UCHILE Pioneer in High-Performance Computing (HPC) Honored by International Experts

UCHILE Pioneer in High-Performance Computing (HPC) Honored by International Experts

On Thursday, October 23, the National Laboratory for High-Performance Computing (NLHPC) at the Center for Mathematical Modeling (CMM) of the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (FCFM), University of Chile, together with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), will host the Workshop on Trends, Opportunities, and Major Advances in Systems for HPC+AI. The event will highlight the remarkable career of Tomás Lang, a distinguished graduate of the University of Chile.

The workshop will bring together leading international figures to discuss the latest advances and challenges in high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI), while paying tribute to electrical engineer and academic Tomás Lang Korpel (1938–2018) — a University of Chile alumnus internationally recognized as one of the pioneers in digital architecture and numerical processing.


A Legacy Inspiring New Generations 

Born in Czechoslovakia, Tomás Lang Korpel grew up in Chile after his family relocated there in 1939. He earned his Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Chile (1965), a Master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley (1966), and a Ph.D. from Stanford University (1974).

Throughout his distinguished career, he served as a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC)—where he founded the Department of Computer Architecture—and the University of California, Irvine.

His research focused on the development of high-speed, low-power numerical processors and multiprocessor systems. He authored influential textbooks and numerous scientific papers.

Lang is remembered as a rigorous, innovative, and principled academic whose impact transcends borders and generations. His vision continues to inspire progress in digital architecture and supercomputing at institutions such as the NLHPC and BSC today.

Building Bridges Between Chile, Spain, and the Future of Supercomputing

The workshop will bring together researchers, academics, and professionals in the fields of supercomputing and artificial intelligence to reflect on global trends in HPC+AI systems and explore new opportunities for international collaboration.

According to Ginés Guerrero, Executive Director of the NLHPC, “This event represents a unique opportunity to strengthen ties between Chile and Europe—particularly with Spain—in areas such as scientific infrastructure, technological innovation, and the development of advanced human capital,” in direct alignment with Tomás Lang’s visionary legacy.

For his part, Mateo Valero, Director of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)—who has devoted his career to advancing high-performance architectures, publishing more than 700 scientific papers, organizing over 300 international conferences, and delivering hundreds of keynote lectures—shared a heartfelt reflection:

“Professor Tomás Lang founded the Department of Computer Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. His leadership was essential in making it one of the best in the world and inspiring other academic groups in Spain to follow his ideas on teaching and research. He also encouraged European universities to conduct top-level research, as he did in Barcelona. His technical teachings, together with his ethical integrity and human values, created an extraordinary academic school. The current Barcelona Supercomputing Center is a direct result of that legacy. Without Tomás, none of this would have been possible. He was our teacher and our friend”.

Participation and Registration

The Workshop on Trends, Opportunities, and Major Advances in Systems for HPC+AI is a free event and will feature prominent international panelists, including:

  • Dr. Mateo Valero, Director of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)

  • Marc Tremblay, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft

  • Dr. Jaime Moreno, IBM Emeritus Researcher

  • Dr. Leon Alkalai, former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Researcher

Registrations are open at: https://go.cmm.uchile.cl/tomas2025

By Cintia Beltrán, CMM Communications.

Posted on Oct 19, 2025 in News