Sidney Fernbach Memorial Award
Established in 1992 in memory of Sidney Fernbach, one of the pioneers in the development and application of high-performance computers for the solution of large computational problems. A certificate and $2,000 are awarded for outstanding contributions in the application of high performance computers using innovative approaches.
Nomination Deadline:
30 June 2026 - 11:59PM EDT
Honorable Recipients
2025
Ewa Deelman
“For pioneering research and software engineering in distributed systems in support of scientific workflows.”
“For pioneering research and software engineering in distributed systems in support of scientific workflows.”
2024
William M. Tang
For pioneering contributions in fusion energy research accelerated by high-performance computing and deep learning.
For pioneering contributions in fusion energy research accelerated by high-performance computing and deep learning.
2023
Manish Parashar
For contributions to distributed high-performance computing systems and applications, data-driven workflows, and translational impact.
For contributions to distributed high-performance computing systems and applications, data-driven workflows, and translational impact.
2022
Torsten Hoefler
For application-aware design of HPC algorithms, systems and architectures, and transformative impact on scientific computing and industry.
For application-aware design of HPC algorithms, systems and architectures, and transformative impact on scientific computing and industry.
2021
David A. Bader
For the development of Linux-based massively parallel production computers and for pioneering contributions to scalable discrete parallel algorithms for real-world applications.
For the development of Linux-based massively parallel production computers and for pioneering contributions to scalable discrete parallel algorithms for real-world applications.
2020
Salman Habib
For pioneering fundamental physics applications from smallest to largest scales on three decades of emerging forefront computing platforms.
For pioneering fundamental physics applications from smallest to largest scales on three decades of emerging forefront computing platforms.
2019
Alan Edelman
For outstanding breakthroughs in high performance computing, linear algebra, and computational science and for contributions to the Julia programming language.
For outstanding breakthroughs in high performance computing, linear algebra, and computational science and for contributions to the Julia programming language.
2018
Linda Petzold
For pioneering contributions to numerical methods and software for differential-algebraic systems and for discrete stochastic simulation.
For pioneering contributions to numerical methods and software for differential-algebraic systems and for discrete stochastic simulation.
2017
Steven J. Plimpton
For High Performance Simulation Frameworks that have advanced research in materials science, chemistry, biology and other related areas.
For High Performance Simulation Frameworks that have advanced research in materials science, chemistry, biology and other related areas.
2016
Vipin Kumar
For foundational work on understanding scalability, and highly scalable algorithms for graph partitioning, sparse linear systems and data mining.
For foundational work on understanding scalability, and highly scalable algorithms for graph partitioning, sparse linear systems and data mining.
2015
Alexander Szalay
For his outstanding contributions to the development of data-intensive computing systems and on the application of such systems in many scientific areas including astrophysics, turbulence, and genomics.
For his outstanding contributions to the development of data-intensive computing systems and on the application of such systems in many scientific areas including astrophysics, turbulence, and genomics.
2014
Satoshi Matsuoka
For his work on software systems for high-performance computing on advanced infrastructural platforms, large-scale supercomputers, and heterogeneous GPU/CPU supercomputers.
For his work on software systems for high-performance computing on advanced infrastructural platforms, large-scale supercomputers, and heterogeneous GPU/CPU supercomputers.
2013
Christopher R. Johnson
For outstanding contributions and pioneering work introducing computing, simulation, and visualization into many areas of biomedicine.
For outstanding contributions and pioneering work introducing computing, simulation, and visualization into many areas of biomedicine.
2012
Laxmikant V. Kale
For outstanding contributions to the development of widely used parallel software for large biomolecular systems simulation.
For outstanding contributions to the development of widely used parallel software for large biomolecular systems simulation.
2012
Klaus Schulten
For outstanding contributions to the development of widely used parallel software for large biomolecular systems simulation.
For outstanding contributions to the development of widely used parallel software for large biomolecular systems simulation.
2011
Cleve Moler
For fundamental contributions to linear algebra, mathematical software, and enabling tools for computational science.
For fundamental contributions to linear algebra, mathematical software, and enabling tools for computational science.
2010
James W. Demmel
For computational science leadership in creating adaptive, innovative, high performance linear algebra software.
For computational science leadership in creating adaptive, innovative, high performance linear algebra software.
2009
Roberto Car
For leadership in creating the modern theoretical and practical foundations for modeling the chemistry and physics of materials. The software resulting from this work is one of the enabling tools for materials science modeling.
For leadership in creating the modern theoretical and practical foundations for modeling the chemistry and physics of materials. The software resulting from this work is one of the enabling tools for materials science modeling.
2009
Michele Parrinello
Michele Parrinello For leadership in creating the modern theoretical and practical foundations for modeling the chemistry and physics of materials. The software resulting from this work is one of the enabling tools for materials science modeling.
Michele Parrinello For leadership in creating the modern theoretical and practical foundations for modeling the chemistry and physics of materials. The software resulting from this work is one of the enabling tools for materials science modeling.
