Women in High Performance computing

Find out about WHPC at University of Edinburgh

22 March 2016

Led by the University of Edinburgh, Women in High Performance computing (WHPC) began with a question – “Why are there not more women in HPC”? This led to a mission to find the answer, taking us on a journey that brings together the HPC community internationally, raising awareness of the importance of equality of opportunity, the benefits to companies and research groups. Our goal is simple: support the HPC community in recognising and addressing the under-representation of women, and encourage women to engage and continue a career in HPC.

There are many initiatives aimed at encouraging more women to work in STEM, often focusing on attracting and retaining women in traditional subjects, but none consider the Supercomputing and HPC community. WHPC leads and participates in research to gather data on the current demographics of the community, collects and disseminates information on best practise and seeks to raise the visibility of inspirational role models. One way we do this is by providing opportunities for women to display their research at major events, affording them the visibility they deserve. WHPC showcases women leaders and provides networking and mentoring opportunities that raise the profile of women. We bring together corporate organisations, research institutions, academia and business to network, mentor, share knowledge and provide a path for improving the profile of women in all sectors.