Source: News Center

Written by: News Center

Translated by: Liang Wenjie

Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On the afternoon of June 17 (Beijing time), the world supercomputer organization TOP500 officially announced the 41th TOP500 list of world supercomputers at the 2013 International Supercomputing Conference in Leipzig, Germany. Tianhe-2 supercomputer system developed by National University of Defense Technology heads the list again after Tianhe-1 became the first Chinese supercomputer champion in 2010. Tianhe-2 will be transferred to Guangzhou Supercomputing Center on East Campus of Sun Yat-sen University later this year, and put into operation in the fields including mega science, large projects, industrial upgrading and informationization.

On June 17, National University of Defense Technology, the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality and Sun Yat-sen University jointly held a news conference in Changsha. Li Nan, deputy chief designer and spokesman for the Tianhe-2 project, introduced that Tianhe-2 was currently the world’s fastest supercomputer with its comprehensive technology reaching international advanced level. It has five major features: high-performance, low energy consumption, broad applications, easy to use, and good price/performance ratio. Liao Xiangke, chief designer for the project, pointed out that the successful development of Tianhe-2 and its heading the TOP500 list of world supercomputers is an iconic achievement of the first phase of “high-performance computer development”, a major project by the Ministry of Science and Technology. This is of strategic importance in elevating our country’s comprehensive national strength, and providing more advanced technology to solve major challenging problems in economic, social, scientific and technological development.

Xia Lianghui, Assistant President of Sun Yat-sen University, said at the news conference that the application of supercomputer depends on two key elements: talent cultivation and market operation. By making full use of high-level science and technology innovation resources, relying on complete discipline system and talent cultivation system, and centering on Guangzhou Supercomputing Center’s needs in talent cultivation and supercomputing application, Sun Yat-sen University has set up three institutions, namely, School of Supercomputing, Research Institute of Supercomputing and Research Institute of Big Data to provide high-level talents and technology support for Guangzhou Supercomputing Center. The School of Advanced Computing, the first supercomputing school in the country, plans to recruit 30 postgraduate students in the coming autumn.