Cybertiger Computing

As they prepare to compete, the team hones their cluster computing skills. Students build small scale cluster computers from Raspberry Pis, and each student acts as an administrator for an individual cluster. Each team member benchmarks their cluster to test how powerful its computing power is by having the computer solve linear algebra equations. The team members compete against one another for the highest score in these tests.

The High-Performance Cluster Computing Creative Inquiry project allows the team members to gain valuable hands-on experience working with advanced hardware that is usually reserved for graduate level students. “The CI impacted the trajectory of my future career,” said Chloe Crozier, a senior computer science major and member of the SCC ‘24 team. After SCC, Crozier was offered a position at NVIDIA, a global leader in artificial intelligence.

One advantage the Cybertigers have over their competition is that they own their equipment which gives them the opportunity to become very familiar with the exact computers they will use during the competition. This sets Clemson apart, as most teams rent their equipment. This was made possible through a partnership with Dell Technologies and supplemental funding from the Creative Inquiry office.

This year, the Clemson cluster computing team was one of four American schools selected to compete at the SCC ‘24 conference in Atlanta. This was the second consecutive year Clemson attended and was ranked 7th overall internationally in the competition.

As the High-Performance Cluster Computing team moves into preparation for next year’s competition, they will simultaneously begin mentoring and sharing their learned experience with a new group of students who are hoping to try their hand at cluster computing on an elite level. Through their involvement with this Creative Inquiry project, these students will have the chance to develop specialized skills and forge meaningful connections with professionals in their field.