Sharing Insights at CARLA 2024 – Advancing Coastal Lagoon Management with HPC
On October 3, 2024, Dr. José M. Cecilia had the privilege of being a keynote speaker at the 11th Latin America High-Performance Computing Conference (CARLA 2024), held from September 30 to October 4 in Santiago, Chile. CARLA has established itself as the premier venue in Latin America for fostering innovation and collaboration within the High-Performance Computing (HPC) community. The event brought together brilliant minds from around the world, showcasing the intersection of HPC, Artificial Intelligence, and their transformative applications.
CARLA’s reputation as a hub for cutting-edge research and exchange of ideas was evident through an impressive lineup of keynotes and invited talks. Experts like Marta Mattoso from the University of Rio de Janeiro and Bernd Mohr from Jülich Supercomputing Centre shared groundbreaking insights. It was an honor to present our work on SMARTLAGOON alongside such esteemed colleagues and contribute to this dialogue of innovation.
In Dr. Cecilia’s keynote, “HPC and Data Analytics to Solve Socio-Environmental Issues: The Case of the Mar Menor from the SMARTLAGOON Project”, he shared the progress and findings from SMARTLAGOON, where cutting-edge initiative leveraging HPC and data analytics were applied to tackle pressing socio-environmental issues in the Mar Menor coastal lagoon. As stated several times on this blog, the Mar Menor, a vital coastal ecosystem in Spain, faces significant challenges from pollution, climate change, and human activity. At SMARTLAGOON, we apply advanced computational models and HPC-powered simulations to monitor, predict, and manage these complex interactions, helping to ensure the lagoon’s sustainability.
The response from the Latin American HPC community was positive, with many researchers expressing keen interest in the project’s methodologies and results, highlighting parallels with similar coastal lagoon systems in Latin America. This cross-continental exchange of ideas proves the universal relevance of HPC and data analytics in addressing environmental challenges.
Dr. Cecilia left the conference inspired by the depth of expertise and passion in the HPC community. CARLA 2024 not only showcased innovative research but also emphasized collaboration. As the convergence of HPC and AI drives innovation globally, platforms like CARLA are crucial for bridging the gap between regions, fostering partnerships, and inspiring new applications. The support from organizations like RedCLARA, NLHPC, and major sponsors such as AMD, DELL, NVIDIA, and others underscored the event’s significance. Their commitment to advancing HPC infrastructure and education in Latin America is paving the way for groundbreaking research and solutions. Experience at CARLA 2024 reaffirmed the importance of HPC in addressing global challenges. The enthusiasm from the Latin American community for applying SMARTLAGOON’s findings to their coastal lagoons demonstrates the far-reaching impact of international collaboration.
For those who missed it, CARLA 2024 was streamed live on YouTube, so can view Dr. Cecilia’s full keynote there (link), along with all the other presentations.
Let’s continue to harness the power of HPC for a better, more sustainable future.