TIME: 3:30 PM

LOCATION: GMCS 314

SPEAKER: Bronson Messer, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Leadership Computing Facility)

ABSTRACT: The study of stellar explosions touches on a variety of fundamental questions, including the origin of the chemical elements, the formation of neutron stars and black holes, the generation of gravitational waves, and the dynamics of the interstellar medium. At ORNL, we have been using supercomputers to model supernovae for decades. I will describe some of our current projects, including our effort to build a new application code capable of taking advantage of exascale platforms, along with how such a program of research has proven to be pretty good preparation for becoming Director of Science for the world’s most powerful supercomputer center.

BIO: Dr. Messner is a Distinguished Scientist in the Scientific Computing and Theoretical Physics Groups at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and I currently serve as the Director of Science for the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility. He is also a Joint Faculty Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Tennessee. During the past 25 years he has dedicated to using these machines to study the death of stars and the formation of compact objects like neutron stars and black holes.

Presenter’s Website: http://astro.phys.utk.edu/Bronson

HOST: Sustainable Horizons Institute