New Supercomputer Will Power Education and Research Across Oklahoma

A new supercomputer at the University of Central Oklahoma will support education and research across the state. Named "Buddy" in honor of the university's mascot, Buddy Bronco, the cluster is being funded by a $304,745 National Science Foundation grant awarded to UCO's Center for Research and Education in Interdisciplinary Computation (CREIC) last year. CREIC serves as a "technical resource for diverse and interdisciplinary research and educational projects requiring advanced computational facilities and support," according to the university.

"Buddy" will be built with Pinnacle Flex architecture from HPC vendor Advanced Clustering Technologies. Pinnacle Flex uses servers based on the Intel Xeon processor E5 family, with multiple configuration options available. The cluster's aggregate peak speed will be 32 teraflops; "dedicated GPU and Phi nodes will help researchers accelerate their code, and high memory nodes will facilitate bioinformatics and genomics research," according to a press release. In addition, Advanced Clustering's eQUEUE online job submission tool will enable batch job submissions, support interactive GUI applications and remote visualization, and provide analytics and reporting.

"This cluster is the cornerstone of our mission to transform the research computing infrastructure at the university," said Evan Lemley, director of CREIC and lead researcher on the project, in a prepared statement. "We'll be able to meet the growing needs for high performance computing resources for student-centered research and education at the University of Central Oklahoma and other institutions in Oklahoma."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at rkelly@1105media.com.

Featured

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • black graduation cap with a glowing blue AI brain circuit symbol on top

    Report: AI Is a Must for Modern Learners

    A new report from VitalSource identifies a growing demand among learners for AI tools, declaring that "AI isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a must."

  • digital network with glowing blue and red lines, featuring multiple red arrows shifting in different directions

    Report: Attackers Change Tactics as Ransomware Payoffs Decline

    Attackers are changing tactics as they collect less money from ransomware payoffs, according to a new report from Chainalysis, a blockchain analytics firm.

  • digital textbooks displayed on multiple tablets

    Faculty Need Training, Time, and Tools to Make Course Content Accessible, Survey Finds

    In a recent survey by Anthology, only one in five faculty (22%) said they consistently consider accessibility when designing course materials. And just 11% felt they had the right tools and training to create accessible course content.