The University of Regina has a new research supercomputer, the most powerful computer there has ever been on campus. This new computer will be used to make very complex scientific calculations by the departments of Chemistry, Computer Science and Mathematics.
Professor Allan East in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry says the massive capacity and speed of the new computer means that detailed calculations can be done on very large amounts of data. “For example, in chemistry we will be able to simulate how carbon bonds crack in petroleum refining, which could ultimately lead to greener processes in the oil and gas industry. In mathematics, it will help with data encryption for storing information, which could mean improved data security for things like health patient records. In computer science, better algorithms will be designed to sort, explore, and use very large datasets.” explains East.
So how big is this supercomputer? Most home computers have 4 or 6 gigabytes of Random Access Memory, or RAM, where information can be stored. This computer has 984 Gb of RAM. Today‘s home computers typically have a dual core or quad core processor - the part of the computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program. The supercomputer is hundreds of times larger, with 492 cores. This supercomputer is also physically larger than a home computer, standing 180 centimetres high and measuring 60 centimetres wide and 60 centimetres deep.
There was no direct cost to the University of Regina for this new computer. The federal government contributed $202,658 towards the cost of the computer under the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and the Government of Saskatchewan matched that under the Innovation and Science Fund. The supercomputer was built by a company from Montreal, CiaraTech, which specializes in building supercomputers, and is also a sponsor of the project.