Our large-scale computer systems including vector-typed and scaler-typed computational resources are available for project use in accordance with the purposes of JHPCN and HPCI. To promote research projects which realize excellent science utilizing our supercomputer systems, we call for proposals of research projects using our computational resources. Calls for the research projects, eligibility, and the procedures are described below.
Please see here about projects that have been accepted.
 

Call for research project proposals that require our supercomputer system (FY2024 add)

PR poster
 

1. Overview and Eligibility

The Cybermedia Center basically seeks for proposals from three categories: (1) Exploratory Research Project for Young scientists and Female Scientists; (2) Large-Scale High-Performance Computing Projects; (3) AI Research Projects for research proposals in the field of AI that require large-scale computing power.
 

In addition, in fiscal 2024, from the perspective of training the next generation of researchers who will lead academic research in Japan, we will establish (4)[special] Project for Nurturing Student Competing with the World for research proposal conducted by one or a relatively small number of students who have a certification to use the center's large-scale computer systems with the goal of obtaining a degree.
In this project, we are looking for a wide range of research proposals that utilize large-scale computer systems for all academic research fields irrespective of the research fields such as science or social science.
 

Details of eligibility are described below. Only the applicants who have applied to either JHPCN(except for a JHPCN exploratory research project) or HPCI are permitted to submit to the FY2024 research proposal-based use, in the case that the applicants have used our HPC systems through FY2023 research proposal-based use.
 

(1) Exploratory Research Project for Young Scientists and Female Scientists

• The principal investigator of the project proposals should be a researcher aged 42 years old or younger as of April 2024, or a female researcher. However, excluding students.
• The applicant must agree to the following conditions. If an applicant's proposal for a research project meets the conditions of JHPCN and if their proposal is accepted for a JHPCN exploratory research project, the proposal may be also accepted as a JHPCN Exploratory Research Project.

(2) Large-Scale High-Performance Computing Projects

• Proposals must include a plan for enhancing the degree of parallelism of a highly parallel execution application/simulation solved utilizing our large-scale computer systems.

(3) AI Research Projects

• Regardless of the research field, there must be a program that utilizes AI and a plan to execute it on a large-scale computer system. (For example, under this category, we are seeking for material scientific research using deep learning for material design, bioinformatics research using machine learning for compound search, humanities and social science research necessitating large-scale statistical processing, and information engineering that handles data analysis methods using large-scale computers and large-scale data. We are looking forward to your application irrespective of the research fields.)

(4) [special] Project for Nurturing Student Competing with the World

• The representative and participants of the proposal must be students.
• It must be a research proposal using a large-scale computer system conducted by one or a relatively small number of students aim to obtain a degree.

2. Acceptance numbers and allocated resources

Scheduled numbers to be adopted

(1) Exploratory Research Project for Young Scientists and Female Scientists	a small number
(2) Large-Scale High-Performance Computing Projects
(3) AI Research Projects
(4) [special] Project for Nurturing Student Competing with the World

 

Approximate resource upper limit providing of an application

resource name		(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
SQUID	General purpose CPU nodes	100,000 node-hours	650,000 node-hours	200,000 node-hours	15,000 node-hours
	GPU nodes	5,000 node-hours	15,000 node-hours	7,000 node-hours	1,000 node-hours
	Vector nodes	6,000 node-hours	12,000 node-hours	6,000 node-hours	1,000 node-hours

resource name	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
storage for SQUID	100TB	500TB	500TB	20TB

3. Project Implementation Period

Mid-June, 2024 - March 31, 2025
If you require utilizing the computational resources over the period, you should apply a continuance application, then you should get an acceptance.
 

4. System Overview

A large-scale computer system is available.
 

"SQUID" is a large-scale computer system in our center that composed three types of nodes, general purpose CPU nodes, GPU nodes and Xeon Phi nodes.
 

SQUID
 

5. Range of Support Services

In this application, the range of support services are described below.

