Purdue University

Purdue’s Women in High-Performance Computing (WHPC) group is hosting a presentation on April 26 from 12-1:30 p.m. at the Envision Center. The presentation will focus on Rebecca Sharples’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D) dissertation, which was inspired by the remarkable life journey of Suzanna Gardner, the Senior Research Operations Administrator of Outreach and Engagement for the Anvil supercomputer at Rosen Center for Advanced Computing (RCAC).

Suzanna Gardner and Rebecca Sharples, both highly motivated women and staunch feminists, will tell the stories of their lives, their friendship, and the research journey into Suzanna’s life they undertook during Sharples’s doctoral program. They will discuss the evolution and progression of how their own challenges and successes made them who they are today, current events and statistics specific to women’s status here in the US, Central Asia, and globally, and how they both continue to work towards advancing the status of women and girls across the world.

The presentation will be available virtually for those unable to make it in person at the Envision Center. Registration for the event is free, but interested participants should register in advance here.

A virtual option is available here for those not able to attend in-person.

Suzanna Gardner

Rooted in a deep commitment to championing female empowerment, Gardner’s journey reflects early encounters with the entrenched biases of a society steeped in misogyny. Breaking barriers, she proudly emerged as the trailblazing first woman from Uzbekistan to earn a medal at the 1999 Asian Judo Championship, a testament to her dedication to achieving the 3rd Degree Black Belt. Complementing her athletic achievements, she holds an M.A. in International Affairs and Leadership from Arizona State University, equipping her with a multifaceted perspective to navigate diverse environments.

Throughout Gardner’s journey, she has succeeded in predominantly male-dominated environments, from her early days as a Judoka in Uzbekistan to owning a Strength and Conditioning gym in Texas. Transitioning into academia, Gardner became a Head Strength Conditioning Coach, working with athletes of all genders and levels. Embracing these diverse experiences, she has leveraged male-dominated spaces to empower individuals and inspire collective achievement, surpassing gender barriers.

Rebecca Sharples

Dr. Rebecca Sharples earned her bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Computer Information Systems in 2001. She earned her master's degree in Information Systems in 2003 and earned her doctorate in Education with a concentration in Learning and Organizational Change in 2023. Dr. Sharples’s experience ranges from technical IT to process improvement and auditing of financial systems to management in business, IT, and education. She also owned a small glass art business for 3.5 years while her children were young, during which time she took a break from the corporate world to be home. Dr. Sharples’s most recent role was at Purdue University in The Data Mine. She served as the Managing Director of Academic Programs and Outreach for more than two years before she left to pursue goals in her personal life, such as spending more time with her husband of 14 years and their 3 kids, coaching and training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, her art, and working on home renovation projects.

Purdue Women in High-Performance Computing Program

Purdue Women in HPC (WHPC) is part of a broader engagement initiative by the Rosen Center for Advanced Computing (RCAC) and is led by women staffers affiliated with RCAC. WHPC is a diverse community encompassing undergraduate, graduate, staff, and faculty men and women who are interested in exposing women to high-performance computing and encouraging their pursuit of research and careers in HPC and other technology fields.

Purdue WHPC organizes a range of activities, including a scholarship program that supports travel for women students to industry conferences, regular meetings to discuss technical HPC-related issues of interest, opportunities to network with the WHPC community, a mentorship program, workshops, and exposure to external resources and opportunities.

To learn more about Purdue Women in HPC or be added to the mailing list, contact whpc@purdue.edu.