On March 20th 2013, we held a formal launch event for HPC Midlands. It was well attended, with some 80 delegates from both research and industry. Leading software vendors were also well represented, with CD-adapco, MSC Software and ANSYS all exhibiting. For those who could not make it, or would like to take another look at the speakers' slides, we have embedded them below. For more information about HPC Midlands and the services we can provide, please see the final slide deck for contact details and next steps, fill out our contact form, or call us on 01509 223110.



We began with a brief welcome message from Professor Robert Allison, Loughborough University Vice Chancellor and Professor Steve Rothberg, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Enterprise at Loughborough University.

 

Our Centre Director, Dr Steven Kenny, Associate Dean for Research at Loughborough University's School of Science followed this up with a brief introduction to HPC Midlands:

Dr Gary Page from Loughborough University and Dr Leigh Lapworth, Chief Design Systems Architect from Rolls Royce presented on their collaboration around Computational Fluid Dynamics and the Hydra CFD software, and the Rolls Royce University Technology Centre  programme:

 

Professor Hongbiao Dong from the University of Leicester and Dr Shuwen Wen, Principal Scientist from Tata Steel presented on their multi-scale multi-physics materials process modelling collaboration, using HPC to model casting, welding and heat treatment processes:

Lionel Mazzella, Plant Modelling Team Leader at E.ON New Build and Technology, provided a case study of E.ON's work with HPC Midlands, highlighting the performance improvements that E.ON saw from using state-of-the-art HPC equipment to accelerate their computer based modelling processes:

Dr David Salmon, Research Support Team Manager at JANET(UK) placed HPC Midlands within the context of the wider UK national e-Infrastructure programme, and outlined possible models for industrial access to the JANET network for collaboration between research and industry:

Our Centre Manager, Martin Hamilton, noted the unique HPC Midlands combination of on demand supercomputing with flexible licensing for commercial software packages.  Martin also extended an invitation to all present to come and visit the HPC Midlands team at the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park:

In addition to thanking all our delegates, exhibitors and speakers, we are also indebted to Kate Beresford for coordinating the event organization, and the Enterprise Office and the Marketing and Communications team at Loughborough University for their assistance with the launch of HPC Midlands. Special thanks are due to Paula Hamill, who led on marketing and promotional materials; Ian Jepson, who developed our branding; Stephen Ashurst who developed our website and worked with Jagjit Samra to come up with the breathtaking photography of Hera, the HPC Midlands supercomputer.