• The large-scale computer system usage fee for the proposed research project is supported by the Cybermedia Center.
• The meeting room in the Cybermedia Center can be used for the proposed research project.
• The travel bills for oral/poster presentation of the proposed research project are supported by our Center.
• Tuning support is supported in response to the applicant’s needs.

6. Proposal Evaluation

The high performance computer system committee of our Center will review and evaluate the received proposals. The standards for review and evaluation are described below.
 
(1) Exploratory Research Project for Young Scientists and Female Scientists

• The proposed research project utilizing our large-scale computer systems holds likely promise for the future.
• The scale of the problem can only be solved with our large-scale computer systems.
• The schedule for use of our large-scale computer systems is feasible.
• The proposed research project has a continuity of supercomputer use.
• Whether the research system is appropriate from the viewpoint of carrying out the research objectives.

(2) Large-Scale High-Performance Computing Projects

• The proposed research project through the use of our large-scale computer systems holds the promise of making an important impact on science.
• The program used in the proposal has a high-scalability of parallelization.
• The schedule for use of our large-scale computer systems is feasible.
• Whether the research system is appropriate from the viewpoint of carrying out the research objectives.

(3) AI Research Projects

• The proposed research project through the combinational use of AI technologies and our large-scale computers holds the promise of making an important impact on science.
• The scale of the problem can only be solved with our large-scale computer systems.
• The schedule for use of our large-scale computer systems is feasible.
• Whether the research system is appropriate from the viewpoint of carrying out the research objectives.

(4) [special] Project for Nurturing Student Competing with the World

• Whether the research proposal have academic importance and validity.
• Whether the research proposal have high characteristics and originality.
• Whether a large-scale computer system is required to accomplish the research.
• Whether academic results can be expected from the use of large-scale computer systems.
• Whether the research system is appropriate from the viewpoint of carrying out the research objectives.

7. Responsibilities of Selected Applicants

• Selected applicants must present their research achievements in the reporting meeting (scheduled in March 2025).
• Selected applicants must write a scientific article about their research work for the "HPC Journal" published in the Cybermedia Center.
• Selected applicant must use our template format for all research reports.
• Selected applicant must make a presentation in the JHPCN symposium if the project is accepted as a JHPCN’s Exploratory Research Project.
• Selected applicant must apply for JHPCN or HPCI assignment for the next fiscal year. ((4) excluding)
• When publishing research achievements that have been obtained as a result from our computer resources, the selected applicant must indicate that his/her research was supported. A sample acknowledgment follows:
   
  Sample Acknowledgement
  This work was (partly) achieved through the use of Supercomputer System SQUID at the Cybermedia Center, Osaka University.

   

  If you do not make a presentation at the reporting meeting or contribution to the HPC journal, you will not be able to apply for the next year. Additionally, participation as a collaborator is also not possible.

8. Contract Stipulation

The usage rules of our supercomputer systems are described below.
Rules
 

9. Application Method and Period

Please send an e-mail with your application from to the address below. Please use the following application form.
Application Form
Application Form (Project for Nurturing Student Competing with the World)

10. Notification

Receipt of a notification of acceptance of the researcher's project proposal also includes an announcement of computer resource use.

11. Contact Information

If you have questions regarding this application, please contact us at the email or address below:

FAQ

Q.I was adopted in research proposal-based use this year and I use supercomputer now. Can I apply research proposal-based use of next year in a row?

A. You can apply on the condition that you have already applied to HPCI or JHPCN of next year. Please note that it is not possible to apply the same project in the same fiscal year in additional accepting.
 

Q.In 7. Responsibilities of Selected Applicants, it is mandatory to apply for JHPCN or HPCI assignment for the next fiscal year. Does an applicant of the Research Proposal-based Use need to apply as a “representative” for JHPCN or HPCI?

A. No, that is not necessary. Participation as a collaborator is no problem.
 

Q.I'm adopted in not only research proposal based use, but also HPCI or JHPCN in the same fiscal year. Can I use both together?

A. Yes. However, they expect adopted users to use up allocated resources. If you are uneasy about whether or not to use up, you can decline the research proposal-based use.
 

Projects that have been accepted

list of research proposal-based use