SuperQuest
Encyclopedia
SuperQuest is an American computational
competition for high school
students. Computational projects are proposed by various high school teams. An expert panel evaluates all of the entries (proposals) and selects about four winning teams for each participating center. There are four centers participating in the SuperQuest program.
The winning teams attend a three week SuperQuest summer institute (typically in July) at one of the participating supercomputing
centers. The students learn about supercomputing, work with mentors and work on implementing their projects on a supercomputer
.
The winning teams are provided with a workstation
in their schools and are given access to the supercomputers through the internet
. The teams continue working on their projects for a year.
The contest started in 1988, sponsored by ETA
, a subsidiary of Control Data Systems. A team from the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology won the prize, an ETA10P
supercomputer, which was installed in their school. The following year, corporate problems led ETA to cancel the program, and the Cornell Theory Center
, with support from the National Science Foundation
and IBM
, designed a revised program, where all winning teams received internet connections and access throughout the year to the supercomputing resources at the Cornell Theory Center. From 1991-1994, this program was expanded to include summer programs at other supercomputing centers (NCSA
and University of Huntsville, Alabama
in 1991; Reed College
and the Oregon Graduate Institute, and Sandia National Laboratories
in 1992).
Computational science
Computational science is the field of study concerned with constructing mathematical models and quantitative analysis techniques and using computers to analyze and solve scientific problems...
competition for high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
students. Computational projects are proposed by various high school teams. An expert panel evaluates all of the entries (proposals) and selects about four winning teams for each participating center. There are four centers participating in the SuperQuest program.
The winning teams attend a three week SuperQuest summer institute (typically in July) at one of the participating supercomputing
Supercomputer
A supercomputer is a computer at the frontline of current processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation.Supercomputers are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks such as problems including quantum physics, weather forecasting, climate research, molecular modeling A supercomputer is a...
centers. The students learn about supercomputing, work with mentors and work on implementing their projects on a supercomputer
Supercomputer
A supercomputer is a computer at the frontline of current processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation.Supercomputers are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks such as problems including quantum physics, weather forecasting, climate research, molecular modeling A supercomputer is a...
.
The winning teams are provided with a workstation
Workstation
A workstation is a high-end microcomputer designed for technical or scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by one person at a time, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating systems...
in their schools and are given access to the supercomputers through the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. The teams continue working on their projects for a year.
The contest started in 1988, sponsored by ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
, a subsidiary of Control Data Systems. A team from the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology won the prize, an ETA10P
ETA10
The ETA10 was a line of vector supercomputers designed, manufactured, and marketed by ETA Systems, a spin-off division of Control Data Corporation . The ETA10 was announced in 1986, with the first deliveries made in early 1987...
supercomputer, which was installed in their school. The following year, corporate problems led ETA to cancel the program, and the Cornell Theory Center
Cornell Theory Center
The Cornell University Center for Advanced Computing , housed at Franklin H.T. Rhodes Hall on the campus of Cornell University, is one of five original centers in the National Science Foundation's Supercomputer Centers Program...
, with support from the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, designed a revised program, where all winning teams received internet connections and access throughout the year to the supercomputing resources at the Cornell Theory Center. From 1991-1994, this program was expanded to include summer programs at other supercomputing centers (NCSA
NCSA
NCSA may refer to:*National Center for Supercomputing Applications**NCSA HTTPd, an early webserver developed at this center*University of North Carolina School of the Arts*National Cyber Security Alliance...
and University of Huntsville, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
in 1991; Reed College
Reed College
Reed College is a private, independent, liberal arts college located in southeast Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1908, Reed is a residential college with a campus located in Portland's Eastmoreland neighborhood, featuring architecture based on the Tudor-Gothic style, and a forested canyon wilderness...
and the Oregon Graduate Institute, and Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories
The Sandia National Laboratories, managed and operated by the Sandia Corporation , are two major United States Department of Energy research and development national laboratories....
in 1992).