Birds of a Feather Archive

Racial Inclusion and HPC

Authors: Addison Snell (Intersect360 Research), Tony Baylis (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), William Burke (NASA), Jim Ganthier (Independent Board Director), Valerie Taylor (Argonne National Laboratory (ANL))

Abstract: This BoF explores the experience of Black Americans in HPC from the standpoint of prominent leaders' personal histories, with the goal of highlighting what we can do as a community to attract and promote greater racial diversity in our industry. A moderator-led Q&A will establish a basis for discussion, yielding to open questions and discussion from the audience. This BoF is relevant to anyone who supports broader racial representation in HPC and seeks to contribute at an individual or organizational level.

Long Description: This BOF explores the experience of Black Americans in HPC from the standpoint of prominent leaders' personal histories, with the goal of highlighting what we can do as a community to attract and promote greater racial diversity in our industry.

The session leaders are a panel of Black Americans with rich experience in HPC, with a diversity of positions and roles. Led by a moderator, panelists will relate their personal experiences, addressing questions such as:

- In what ways has racial bias affected your career in the HPC industry, whether individual or systemic, overt or subtle?

- Does HPC in of itself have a role in solving the problem? Can we use HPC to model or to correct for systemic racism?

- African Americans are dramatically underrepresented in HPC. What would it take to effect change, and what would that look like?

- How has the challenge evolved over the decades, and over recent years? Where are we making progress, and where is there more work to do? What would success or progress look like?

- What are some specific actions that any of us can take—at an individual level, an organizational level, an industry level, or a societal level?

With tone set by the moderated Q&A, the BOF will open to questions and discussion from across the audience. The intent is to highlight the experience of the Black community in HPC and to search out practical ways to build inclusivity across the industry, from early engagement in schools, through diversity in recruitment, to promotion at the executive level. This BOF is relevant to anyone who supports broader racial representation in HPC and seeks to contribute at an individual or organizational level.

This BOF builds on a virtual panel conducted independently by Intersect360 Research in 2020, distributed as a special episode of the "This Week in HPC" podcast, distributed and covered by HPCwire. The returning panelists are enthusiastic to bring this important discussion to the SC community, at SC22 and in future years.

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