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In a span of 15 years, advanced computing moved from the "terascale" (systems capable of performing one trillion operations a second) to the "petascale" (systems capable of performing one quadrillion operations a second) — a 1,000 times speed-up in performance. Scientists and engineers are now discussing the best way to achieve exascale computing, another thousandfold increase over the petascale era, which came into being in 2008.

Exascale computing will eventually impact all scientific and engineering applications. But what will the impact of 'exascale and beyond' computing look like? The answer will depend in large part on the creativity of scientific and technological innovators.

We asked members of The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST) to share their thoughts on what computing (terascale, petascale, exascale) means to them and their field. These individuals include Nobel Laureates and researchers elected to the National Academy of Sciences — they represent the top scientific and academic minds in Texas. Learn more about each of their views on advanced computing.

Bruce Beutler

Regental Professor and Director, Center for Genetics of Host Defense, UT Southwestern Medical Center

Wah Chiu

Distinguished Service Professor, Baylor College of Medicine

Johann Deisenhofer

Regental Professor, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas

John Howell

Ernest Cockrell, Jr., Memorial Chair Emeritus, Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

Thomas Hughes

Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, ICES, The University of Texas at Austin

Allan MacDonald

Professor of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin

Alan Needleman

Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, The University of North Texas

Isaac Sanchez

William J. Murray, Jr. Endowed Chair in Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

Byron Tapley

Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics; Director, Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin

Mary F. Wheeler

Ernest and Virginia Cockrell Chair in Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

January 30, 2013

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The Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin is one of the leading centers of computational excellence in the United States. The center's mission is to enable discoveries that advance science and society through the application of advanced computing technologies. To fulfill this mission, TACC identifies, evaluates, deploys, and supports powerful computing, visualization, and storage systems and software. TACC's staff experts help researchers and educators use these technologies effectively, and conduct research and development to make these technologies more powerful, more reliable, and easier to use. TACC staff also help encourage, educate, and train the next generation of researchers, empowering them to make discoveries that change the world.