Estela Suarez, joint lead of the Novel System Architecture Design department at the Jülich Supercomputing Centre and Associate Professor at the University of Bonn, is a leading figure in European high-performance computing (HPC) innovation.
As the leader of the DEEP project series and the Modular Supercomputing Architecture, she has helped shape how Europe builds and uses its most powerful machines: the distributed EuroHPC JU environment.
Ahead of her talk at the EBRAINS Summit 2025, she shares how HPC is shaping the future of neuroscience by highlighting innovations, collaboration opportunities, and the emerging questions driving computing and brain research forward.
Could you share the key ideas or innovations you will address in your ‘’Future Computing’’ session, and why they are relevant for the neuroscience community?
I work in HPC and focus on system architecture. My team and I examine how to build and operate HPC systems to improve their performance and energy efficiency. Neuroscience is a field that uses large amounts of computing time for simulations and data analysis. Hopefully, it will benefit from our work by having access to better, more efficient supercomputers. Additionally, my work can benefit from neuroscientific research with novel brain-inspired computer technologies.
As a researcher, how has EBRAINS impacted your work or the way you collaborate with others to advance scientific discovery?
EBRAINS has created an infrastructure that gives access to HPC systems and services to neuroscientists, enabling them to employ supercomputers effectively, bringing new users and requirements to HPC hosting sites. Understanding these new user profiles and their needs will guide the design of future machines.
Looking ahead, what do you see as the most exciting or pressing scientific question for computing neuroscience?
I dare to name three different questions, from completely different angles. From a domain science perspective, I hope that the recently deployed exascale computing capacities will enable new insights into brain behaviour, particularly with regard to how diseases appear and can be prevented or cured. From a technological perspective, I look forward to seeing how our growing collective knowledge of how the brain functions allows us to build better, more capable, and less energy-consuming computing devices. From a philosophical point of view, I'm excited to learn if it's possible to draw a clear line between natural and artificial intelligence, or if that line will become blurrier or even disappear over time.
To learn more about Estela Suarez's work on supercomputers and how this technological foresight will impact your research and the global quest for brain-inspired computing, register for the EBRAINS Summit here and join the “Future Computing” session on Wednesday, 10 December, 13:45-14:30.
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