RMACC HPC Symposium 2025

This panel will explore diverse approaches to integrating AI in teaching and research. Each panelist will briefly share their current work with AI before opening up to an informal, generative discussion with the audience about the opportunities and challenges AI presents in higher education. Lee Frankel-Goldwater (Environmental Studies) will discuss the AI Literacy Ambassadors program and the use of citizen science lessons to build research and AI literacy skills. Bobby Hodgkinson (Aerospace Engineering) will share insights from embedding AI-generated feedback in engineering courses, highlighting both its pedagogical strengths and limitations. Diane Sieber (Engineering, Ethics and Society) will focus on shifting campus culture through new curricula and the Generative Futures Lab for AI — a collaborative space for experimentation and knowledge-sharing. Together, their work spans interdisciplinary areas of application, classroom integration, and institutional transformation — offering a rich conversation on the evolving role of AI in academia.

In concert with the quantum computing-related workshop at this year's RMACC Symposium, this panel explores the current state of quantum-centric HPC from the perspective of prominent industry members of the ecosystem. We'll discuss the limitations inherent to classical approaches that might be overcome using quantum systems, domains and algorithms that are benefiting from today's quantum technology, where quantum advantage might be likely to emerge in the near future, and how HPC facilitators might support researchers integrating quantum computing into their workflows. Sustainability impacts inherent to quantum computing will also be considered.

Many research computing providers are currently working to comply with enhanced data security requirements mandated by U.S. funding agencies to protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and other sensitive data when used on their cyberinfrastructure. The most common data security frameworks include the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800-171 for CUI, the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) for defense-related CUI, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for health information. Progress toward compliance with these frameworks is a complex and iterative process, and therefore numerous approaches have been undertaken. This panel discussion provides a forum to share information, experiences, and ideas regarding secure HPC.