The expansion of knowledge has raised scientific questions that either cannot be answered via traditional theoretical and experimental methods or would be too impractical or hazardous to study in a laboratory. To tackle such issues, scientists are increasingly looking to computational approaches, including modeling and simulation.
Data sets produced by modern experiments are often so large that discoveries depend upon computational analysis of the results. Consequently, the demand grows for more processing power along with new and improved mathematical models, algorithmic designs, and software and system architectures. Berkeley Lab researchers are working to meet the challenge through applied research and development in computer and computational sciences, mathematics, and new computational tools and techniques.
Berkeley Lab computational researchers are key participants in the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing program that is sponsored by the Department of Energy. Berkeley Lab also hosts both the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) and the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet). NERSC is the flagship supercomputer facility for DOE’s Office of Science and a world leader in accelerating scientific discovery through computation. ESNet is a super-high-speed network serving thousands of DOE scientists and collaborators worldwide.
