PSC40: Powering Discovery
PSC Research Symposium: Celebrating Our 40th Anniversary
Monday, October 19, 2026, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Rangos Ballroom, Cohon University Center, Carnegie Mellon University
Join the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center for an afternoon celebrating innovation, discovery, and the impact of advanced computing. Bringing together researchers, industry leaders, PSC founders, staff, students, and community partners, this special event will explore where we’ve been, where we are today, and where the future of computational science is headed.
The program will feature a keynote presentation from renowned scientist Dr. Chris Mason, whose work at the intersection of genomics, space biology, artificial intelligence, and data science is helping shape the future of research. Attendees will also hear from leaders across academia, industry, and high performance computing during a forward-looking panel discussion examining emerging technologies, scientific opportunities, and the evolving role of advanced cyberinfrastructure in accelerating discovery. Throughout the afternoon, participants will have opportunities to connect with colleagues, explore research highlights from PSC and its user community, and engage in informal networking during a reception featuring research posters and demonstrations.
Whether you’re a longtime collaborator, a member of the research community, or simply interested in the future of science and technology, we invite you to join us for this unique gathering celebrating the people, partnerships, and ideas that continue to drive innovation forward.
Agenda
| 2:15 PM | Welcome & Opening Remarks |
| 2:30PM | Keynote Address from Dr. Chris Mason |
| 3:00 PM | Panel Discussion: The Next Frontier in High-Performance Computing |
| 4:15 PM | Networking and Poster Reception |
| 6:00 PM | Event Concludes |
Keynote Speaker
Christopher E. Mason, Ph.D.
WorldQuant Professor of Genomics and Computational Biomedicine at Weill Cornell Medicine
Dr. Christopher Mason is the WorldQuant Professor of Systems and Computational Biomedicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, Director of the Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, and Co-Director of the Trivedi Institute of Space and Global Biomedicine. He completed a dual B.S. at University of Wisconsin-Madison (Genetics, Biochemistry), a Ph.D. Yale University (Genetics), Fellowship at Yale Medical School (Clinical Genetics), and Visiting Fellowship at Yale Law School (Genomics, Ethics, and Law). His laboratory creates and deploys new technologies and algorithms for medicine, integrative omics, and cell/genome engineering, spanning >500 peer-reviewed papers, five patents, five diagnostic tests, 12 biotechnology companies, and 5 non-profits.
Panel: The Next Frontier in High-Performance Computing
Moderated by PSC Executive Director Dr. Barr von Oehsen
Theresa Mayer
Carnegie Mellon University Vice President for Research
Theresa S. Mayer is Carnegie Mellon University’s Vice President for Research, providing leadership for the University’s research enterprise and advocating for the role that science, technology, and innovation play nationally and globally.
Theresa holds joint faculty appointments in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering.
Rob Rutenbar
University of Pittsburgh Vice Chancellor for Research
Rob A. Rutenbar is senior vice chancellor for research at the University of Pittsburgh, where he has launched several initiatives, including the Pitt Momentum Funds, Pitt Big Proposal Bootcamp, and Pitt’s Office of Industry and Economic Partnerships. He secured support for the Western PA Quantum Information Core, Pitt’s new quantum research facility, and Pitt’s Federal Statistical Research Data Center. He is also Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Christian Heiter
Chief Technologist, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Christian Heiter is the Chief Technologist for Quantum in HPE’S North American HPC/AI CTO organization. He has over 25 years of experience in high-performance computing and building complex customer solutions based on solid systems engineering practices. He is responsible for establishing a new line of hybrid quantum supercomputing business and solution architectures, in close collaboration with the HPE Labs quantum center of expertise.
Jeff Larkin
Director of Supercomputing Solutions Architecture, NVIDIA
Jeff Larkin is the Director of Supercomputing Solutions Architecture at NVIDIA, where he leads a team of SAs responsible to aiding customers in integrating NVIDIA technologies. He has a long history in performance analysis and optimization of high performance computing applications as a past member of NVIDIA’s Compute Developer Technology group and Cray’s Supercomputing Center of Excellence at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Jeff is also the chair of the OpenACC technical committee and has worked in both the OpenACC and OpenMP standards bodies, among other open source and open standards engagements.
Presenting Sponsor of the PSC 40th Anniversary Celebration:
Contributing Sponsors:
Discover 40 Years of PSC
Read more about our 40th anniversary and the stories that have shaped our legacy