Sidney Karin

Co-Author of the National EDU Supercomputing Program and Founding Director, SDSC

Dr. Sidney “Sid” Karin is known for his pioneering HPC contributions that have helped to shape the digital landscape. As Professor Emeritus of Computer Science and Engineering and Director Emeritus of the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego, Karin’s influence is far-reaching. 

Along with Dr. Larry Smarr, Karin spearheaded the creation of the Supercomputer Centers program under the NSF. Around the time Smarr submitted his “Black Proposal,” Karin submitted a separate proposal as Director of General Atomics, a San Diego atomic research firm. This further convinced Federal officials of the need for a supercomputing center program, leading to the establishment of SDSC. 

The founding of SDSC led to SDSCnet, the center’s high-speed data communication network. Under Dr. Karin’s leadership, SDSCnet evolved into CERFnet, one of the first six Internet Service Providers, which ultimately contributed to the foundation of NSFnet, a cornerstone of the modern Internet. 

Karin’s foresight in recognizing the importance of telecommunications and data-intensive computing positioned SDSC as a global leader in these fields. He expanded SDSC to a formidable institution with over 400 staff members and an annual revenue of $65 million, guiding it to prominence in numerous scientific and technological areas. 

Karin has also been instrumental in national and international policymaking, serving on committees for Livermore and Los Alamos National Laboratories and advising the World Bank and various governments on HPC initiatives. A Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Dr. Karin holds top security clearances and is a registered Professional Engineer.