Oct. 2, 2023 — Editor’s Note: In this recent discussion with Program Chair Prof. Michela Taufer, Nages Sieslack sheds light on the pivotal advancements set for ISC 2024. Central to the conversation is the unprecedented move to render ISC research papers fully open access in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library. This initiative ensures that a broader global audience benefits from the groundbreaking findings presented at ISC. The interview also delves into the essential collaborations underpinning this milestone and offers insight into Prof. Taufer’s visions for ISC’s future trajectory. Also spotlighted are the call for paper submissions and the distinguished Hans Meuer Award, underlining the event’s dedication to nurturing and celebrating excellence in HPC research.

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I had the opportunity to talk with Prof. Michela Taufer, the ISC 2024 Program Chair, to get an update on the event’s progress. Prof. Taufer has been in this position for three months and has significantly contributed to the ISC technical program. I was impressed to learn that she has ensured all accepted ISC research papers are made fully open access in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library. A leader of prominent computational biophysics groups in various research and academic institutions and an active contributor to journal papers, Prof. Taufer, is also a strong advocate for the open sharing of research within and beyond the HPC community.

Sieslack – Congratulations, and thank you for accomplishing the mission of enabling ISC Research Papers to be published open access in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library for the first time. What was the process to achieve this milestone? Why is it so important?

Taufer – I am delighted that, for the first time, accepted papers will be submitted for inclusion as fully open access in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library. My services across communities, including IEEE, IEEE Computer Society (IEEE CS), and ISC, have taught me how, too often, we share the common mission of serving the same community. However, we still need effective communication channels. I am honored to bring all these parties together and link the groups by proposing the idea of fully open-access papers in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library. It’s a leap forward for the ISC conference and makes a big difference for submitters, as their research is now accessible to all.

Sieslack – This news is worth a big announcement. Can you specify some of the benefits of open access in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library?

Taufer – There are several main benefits to publishing ISC papers with open access in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library. Firstly, this is an essential step towards democratizing HPC research. Too often, members of disadvantaged communities cannot attend the conference or access research publications, but with open access, they will now have full access to the publications at no cost. Secondly, this change means that early career researchers will have a broader, more international audience reading, engaging with, and citing their work, which will help them gain recognition and advance their careers.

Finally, as HPC is converging with other communities, such as cloud computing, and is entangling with other disciplines, this policy makes our work broadly accessible to members of those communities and disciplines. This increased accessibility will enhance the impact of ISC and advance discovery, transforming HPC for the next generation.

Sieslack – This effort must have required wide support from IEEE, IEEE CS, and ISC. Can you share more about the partnerships that made this possible?

Taufer – I am grateful for the openness of IEEE, IEEE CS, and ISC. The leaders at IEEE have been instrumental in our partnership, including James Irvine, who chairs the Products and Services Committee, and Angela Trilli and her team at the Institutional Information Products. Additionally, the IEEE Conference Management Committee has been incredibly supportive. At IEEE CS, Patrick Kellenberger, the Associate Director of Conference Services and Strategic Initiatives, was a great help to us. Last but not least, thank you to ISC General Co-Chairs Martin and Thomas Meuer, who supported this mission from the beginning.

As ISC 2024 Program Chair, I am excited to collaborate with the ISC Research Paper Chair Jeff Hammond. We crossed paths when he was at Argonne National Laboratory, and I remember a vibrant discussion with him on the role of HPC in transforming molecular dynamics simulations. Jeff is the perfect person to lead the research paper track this year. I believe that Jeff and his team will excel in utilizing the open-access publication policy to attract outstanding contributions.

Sieslack – What is your vision for ISC in 2024 and beyond?

Taufer – ISC is an incredible forum for the community, with a keen eye on HPC developments and a commitment to addressing the day’s challenges. On the program committee, we enjoy the flexibility to share our observations and apply them to elevate the technical program’s scope, quality, and recognition.

My vision is that we continue to promote cutting-edge innovative research, prioritize transparency in the peer review process, and ensure that early career researchers are included at every stage of the technical program. Building on all these strengths and setting an ambitious agenda for the future, we are in the position to reinvent HPC and advance transformative scientific discovery. All in all, I am excited to see what the future holds for ISC and the HPC community as a whole.

Sieslack – Is there anything else you want to share with the ISC community?

Taufer – I am looking forward to seeing everyone in Hamburg in May!

About the Proposals

The ISC 2024 team seeks proposals based on original work in theoretical, experimental, and industrial research & development in these six topic areas. Submissions will be accepted through December 1, 2023. The most outstanding research paper selected by the members of the research papers committee will be awarded the Hans Meuer Award, which includes a cash prize of 3,000 Euros for the authors. The research paper session will be held from Monday, May 13, to Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

About ISC

ISC High Performance has been organized since 1986 and is recognized as the world’s oldest and Europe’s most prominent conference for the HPC, machine learning, and high performance data analytics communities. In 2024, the event will feature the most recent advances in high performance computing, covering all significant developments in system design, programming models, applications, machine learning, quantum computing, and up-and-coming technologies. ISC 2024 will be held at the Congress Center Hamburg. https://www.isc-hpc.com.

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Source: Nages Sieslack, ISC