Taking Croatian computing to the next level at the University of Rijeka.
Thanks to the “Bura” supercomputer at the University of Rijeka, for first time in history Croatia has a representative in the elite company of the 500 most powerful computer systems in the world, vice-rector of the University of Rijeka Zlatan Car said yesterday, reports Novilist on November 27, 2015.
“At the EU level, including Russia and Switzerland, ‘Bura’ is 92nd out of 108 installations. In addition to this ranking, ‘Bura’ is at 175th position on the Green 500. It is a list that measures performance per watt, that is, energy efficiency of specific computer architecture or piece of computer hardware. This proves that ‘Bura’ is extremely energy-efficient”, said the vice-rector. “Bura” can also be found in the High Performance Conjugate Gradients list, where it is positioned better than supercomputers from some of the most prestigious universities in the world, including the University of Cambridge.
The supercomputer will be ready for users by the end of the year, and within the next two weeks it will start taking part in drug research, in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology. It is expected that “Bura” will be used by the Faculty of Engineering as well, and there have been many inquiries from other Croatian universities, as well as from the business community. “A small problem is that we still have to define the method of covering the costs of use. I cannot discuss the inquiries we have received from companies, not before the contracts are signed”, the vice-rector said.
Adding that “Bura” has been acquired within the Development of the Research Infrastructure for the Campus of the University of Rijeka project, which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Pero Lučin, rector of the University, said that the project is near the end of its first phase. He added that the University wants to attract one of the global “players” who will bring its technology to Rijeka.
“In the first phase of the project, we have purchased equipment for three centres and for the Faculty of Civil Engineering. The equipment has been installed, and the courses for users have been completed. Now we are entering the second phase of the project which will last for five years, during which time the EU will monitor whether everything is going on as planned”, Nevenka Ožanić, the project manager, said. She added that the goal was to attract scientists to come to Rijeka and to prevent the brain drain, as well as to employ more young people through a variety of scientific projects.
