Summer Internships at the Advanced Computing Facility
“This summer we took part in the University of Edinburgh’s Employ.ed On Campus programme for the first time, welcoming three undergraduate students to the Advanced Computing Facility (ACF). This has been a positive experience for all and a fantastic collaboration between EPCC and the School of Engineering. It is a huge credit to the School that our first three students were of such a high calibre and fitted in so well at our global leading supercomputing site. I wish them all success in their future careers.”
Paul Clark, Director of HPC Systems, Advanced Computer Facility.
The Advanced Computing Facility (ACF)
Based in the University of Edinburgh, EPCC provides supercomputing and data services to industry and academia. At their Advanced Computing Facility (ACF), they host and operate a remarkable collection of high performance computing and data services, including ARCHER2, the UK’s national supercomputing service, and the Edinburgh International Data Facility.
Left to right: Vaidehi, Alistair, James and EPCC Director of HPC Systems Paul Clark demonstrate a raised floor in the ACF. ARCHER2, seen in the background, is hosted in this computer room.
Vaidehi Laata
What I enjoyed most about my placement was drawing circuit diagrams for the power distribution system, which tested my electrical engineering skills in a real-world context and was a great learning experience. Networking with various stakeholders boosted my confidence in my technical abilities and broadened my understanding of different aspects of the industry. A particularly memorable experience was a conversation with an industry contact, which has inspired me to explore computational data storage. By actively seeking out conversations with external visitors, I gained fresh insights into the ACF and the broader industry. Overall, the internship exceeded my expectations, providing me with both technical knowledge and personal growth that will be invaluable in my future career.
Alistair Murison
I enjoyed my time on site, learning about all the pieces that make up the cooling systems of the computing systems, from mechanical components to the piping networks, and building management systems. I also created detailed electrical metering hierarchies which allowed me to explore the power distribution systems in great detail, and it was satisfying to build a complete understanding of how it all fits together. The biggest takeaway from the internship has been seeing what I have learned in lectures applied in the real world. I will be returning to university with a much better understanding of cooling plant infrastructure and the work environment.
James Walter
We worked on updating and reviewing the on-site documentation, mechanical schematics, and spreadsheets for energy usage data and calculations. We also collaborated with internal and external teams, who all gave us an insight into their field of work. It was eye-opening to learn about the control systems and mechanical cooling strategy that optimise and reduce site energy usage while maintaining such powerful computing systems. I will benefit greatly from the knowledge I have gained of heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and also electrical systems and power engineering, which I can take forward into university and my future career. I also really benefited from talking to a wide variety of people at the ACF.
Employ.ed On Campus Programme
The programme is run by the Careers Service who work in collaboration with a range of University of Edinburgh departments to offer structured summer internships. The programme is for 2nd, 3rd and penultimate year undergraduate students of any School. Applications for the 2025 Employ.ed on Campus programme will open in February 2025.
Recent comments