Professor receives R&D 100 Award for simulation software

 

Paul Fischer, a professor of computer science and of mechanical science and engineering, and his research colleague Misun Min at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory recently earned an R&D 100 Award, which recognize top technologies of the year. Known as the “Oscars of Invention,” the awards are organized by R&D Magazine.

 

Fischer and Min received the award for NekCEM/Nek5000 scalable high-order simulation codes, which are an open-source simulation-software package that delivers highly accurate solutions for a wide range of scientific applications including electromagnetics, quantum optics, fluid flow, thermal convection, combustion and magnetohydrodynamics.

 

Their simulation package features state-of-the-art, scalable, high-order algorithms that are fast and efficient on platforms ranging from laptops to the world’s fastest computers. The size of the physical phenomena that can be simulated with this package ranges from quantum dots for nanoscale devices to accretion disks surrounding black holes.

 

NekCEM provides simulation capabilities for the analysis of electromagnetic and quantum optical devices, such as particle accelerators and solar cells. Nek5000 provides turbulent flow simulation capabilities for a variety of thermal-fluid problems including nuclear reactors, internal combustion engines, vascular flows, and ocean currents.

 

According to Fischer, “the award is really a tribute to the efforts of many developers and users from around the world who have contributed to the code base over several years and who have used it on high-end machines to solve challenging science and engineering problems.”

 

Original news source: Argonne National Laboratory