HPC2 holds grand opening of additional space
September 1, 2006
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State University officials, U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering and Gov. Haley Barbour celebrated the grand opening of a 28,000-square-foot addition to the High Performance Computing Collabortory.
The additional space in the facility makes room for a new supercomputer, called Raptor, a $1.3 million machine able to make 10.6 trillion calculations per second. The supercomputer, which will be purchased pending approval from the College Board, will have computing power equivalent to the 73rd fastest supercomputer in the world.
The addition that nearly doubles the size of HPC2 also creates needed space for researchers, administration and storage. HPC2 includes the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, the Center for the Department of Defense Programming Environment and Training, Computational Simulation and Design Center, GeoResources Institute, and the Center for Computational Sciences.
Research conducted at the facility will involve a range of research interests ranging from sociology to electrical engineering. Kirk Schulz, dean of the Bagley College of Engineering, said the capabilities of the new supercomputer will benefit people throughout the state.
“This is a very bright spot for Mississippi,” Schulz said. “This is something I hope all Mississippians will take pride in.”
U.S. Rep. Pickering said the importance of protecting the United States from terrorist threats throughout the world makes using of the best technology available essential. Much research at HPC2 relates to the Department of Defense. He also said facility helps Mississippi earn a reputation of developing cutting edge research. When all supercomputers in the state link together, Mississippi has as much capacity as the world’s seventh-ranked supercomputer in the world.
“The image we make here will affect our state in a positive way,” Pickering said.
Gov. Barbour said the research at the facility will help attract high-tech, high wages jobs in a state traditionally known for its inexpensive labor market. He also said the facility’s new computing strength will affect the entire country.
“The research people do here now and in the future allows Mississippi to be competitive in the marketplace,” Barbour said. “It also helps the country remain competitive.”