The “Slovenian Supercomputing Network Days” or “SLING Days”, the largest supercomputing conference in Slovenia, took place from 3 to 5 December 2024 in Ljubljana, as part of the Arnes conference “Mreža znanja” attracting more than 300 participants from Europe and Slovenia, both live and via livestream.
The SLING Days once again brought together key players in the field of High Performance Computing (HPC) and facilitated a fruitful discussion on the challenges and opportunities for the further development of this strategic area. The event brought together National Supercomputing Competence Centres from Central Europe, Slovenian researchers, users from industry and the wider professional community.
The meeting of the Central European National Supercomputing Centres focused on common challenges and solutions in key areas such as education, fostering cooperation between industry and the research community, and promoting supercomputing. Participants shared experiences and best practices with the aim of strengthening cooperation between countries and making HPC solutions more effective in the economy.
The plenary part of the event presented the latest achievements and activities within SLING (Slovenian Supercomputing Network), including the integration of HPC technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. Key infrastructures, such as the largest Slovenian EuroHPC Vega, were also presented, as well as participation in international projects such as SMASH and Epicure, which are part of the wider EuroHPC ecosystem.
The lectures by Professors Uroš Lotrič and Tomaž Prosen highlighted key aspects of the development and use of modern computer technologies. Uroš Lotrič, Professor at the Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana, presented the new role of computer experts, who have transitioned from mainly designing supercomputers to becoming significant users. Tomaž Prosen, Full Professor at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, brought the audience up to date on the current state of quantum computing in the NISQ (Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum) era.
A round table on “Women in HPC” attracted particular attention, where participants discussed challenges and approaches to better integrate women in supercomputing and engineering. The discussion highlighted concrete steps to promote gender equality and greater representation of women in the field.
The final day of the Sling Days conference was rich in content and focused on the use of supercomputing in industry. The event brought together experts, companies and organisations that are actively using HPC and artificial intelligence to innovate and gain a competitive edge.
Representatives from Slovenian companies AformX, Flai, HiSense-Gorenje, Culmium, Procesni Inženiring, Elaphe and Braintrip shared their practical experience in using HPC and AI in various industrial sectors such as aerospace, automotive, medicine, manufacturing and geotechnics. Attendees learned how supercomputing capabilities are being used to develop innovative products, improve processes and optimise business operations. In addition, the speakers offered valuable advice for companies considering the adoption of these technologies.
The SLING Days also presented the Arnesov HackathON, which will take place for the second time in a row in 2025, again in co-organisation with the Slovenian Society “Informatika”, the Portal OPSI (Ministry of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Public Administration) and the Faculty of Computer and Information Science University of Ljubljana, and under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO.
The SLING Days reaffirmed the importance of cooperation and knowledge sharing for the development of High Performance Computing and of strengthening the integration between different activities and projects. The event is an important step towards strengthening the role of HPC technology in science, industry and society at large.
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