Did you know that the world's first personal computer came out in 1971? Its total available memory was 256 bytes, which is far less than the file size of a single digital photo! Today, at places like the San Diego Supercomputer Center in San Diego, California, researchers can access more than 256 terabytes of flash memory (that's 256 billion times more powerful than the first personal computer) to perform advanced calculations and accelerate scientific research and discovery. Working together with research software engineers, scientists can now process, interpret and draw conclusions from their data in a way that was previously unthinkable.
For this virtual exchange journey, we will meet members of the U.S. Research Software Engineer Association around the world, make a virtual visit to the San Diego Supercomputing Center, and see exactly how computers and research software make it possible to predict future wildfires, identify new lifesaving medicines, invent new materials, and so much more. Plus, we'll look into the future by seeing a quantum computer and learning how the technological advances of today power AI (artificial intelligence) and the next big discovery!
