Suffolk Reporter

Arie Kaufman, a distinguished professor in the Department of Computer Science, has been honored with the SC24 Test of Time Award (TOTA) for supercomputing for his seminal 2004 paper, “GPU Cluster for High Performance Computing.”

Two decades ago, Kaufman, along with Postdoc Suzanne Yoakum-Stover and PhD students Zhe Fan and Feng Qiu, revolutionized high-performance computing (HPC) with their groundbreaking research on GPU clusters. This pioneering work laid the foundation for the extensive use of graphics processing units (GPUs) in clusters and supercomputers today, earning this prestigious accolade.

“This distinguished recognition not only honors the exceptional quality and lasting impact of our research but also reflects the dedication and innovation of our faculty,” said Samir Das, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science. “It highlights the innovative and influential work that continues to shape the future of computing and underscores our department’s commitment to advancing the field of computer science. Congratulations to everyone involved for this remarkable achievement and for setting such a high standard in our field.”

Kaufman — who is also chief scientist at the Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT) — and his students previously advocated for leveraging a single GPU — originally designed for graphics rendering — for general computations; their 2004 paper was the first to explore and validate the potential of GPU clusters for large-scale, high-performance computations. Today, GPUs are integral to clusters and supercomputers, driving advancements in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).

“This TOTA award represents a major recognition for the powerhouse of the Center for Visual Computing (CVC) in developing visionary and disruptive technologies,” said Kaufman, who has directed CVC for nearly three decades and led the SC04 paper research. “The paper is one of my two most cited papers and was a result of a decade of passion for GPUs.”

Read the complete story on the Department of Computer Science website.