As we approach the 21st century, we are clearly leaving behind the Industrial Revolution and embarking on the Information Age. Advances in the sciences that used to take decades now take years or months, as research and implementation move ahead with dizzying speed. As part of the Committee on Computing, Information, and Communications (CCIC) of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), the High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) Program is a driving force in information technologies, computing, communications, and information infrastructure, and a major component of America's investment in its future, helping to maintain and widen the competitive lead that will keep our citizens productive well into the next century.
Through the HPCC Program, Federal departments and agencies fund computational projects in the fundamental sciences in areas of scientific research where computational capabilities limit innovation. Efforts that focus on computationally intensive problems in science and technology are called "Grand Challenges," while those that focus on informationally intensive problems are called "National Challenges."
The HPCC Program was authorized with bipartisan Congressional support in 1991 through passage of the High Performance Computing Act. Created as a dynamic R&D program to extend U.S. leadership in high performance computing and communications, it has provided the sustained focus needed for developing these technologies and has adapted to the needs and opportunities of a changing world. As we enter the second five years, the Program continues to support outstanding science and foster innovative solutions to complex problems. This year's book highlights some of the Program's most notable achievements, including:
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High performance computing systems have brought scalable parallel computing into a new era. Today's focus is on scalable architectures that deliver high performance, as well as on new component technologies, embedded systems, and wireless communications technology. |
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Advanced software technologies R&D continues to make marked progress in microkernel operating systems, programming languages, scalable input/output (I/O), and tools for developing software for parallel computing systems. |
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Interdisciplinary R&D has led to new science and engineering in a wide range of disciplines. By modeling weather, the environment, pollution, climate, manufacturing, the human body, galaxies, and the way new proteins are made, high performance computing and communications have brought the Nation new knowledge and new abilities. |
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Enabling technologies for information infrastructure have focused on distributed computing, reliability, mobility, security and privacy, and tools for building distributed applications. |
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Basic research and education remain a foundation of the Program. Fundamental new ideas are being investigated across the participating organizations. |
This book describes more fully these and other exciting FY 1996 research areas as well as the FY 1997 research directions of dedicated and creative scientists, engineers, individuals, and organizations throughout the country. The examples summarized here comprise only a small fraction of many impressive accomplishments. Others can be accessed via the World Wide Web, either starting with http://www.ccic.gov, or using the URLs available at the end of each section.
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