Magurele Summer School for Computing in a Rapidly Evolving Society: Parallel Algorithms and Optimizations

Computational tools are an integral part of many areas of research nowadays. Also, computational models and algorithms are becoming more diverse, detailed, and complex and thus require scientists to write efficient and parallel software to support their research. The education for preparing researchers to use computation in their work, however, commonly focuses on theoretical and methodological aspects of the computational research. Which results in a lack of understanding and practical skills to meet the requirements of modern computational research and utilizing an advanced computing infrastructure effectively. While modern computer hardware for HPC is becoming increasingly well accessible to scientists all around the globe, it also differs from the traditional simple monolithic picture of a single powerful machine through its diversity, flexibility, and variety of hardware configurations. Many scientific problems can only be properly addressed through using parallelism and understanding important technical aspects of this hardware, which is frequently non-uniform in many ways: CPU architecture, memory access, network, and persistent storage for data. In the second part of the school, more advanced topics will be addressed, such as the use of techniques of ML and QC on large-scale infrastructures.

The Magurele Summer School for Computing in a Rapidly Evolving Society – “Parallel Algorithms and Optimizations” aims to familiarize the participants with the fundamentals of high-performance computing (HPC) within a parallel environment, making use of traditional CPU architecture, but also accelerators such as GPUs. The main courses focus on coding for HPC clusters in C and FORTRAN. The expected outcomes are related to enabling the participants to solve difficult computational problems using the most modern software and hardware tools available.

Main presented topics include a foundation of modern HPC:

• Software environments for scientific computing
• Intro to parallel programming paradigms
• GPU Computing
• Machine Learning for HPC
• Intro to applied QC

Starts 30 Jun 2025 – Ends 11 Jul 2025

Location: Magurele – Romania

Candidate profile:

This School is dedicated to early career scientists who envision a path into scientific modelling, programming, or theoretical research. Providing a referral letter from the PI supervising the project is strongly recommended.

A basic background in programming is required, such as experience on a compiled language i.e., C, FORTRAN, C++. Experience with scripting languages is preferable. Demonstrated familiarity with the Linux operating system is mandatory.

Apply here: https://indico.ictp.it/event/10842/overview

**DEADLINE: 30/03/2025**

Organizer(s)
Virgil Baran (UB), Vasile Bercu (UB), Ionut Marius Enculescu (NIMP), Lucian Filip (NIMP), Andrei Neacsu (CIFRA), Vasile Sevestrean (ASF-UB/CIFRA), Sabin Stoica (CIFRA), ICTP Scientific Contact: Ivan Girotto (ICTP)

Cosponsor(s)
CIFRA – Centre International de Formation et de Recherche Avancées in Physique, NIMP | National Institute of Materials Physics – Romania, UniBuc

Secretary
Viktoriya Lvova, Adriana Pinto

Professor Atish Dabholkar Visit

On July 7, 2025, CIFRA received a visit from Professor Atish Dabholkar, Director of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste (ICTP – Trieste), a UNESCO Category 1 Centre and one of the most prestigious scientific institutions within the UNESCO network.

This visit marked an important step in strengthening the ICTP–CIFRA relationship and in enhancing CIFRA’s international recognition as a center dedicated to advanced training and research in physics. During the visit, Prof. Dabholkar was informed about CIFRA’s activities and achievements in research and education, including those carried out in partnership with ICTP, such as the TRROL program (Training and Research ROmanian Laboratories) and the Măgurele Summer School on Computing in a Rapid Evolving Society, which was ongoing at the time.

Prof. Dabholkar also visited the National Institute for Materials Physics (INCDFM/NIMP) and held a meeting with directors of national research institutes on the Măgurele Platform. A key point on the agenda was the initiation of a ministerial-level agreement between Romania and ICTP–Trieste – a significant step toward expanding international scientific cooperation and increasing Romania’s visibility in the fields of science and education.

As a UNESCO Category 2 Centre, affiliated with ICTP and part of INCDFM, CIFRA plays an active and internationally recognised role in promoting science, supporting education, and training new generations of researchers.