Purdue student attends SC24 conference with Women in HPC support
Purdue’s Women in High-Performance Computing (WHPC) group recently sponsored Durga Mandarapu, a doctoral student in computer science, to attend SC24, the international conference for high-performance computing, networking, storage, and analysis, which was held in Atlanta last month. Purdue had a large presence at SC24, with many faculty and staff among the conference’s 18,000+ attendees, and a booth hosted by Purdue in the conference’s exhibit hall.
Attending SC24 for the first time, Mandarapu found the experience both energizing and inspiring. Surrounded by thousands of researchers and practitioners, she gained new perspectives on the transformative power of high-performance computing through technical sessions, tutorials, and networking opportunities.
One of the conference highlights for Mandarapu was a tutorial where she shared her research problem. The entire panel of presenters engaged in discussion, offering valuable insights and suggestions. This interaction exemplified the collaborative spirit of the conference and emphasized the scale of HPC research.
“The scale of HPC research and its transformative impact on real-world applications was far beyond anything I had previously imagined,” Mandarapu says, reflecting on the knowledge she gained and the connections she made, including with researchers from national labs.
Purdue 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.
Within the WHPC initiative, RCAC extends partial travel assistance to undergraduate and graduate students, empowering their participation in various national conferences aligning with WHPC’s objectives. Applicants are assessed on their demonstrated experience with advanced computation and must explain what they hope to gain from participating in the conference. To be eligible, an applicant must identify as a woman and be an undergrad or grad student maintaining good academic standing. For full eligibility requirements, and to apply for this scholarship, please visit the WHPC Scholarship page.
Support from WHPC played a critical role in making this experience possible for Mandarapu. The scholarship covered travel and attendance expenses, allowing her to fully immerse herself in the event and connect with a broader HPC community. For Mandarapu, the WHPC group has also provided a sense of belonging within Purdue.
“For a long time at Purdue, I could not find an HPC community. That changed when I discovered RCAC and the Women in HPC group. I felt more connected as a researcher and as a Purdue student,” she says. “I am deeply grateful for the support and scholarship from Purdue WHPC.”
Mandarapu encourages other students to take advantage of the WHPC scholarship program, which she views as a vital resource for graduate students who may struggle to secure funding for professional development opportunities.
“I believe the WHPC scholarship plays a crucial role in supporting students by enabling them to showcase their work and fostering professional development opportunities.”
To learn more about Purdue Women in HPC or to join the mailing list, contact whpc@purdue.edu.