High Performance Computing (minor)

High Performance Computing is becoming increasingly important in many aspects of our lives. For example, simulations of multiscale, multiphysics problems such as modeling and simulation of hypersonic and space vehicles or modeling of multiple earth system components to increase fidelity and skill of weather and climate predictions require tremendous computational resources. Other examples include extremely short design analysis cycles and analyses of increasingly complex systems and processes (e.g. in biological/biomedical applications), large-scale, heterogeneous data analytics, or comprehensive situational awareness. In the end, the desire to transform data into knowledge, insights, and actions, is resulting in data-intensive application workflows across all of science and engineering, requiring High Performance Computing. The High Performance Computing Minor will provide interested cadets a better understanding of modern high performance computing systems, preparing them to thrive in any career requiring advanced knowledge of these computing systems and their usage. The High Performance Computing Minor requires students to gain an understanding of computing system architectures and then allows flexibility to tailor their course of study to meet their individual interests, align it with their major, and maximize their academic strengths. The breadth of courses available in this minor makes this minor compatible with any academic major.

Course Requirements

The High Performance Computing Minor requires a minimum of 15 semester hours. The student must complete these five courses (15 semester hours) with a grade of “C” or better. There are four tracks available in this Minor. The intent of the High-Performance Computing Minor is that cadets take courses they would not normally take but which may serve as a complementary skillset for advanced computational techniques within their discipline. To earn the minor, cadets are required to complete at least two courses beyond the requirements for their major.

Each of the four tracks below requires 5 courses that form a coherent body of study in a particular focus on high performance computing and cumulates with a capstone experience in a high performance computing application. Each track has been designed so that any cadet NOT enrolled in the corresponding major can complete the requirements for the track. The requirements for each track are listed below.

1 – This track requires completion of Math 356/Math 377 and Comp Sci 210/212 as prerequisites. These courses would count towards Core STEM Advanced and Advanced Open Choice requirements.
2 – This track as defined currently does not have a clear “capstone experience” focused on HPC application. It addresses parallel computing and applications, but might not address these topics at scale of HPC.
3 – This track requires completion of Math 356/Math 377 and Comp Sci 210/212 as prerequisites. These courses would count towards Core STEM Advanced and Advanced Open Choice requirements.
4 – This track requires completion of Math 243/Math 253 and Math 245 as prerequisites. These courses would count towards Core STEM Advanced and Advanced Open Choice requirements.
5 – This track requires completion of Math 243/Math 253 and Ops Rsch 310 as prerequisites. These courses would count towards Core STEM Advanced and Advanced Open Choice requirements.
6 – This track does not have a predefined “capstone experience” focused on HPC application. This requirement can be satisfied with an Ops Rsch 495/499 or with the approval of the High Performance Minor AIC and the Department Head of an instructor offering an appropriate capstone course, 495, or 499. A 495 or 499 course offered by any department may meet this requirement if a preponderance of the 495 or 499 involves a project using the high performance supercomputing resources from USAFA’s High-Performance Computing Research Center.