Retrospect on 25th Anniversary of the John von Neumann Institute for Computing (NIC)
The John von Neumann Institute for Computing celebrated its 25th anniversary in April in Cologne. The event showcased current research and explored disruptive computing technologies through keynotes and exciting discussions. In addition, tribute was also paid to Prof. Kurt Binder who unfortunately passed away last autumn. He was former chair of the NIC Scientific Council and one of the driving forces in the high-performance computing (HPC) community in Germany and particularly in the NIC.
The programme for the event reflected the organization’s mission and achievements over the last quarter century. In particular, two keynote talks by Prof. Hidetoshi Nishimori and Prof. Steve Furber gave a deeper insight into current disruptive technologies. Nishimori’s work helped to lay the theoretical foundations for the field of quantum annealing, and his insights continue to be important in advancing the state-of-the-art in quantum computing. Furber is one of the key designers of the ARM processor, which is extensively used to develop neuromorphic computing today. The ARM processor is a type of microprocessor architecture that is widely used in mobile devices, embedded systems, and other low-power applications.
In a panel discussion, Prof. Thomas Lippert and Prof. Thomas Schulthess together with Furber and Nishimori focused on the topic “beyond digital computing”. This subject of high topicality and relevance also encouraged the audience to address their questions to the panel.
The NIC research groups are an integral part of the NIC and some of the groups’ former and current leaders gave talks that proved to be another highlight. Further information is available at: https://go.fzj.de/nic-25.
Contact: Dr. Alexander Trautmann