2008
William D. Gropp
For outstanding contributions to the development of domain decomposition algorithms, scalable tools for the parallel numerical solution of PDEs, and the dominant HPC communications interface.
For outstanding contributions to the development of domain decomposition algorithms, scalable tools for the parallel numerical solution of PDEs, and the dominant HPC communications interface.
2007
David E. Keyes
For outstanding contributions to the development of scalable numerical algorithms for the solution of nonlinear partial differential equations and exceptional leadership in high-performance computation.
For outstanding contributions to the development of scalable numerical algorithms for the solution of nonlinear partial differential equations and exceptional leadership in high-performance computation.
2006
Edward Seidel
For outstanding contributions to the development of software for HPC and Grid computing to enable the collaborative numerical investigation of complex problems in physics; in particular, modeling black hole collisions.
For outstanding contributions to the development of software for HPC and Grid computing to enable the collaborative numerical investigation of complex problems in physics; in particular, modeling black hole collisions.
2005
John B. Bell
For outstanding contributions to the development of numerical algorithms, mathematical, and computational tools and on the application of those methods to conduct leading-edge scientific investigations in combustion, fluid dynamics, and condensed matter.
For outstanding contributions to the development of numerical algorithms, mathematical, and computational tools and on the application of those methods to conduct leading-edge scientific investigations in combustion, fluid dynamics, and condensed matter.
2004
Marsha Berger
For her many contributions, and enormous, influence to computational fluid dynamics including adaptive mesh refinement methods, Cartesian grid methods, and practical mathematical algorithms for solving significantly heretofore intractable problems.
For her many contributions, and enormous, influence to computational fluid dynamics including adaptive mesh refinement methods, Cartesian grid methods, and practical mathematical algorithms for solving significantly heretofore intractable problems.
2003
Jack J. Dongarra
For outstanding and sustained contributions to the area of mathematical software, most particularly in the areas of communication and numerical libraries and performance benchmarks for high performance computing.
For outstanding and sustained contributions to the area of mathematical software, most particularly in the areas of communication and numerical libraries and performance benchmarks for high performance computing.
2002
Robert Harrison
For developing a computational chemistry software package for applications development, by integrating fundamental algorithm research, novel ideas in computer science, and scalability, while delivering unprecedented modeling capabilities for chemistry applications.
For developing a computational chemistry software package for applications development, by integrating fundamental algorithm research, novel ideas in computer science, and scalability, while delivering unprecedented modeling capabilities for chemistry applications.
2000
Stephen W. Attaway
For pioneering advances in methods for modeling transient dynamics phenomena, enabling simulations of unprecedented scale and fidelity.
For pioneering advances in methods for modeling transient dynamics phenomena, enabling simulations of unprecedented scale and fidelity.
1999
Michael L. Norman
For his leading edge research in applying parallel computing to challenge grand problems in astrophysics and cosmology.
For his leading edge research in applying parallel computing to challenge grand problems in astrophysics and cosmology.
1998
Phillip Colella
For fundamental contributions to the development of software methodologies used to solve numerical partial differential equations, and their application to substantially expand our understanding of shock physics and other fluid dynamics problem.
For fundamental contributions to the development of software methodologies used to solve numerical partial differential equations, and their application to substantially expand our understanding of shock physics and other fluid dynamics problem.
1997
Charbel Farhat
For outstanding contributions to the development of parallel numerical algorithms and parallel software packages that have helped the mechanical engineering world to embrace parallel processing technology.
For outstanding contributions to the development of parallel numerical algorithms and parallel software packages that have helped the mechanical engineering world to embrace parallel processing technology.
1996
Gary A. Glatzmaier
For innovative computational numerical methods to perform the first realistic computer simulations of the Earth's geodynamo and its resultant time-dependent magnetic field.
For innovative computational numerical methods to perform the first realistic computer simulations of the Earth's geodynamo and its resultant time-dependent magnetic field.
1995
Paul R. Woodward
For your work in developing new algorithmic techniques in fluid dynamics, & your relentless & innovative pursuit of the hardware & software capabilities to carry out & visualize in real time the largest turbulence simulations.
For your work in developing new algorithmic techniques in fluid dynamics, & your relentless & innovative pursuit of the hardware & software capabilities to carry out & visualize in real time the largest turbulence simulations.
1994
Charles S. Peskin
For innovative application of mathematical modeling methods to important practical research questions in blood flow and the heart that has for more than 15 years pushed forward the leading edge of computational capability and helped to develop supercomputing technology as a valuable tool for improving the quality of human life.
For innovative application of mathematical modeling methods to important practical research questions in blood flow and the heart that has for more than 15 years pushed forward the leading edge of computational capability and helped to develop supercomputing technology as a valuable tool for improving the quality of human life.
1993
David H. Bailey
For contributions to numerical computational science including innovative algorithms for FFT's, matrix multiply and multiple precision arithmetic on vector computer architecture.
For contributions to numerical computational science including innovative algorithms for FFT's, matrix multiply and multiple precision arithmetic on vector computer architecture.
