Press Release, 2023-24 Supercomputing Challenge Awards Ceremony

Press  Release, Immediate Release

CONTACT:  David Kratzer • dhkratzer@gmail.com  • 505 412-2558

May 1, 2024

Supercomputing Challenge, Simulating Success Since 1990

The Supercomputing Challenge likes to refer to itself as an academic marathon.   The top projects crossing the finish line first are:

First place   Tate D. Plohr 
 Los Alamos High School 
 Project - Magnetic Reconnection  

Second place   Harrison Schiek 
  Albuquerque Academy 
  Project - Water Runoff and Diversion Simulation

Third place   Luke Rand, Greta Swanson, Nandita Ganesan 
  Santa Fe Preparatory School 
  Project - Computational Hydrodynamic Analysis for Speed Maximization (CHASM)

Challenge students need to be recognized as critical thinkers, communicators, collaborators, and computer scientists.

View all the final reports and pictures at supercomputingchallenge.org

The Challenge partners include Triad/Los Alamos National Lab, New Mexico Consortium, Sandia National Labs, PNM, BigByte, Holman's and most state colleges and universities.

David Kratzer, Executive Director, states that “I am always impressed with the students in our state.  We are so proud to be able to showcase their abilities."

These students are prepared to be successful in any career or college.  By participating in the Challenge, students learn coding skills as well as practicing grit and persistence.  By learning 21st century skills like meeting deadlines and exploring research, students cross the finish line.  Students work in teams and follow their own interests to choose a topic to computationally model. 

Scholarships worth $17,500 were awarded for students planning to major in STEM. Additional prizes were distributed for categories such as teamwork, technical writing, programming prowess, and community impact.

Contact Supercomputing Challenge at consult@supercomputingchallenge.org about next year's marathon, open to New Mexico middle and high-school students, including home-schooled students.  Also contact Consult to help build capacity for future years.