May 10, 2016 - by CSCS

Researchers from Switzerland, Italy and Germany applied for computer time as of April 2016 to March 2017 for a total of thirty-eight larger projects, requesting 34,322,409 node hours in all. 32 projects were approved and will share a total of 12,303,528 node hours – around 51 per cent of the available resources. 74 per cent of the authorised projects received less computer time than requested while 8 per cent were approved in full. 10 small new projects were also authorised, which were allocated 615,348 node hours out of the 677,348 requested. Twenty two- or three-year projects that are already underway asked for 15,455,170 node hours and received 14,762,746. During the first call for proposals in 2016, the users therefore applied for a total of 50,454,927 node hours. The Scientific Advisory Board, which is composed of five internationally renowned scientists, shared out the 23,507,982 node hours available following a critical review of the project applications.

With 5,527,528 node hours and fourteen projects, ETH Zurich received the lion’s share, followed by EPF Lausanne (seven projects, 2,365,000 node hours) and the University of Zurich (four projects, 2,196,000 node hours). Research projects in astrophysics, chemistry with materials science and fluid dynamics/life sciences were granted the most computer time. On the large-scale projects in the pipeline, astrophysicists such as Alireza Rahmati from the University of Zurich would like to research so-called cosmic reionisation, or UZH’s Professor Lucio Mayer is looking to study the properties of protoplanets that form under special conditions. In materials research, Professor Ursula Röthlisberger from EPF Lausanne simulates biological systems and tools inspired by them. And in fluid dynamics/life sciences, the ETH Zurich Professor Petros Koumoutsakos is looking to intensify his research in the field of Lab-on-a-Chip, which he and his team have already used to simulate the behaviour of tumour cells circulating in the blood. These can be filtered out via a device interspersed with columns.

The call for proposals for the allocation period due on 1 October is already underway. Applications will be accepted until 13 May.