Women in high performance computing rally at Supercomputing 2025 to advance diversity and inclusion
The Women in High Performance Computing (WHPC) community convened with renewed energy and purpose at Supercomputing 2025 (SC25) in St. Louis, Missouri, marking yet another significant chapter in their ongoing mission to foster diversity and inclusion within the HPC workforce. The week was marked by a rich blend of formal sessions and informal gatherings, from the flagship WHPC workshop and Birds of a Feather (BoF) meetings to dedicated diversity day events and a networking reception. Together, these activities offered attendees multiple opportunities to connect, support each other, and celebrate progress in the HPC landscape.
Central to SC25 was the 23rd international WHPC workshop, which drew a diverse global audience committed to building community, enhancing inclusion, and supporting early-career researchers from underrepresented groups. This gathering emphasized real-time networking and career development, underscoring the collective strength of the WHPC network. The workshop opened with a keynote by Verónica Vergara, section head of HPC Operations at the National Center for Computational Sciences (NCCS). Vergara shared an inspiring personal narrative of resilience and community commitment as a Latina woman in HPC, highlighting the critical role of allies and strong support systems in navigating the challenges of the field.
The event also honoured Cristin Merritt, a long-standing volunteer whose contributions have been integral to the workshop’s success, with the WHPC Distinguished Volunteering Recognition. Merritt reflected fondly on the personal meaning the workshop holds for her, underscoring the community's deeply rooted culture of mutual support.
Throughout the day, the workshop facilitated dynamic sessions designed to encourage collaboration and dialogue. A morning Troika consulting activity enabled both new and established professionals to engage in peer coaching, while lightning talks showcased a spectrum of groundbreaking HPC research spanning quantum computing and novel computational methodologies. These presentations not only demonstrated the technical breadth of HPC but also illustrated how HPC systems are pivotal across scientific domains.
A highlight was the Career Pathways panel, featuring three women offering diverse perspectives from academia, industry, and national laboratories. Assistant Professor Giulia Guidi of Cornell University recounted her near diversion into medicine before embracing HPC, describing the field as a serendipitous yet fulfilling career choice. Carina Kemp, AWS’s international lead for research computing, spoke candidly about balancing motherhood with a thriving HPC career, exemplifying that career success and family life can coexist. Meanwhile, Hai Ah Nam of Los Alamos National Laboratory revealed that advancing into a managerial role was key to securing a more influential “seat at the table,” allowing her to advocate for inclusivity in HPC leadership.
The workshop concluded with a compelling call to action: attendees were encouraged to foster inclusivity at their workplaces, build robust support networks, and mentor emerging professionals. This message resonated strongly among participants, reinforcing WHPC’s vision of an HPC environment enriched by diversity and collaboration.
The genuine impact of these events is often best expressed through the voices of attendees themselves. Ayesha Shafiuddin, a WHPC Travel Fellow, described how the conference provided an empowering sense of belonging she hadn’t anticipated, stating that the community opened her eyes to broader horizons beyond her daily work. Likewise, early-career speaker Tina Oberoi echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of the support systems fostered by WHPC for all walks of life.
This gathering reflects wider ongoing efforts within WHPC and the broader HPC community to elevate diversity and inclusion. Previous workshops have focused on similar themes, emphasizing recruitment and retention strategies, valuing diverse career paths, and creating new local chapters to expand the network’s reach. The community-building ethos evident at SC25 echoes earlier WHPC initiatives, such as the PEARC25 workshop and the 20th International Women in HPC Workshop at SC24, which also concentrated on supporting underrepresented groups and fostering inclusive environments.
Moreover, local chapters like the Georgia Tech WHPC play a crucial role in driving these goals forward by engaging students, educators, and industry partners to create sustainable, diverse HPC career pipelines. Their work exemplifies how grassroots efforts complement international gatherings, building a more equitable supercomputing community from the ground up.
In sum, the WHPC’s presence at SC25 showcased not only the progress made in supporting women and underrepresented groups in HPC but also the community’s enduring commitment to building a workforce and culture where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and contribute meaningfully. As HPC continues to evolve as an essential tool across scientific and industrial domains, fostering such inclusion will be vital to unlocking its full potential.