The Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at SiliconTech, the engineering Institute of Silicon University, organized a three-day comprehensive workshop on ‘High-Performance Computing and Its Applications in AI’ (HPCAA-2024) in the Odia language from 8-10 August 2024.
The objective of the event was to educate and create awareness about the use of high-performance computing (HPC) for artificial intelligence (AI), specifically using regional language systems. Academicians and industrial experts from various prestigious institutions shared their insights through theoretical discussions and hands-on sessions.
The event began with a welcome address by Dr. Jaideep Talukdar, Vice-Chancellor of Silicon University. The first session of the workshop was conducted by Prof. Sudarsan Padhy, Former Director, Institute of Mathematics & Applications (IMA), Bhubaneswar on ‘Design of AI Models for Solving Complex Problems’. Prof. Padhy delved into methodologies for designing AI models that can tackle complex problems, highlighting the significance of a structured approach to problem-solving. He specifically elaborated on the deep learning techniques employed in contemporary scientific applications. The second session comprised of a talk delivered by Dr. Pradyumna Tripathy, Head of the CSE Department at Silicon University. He discussed the ‘Fundamental Design Architecture of High-Performance Computing’. Dr. Tripathy offered a comprehensive overview of HPC system architecture, with a particular focus on how these designs facilitate efficient computational processes in AI. The third session was conducted by Dr. Rakesh Chandra Balabantaray, from the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bhubaneswar on ‘Regional Language Intelligent Systems Using AI’. He explained the creation of AI systems tailored for regional languages, addressing the challenges and opportunities in this field. He further discussed how machine learning algorithms were used in complex natural language processing applications. The last session of the first day was a hands-on on ‘Open MPI and MPI’ jointly conducted by Dr. Pradyumna Tripathy and Prof. Rabinarayan Mohanty from Silicon. In this session, participants worked on Open MPI and MPI tools which are crucial for parallel computing in HPC.
The second day began with an expert talk on ‘Memory Architecture of High-Performance Computing’, delivered by Dr. Debiprasanna Sahoo, from IIT Bhubaneswar. Dr. Sahoo explained the memory architectures that form the backbone of HPC systems, emphasizing the technical considerations essential for optimizing memory usage. The next session featured a talk on ‘Deep Learning Employing HPC and Time Series Forecasting Using Deep Learning and HPC’ by Dr. Sibarama Panigrahi, from NIT Rourkela. Dr. Panigrahi discussed the application of HPC in deep learning and shared insights on forecasting time series data using these advanced techniques. The last session of the day was delivered by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Panda from NIT Warangal on ‘AI: Agents, Environments, and Problem Formulations’. He emphasized the conceptual aspects of AI by explaining the interaction of agents with their environments and the formulation of problems.
The third day of the workshop began with a session on ‘High-Performance X-Computing’ by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Panda from NIT Warangal. Dr. Panda introduced the emerging field of X-computing and its relevance to high-performance computing. The second session was delivered by Dr. Devashree Tripathy from IIT Bhubaneswar on ‘Parallel Computing and Advances in GPU’. Dr. Tripathy discussed the role of GPUs in parallel computing, highlighting the latest advancements in this technology that are crucial for modern AI applications. The concluding sessions of the workshop comprised of hands-on practice with deep learning and AI tools which facilitated the participants to apply the concepts learned during the workshop.
The HPCAA-2024 workshop successfully blended theoretical knowledge with practical skills, catering to participants interested in AI and HPC. The event underscored the significance of regional language systems in technology development and offered valuable insights into integrating HPC with AI. Positive feedback from attendees highlighted the workshop’s success in presenting advanced concepts in an accessible and engaging way.
