April 2, 2019
West Virginia University (WVU), in partnership with the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center (PSC), has announced the creation of one of the state’s most powerful computer clusters to help power research and innovation statewide. The Thorny Flat high performance Computer Cluster, named after the state’s second highest peak, joins WVU’s Spruce Knob cluster as resources. With 1,000 times more computing power than a desktop computer, the Thorny Flat cluster could benefit a variety research: forest hydrology; genetic studies; forensic chemistry of firearms; modeling of solar-to-chemical energy harvesting; and design and discovery of new materials.
Thorny Flat is the latest step in an ongoing regional partnership with PSC. The partnership has contributed greatly to the Morgantown-Pittsburgh corridor’s status as a hub for technological and scientific progress. The system will be housed in PSC’s machine room, and the center will provide routine maintenance and support for scientists using it.