from mechanical desk calculators to the 1976 recent past and resulted in seminal conference proceedings, as well as several books, including a famous collection of essays published in 1980. As these pioneers examined the legacy of computing, they also sought to shape its future.
In the late 1970s, the composition of the broader HPC Community was changing as an increasingly diverse set of HPC users (beyond the traditional users found mostly in government) began to buy supercomputers. The rate of performance improvement was slowing. While the US HPC industry appeared to be moving toward evolutionary rather than revolutionary platform development, other countries, particularly Japan, seemed to be focusing more heavily on massively parallel development. It is against this backdrop, and with a similar vision as the 1976 Metropolis Conference, that the Salishan Conference was established in 1981 as a means of convening experts in computer architecture, languages, and algorithms to facilitate discussion and develop strategies to ensure that the long-term needs of government users could be met. The targeted goals of the conference were to improve communications, develop collaborations, solve problems of mutual interest, and provide effective leadership in the field of high speed computing. Over the years these areas continued to be important, and although languages still played a major role in HPC, the conference logo was updated to reflect the applications area as a major aspect of the conference along with architectures and algorithms.
Over the last four decades, the annual Salishan Conference on High Speed Computing has convened thought leaders of the HPC community, as well as influential policy makers and program managers. Unlike traditional academic conferences that bring together those directly engaged in research, Salishan attendees represent the broader community including experts and luminaries from government labs and agencies, industry, and academia to nurture a unique experience in which all facets of the HPC ecosystem are considered, including market viability and the political considerations of sustaining long-term investment in approaches and technologies. The invitation-only structure of Salishan ensured that the diversity of viewpoints and perspectives, as well as cutting edge information within the community could be represented, considered and developed. As a result of its location, unique structure, and opportunity for access to peer thought leaders, as well as speakers and attendees chosen for their ability to influence and impact the HPC community, Salishan asserted its position as one of the most sought-after invitations by HPC community leaders. In 2021, due to the global pandemic, we celebrate the 40th anniversary and continue the Salishan tradition with a virtual offering of seven conference sessions covering a broad range of topics. Thank you for joining us. We hope that you enjoy the conference.
In the summer of 1976, Nic Metropolis and Jack Worlton organized the historic International Research Conference on the History of Computing, inviting computing pioneers worldwide. The conference covered the evolution of computers from mechanical desk calculators to the 1976 recent past and resulted in seminal conference proceedings, as well as several books, including a famous collection of essays published in 1980. As these pioneers examined the legacy of computing, they also sought to shape its future.
In the late 1970s, the composition of the broader HPC Community was changing as an increasingly diverse set of HPC users (beyond the traditional users found mostly in government) began to buy supercomputers. The rate of performance improvement was slowing. While the US HPC industry appeared to be moving toward evolutionary rather than revolutionary platform development, other countries, particularly Japan, seemed to be focusing more heavily on massively parallel development. It is against this backdrop, and with a similar vision as the 1976 Metropolis Conference, that the Salishan Conference was established in 1981 as a means of convening experts in computer architecture, languages, and algorithms to facilitate discussion and develop strategies to ensure that the long-term needs of government users could be met. The targeted goals of the conference were to improve communications, develop collaborations, solve problems of mutual interest, and provide effective leadership in the field of high speed computing. Over the years these areas continued to be important, and although languages still played a major role in HPC, the conference logo was updated to reflect the applications area as a major aspect of the conference along with architectures and algorithms.
Over the last four decades, the annual Salishan Conference on High Speed Computing has convened thought leaders of the HPC community, as well as influential policy makers and program managers. Unlike traditional academic conferences that bring together those directly engaged in research, Salishan attendees represent the broader community including experts and luminaries from government labs and agencies, industry, and academia to nurture a unique experience in which all facets of the HPC ecosystem are considered, including market viability and the political considerations of sustaining long-term investment in approaches and technologies. The invitation-only structure of Salishan ensured that the diversity of viewpoints and perspectives, as well as cutting edge information within the community could be represented, considered and developed. As a result of its location, unique structure, and opportunity for access to peer thought leaders, as well as speakers and attendees chosen for their ability to influence and impact the HPC community, Salishan asserted its position as one of the most sought-after invitations by HPC community leaders. In 2021, due to the global pandemic, we celebrate the 40th anniversary and continue the Salishan tradition with a virtual offering of seven conference sessions covering a broad range of topics. Thank you for joining us. We hope that you enjoy the conference.