Supersized Science

Built by Science for Science

Supersized Science features research and discoveries nationwide enabled by advanced computing technology and expertise at the Texas Advanced Computing Center of the University of Texas at Austin. Big challenges demand bold solutions. In 2026, U.S. scientists will gain a new powerhouse for discovery: Horizon, the largest open science supercomputer in the nation. Horizon will accelerate basic research that drives innovation, fuels new industries, and strengthens the U.S. economy while probing the universe’s greatest mysteries. Thanks to the National Science Foundation’s support for basic and transformative research, TACC began building the U.S. NSF Leadership-Class Computing Facility in 2024. This cutting-edge facility represents the next leap in large-scale computing to tackle the most demanding scientific problems in the nation’s research portfolio during the next decade. The LCCF’s design is being shaped from the ground up by science itself. At its core is the Characteristic Science Applications (CSA) program — 11 cutting-edge software projects built to tackle critical challenges that will define the facility’s success. Joining podcast host and TACC science writer Jorge Salazar on the podcast to discuss the Characteristic Science Applications program is Dan Stanzione, NSF LCCF principal investigator and the executive director of the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Supersized Science is part of the Texas Podcast Network – the conversations changing the world – brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. The opinions expressed in this podcast represent the views of the hosts, and not of The University of Texas at Austin.

A Decade of DesignSafe

Supersized Science features research and discoveries nationwide enabled by advanced computing technology and expertise at the Texas Advanced Computing Center of the University of Texas at Austin. In 2025, the online web platform DesignSafe proudly marks its 10th anniversary as the nation’s premier cyberinfrastructure for engineering and social science research on natural hazards. DesignSafe’s computational resources, software, and expertise has empowered 10,000 users—scientists, engineers, students, and other researchers with tools for managing, analyzing, and sharing data on an expanding list of natural hazards including earthquakes, hurricanes, inland flooding, tornadoes, landslides, and wildfires. As a core component of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI), DesignSafe’s impact extends far beyond technological innovation, playing a transformative role in advancing research practices and collaboration in the natural hazards field Joining podcast host and TACC science writer Jorge Salazar on the podcast is Ellen Rathje, the principal investigator for the DesignSafe project. Dr. Rathje is a professor and the Janet S. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering at the Cockrell School of Engineering at UT Austin. Supersized Science is part of the Texas Podcast Network – the conversations changing the world – brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. The opinions expressed in this podcast represent the views of the hosts, and not of The University of Texas at Austin. For the Texas Advanced Computing Center, I’m Jorge Salazar.

How Public Investment in HPC Sparked the AI Boom

The Supersized Science podcast features research and discoveries nationwide enabled by advanced computing technology and expertise at the Texas Advanced Computing Center of the University of Texas at Austin. TACC science writer Jorge Salazar hosts the podcast. Decades of research in high performance computing (or HPC) gave rise to today’s supercomputer. And in turn HPC laid the foundation for the emergence of Artificial intelligence (AI). It’s been a busy two-way street. The immense market impact of AI is driving technologies scientists use for simulation. HPC is harnessing AI in an accurate and uncompromising for scientific applications, which take advantage of AI’s power and economic efficiencies and have led to innovations across various sectors like research, manufacturing, healthcare, and more. What’s more, HPC in the US continues to fuel technological advancements and contribute to the growth of specialized industries, creating new jobs and boosting overall economic output. On the podcast to discuss how AI is being put to work for science is Dan Stanzione, Executive Director of TACC and Associate Vice President for Research at UT Austin. Supersized Science is part of the Texas Podcast Network – the conversations changing the world – brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. The opinions expressed in this podcast represent the views of the hosts, and not of The University of Texas at Austin.

Hurricane Simulations in High Gear

Scientists and supercomputers generate fast storm surge forecasts in 2024 to help protect lives and property

New Heights: The U.S. NSF Leadership-Class Computing Facility and Horizon

SC24 podcast with Dan Stanzione, Executive Director of TACC / Associate Vice President for Research, UT Austin