The ASC 2018 Student Supercomputer Challenge finalist were announced on March 20, 2018. Twenty of the 300+ enrolled teams around the world including: Tsinghua University-China, Friedrich-Alexander, Erlangen-Nuremberg University- Germany, Saint Petersburg State University – Russia, University of Miskolc – Hungary, Texas A&M University – USA, and Hong Kong Baptist University, will compete from May 5 to 9, 2018 in the final round at Nanchang University. The 20 finalists will design and build supercomputers up to 3,000 Watts, solve exceptionally difficult problems in AI reading comprehension, perform RELION optimization as a core application of the Nobel winning cryo-electron microscopy, and utilize CFL3D, HPL, and HPCG.

In addition to the traditionally prominent universities like Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Tsing Hua University, and Sun Yat-sen University, there are 6 outstanding new teams entering the ASC finals for the first time. One of them is Shanghai Tech University, which in the pre-finals lead in the prediction accuracy optimization of AI reading comprehension and ranked first in the preliminary contests for astounding innovation and total score. Traditionally strong teams also demonstrated uncommon capabilities. National University of Defense Technology was the best in RELION by optimizing the original code to accomplish several times higher efficiency.

Microsoft’s AI reading comprehension task is selected for the “e Prize Computing Challenge Award” of the ASC18 finals. This task requires the finalist to use their self-built supercomputers, and the CNTK deep learning framework to independently develop an algorithm for reading comprehension and “question & answer” by utilizing the latest supercomputing techniques, (in conjunction with MS MARCO data sets), to achieve accurate machine answers to queries.

Also, the three-dimensional reconstruction algorithm RELION, (a core application of cryo-electron microscopy technology that won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry), will continue to be the hot topic in the finals. Another new topic recently announced for the finals is NASA’s famous software for CFD(computational fluid dynamics), CFL3D.

Liu Jun, a member from the ASC18 Organizing committee and the GM of Inspur AI&HPC said: “One of the important missions of supercomputing is to solve major problems that human beings face together, which is the very idea ASC wants to pass on to the participating students. ASC18 facilitates college student competition on the cutting-edge scientific problems, hoping that in the process, they will think, learn and advance their capabilities. Meanwhile, the creative thinking of young people often exhibits fantastic ideas, which in return, brings inspirations to scientific research professionals for further innovation.”

The ASC18 top 20 teams, also include Qinghai University, Zhejiang University, Beihang University, Taiyuan University of Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Fuzhou University, Southeast University, Thailand Kasetsart Agriculture University, etc.

The ASC student supercomputer challenge started in China in 2012 with the successive participation and support from many prominent experts and renowned institutions worldwide. Its goal is to promote the development of Computing, AI and HPC applications. Since its inception, ASC has held a variety of Industrial, Academic, Cultural, and Educational activities between distinguished worldwide experts, scholars, and business leaders in AI and HPC.

ASC Student Supercomputer Challenge is the world’s biggest student supercomputer hackathon.  It aims to promote exchanges among young supercomputing talents worldwide and recognize and mentor young talents. Since it was launched in 2012, the competition has continued to grow with more than 1,100 teams and 5,500 young talents having participated globally.

This year, the ACS18 is jointly organized by Asia Supercomputer Community, and Nanchang University and attracted over 300 teams from all around the world, setting a record as the largest college student competition on AI and HPC.

 

The top 20 teams of ASC18 finals:

Shanghai Tech University

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Qinghai University

Zhejiang University

Hong Kong Baptist University

National University of Defense Technology

Beihang University

Taiyuan University of Technology

Sun Yat-sen University

Huazhong Agricultural University

National Tsing Hua University

Fuzhou University

Southeast University

Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg

Saint Petersburg State University

University of Miskolc

Kasetsart University

Texas A&M University

Tsing Hua University

Nanchang University