As chief of the Advanced Computing Branch, William (Bill) Thigpen manages staff and activities for key system development efforts—most recently, deploying a prototype module, named Electra, in our new Modular Supercomputing Facility (MSF)—to significantly reduce the water and power required to cool today’s supercomputers and provide more computing capability to NAS users.
As Deputy Project Manager for NASA's High-End Computing Capability Project, Thigpen also leads the team that provides day-to-day operations to ensure delivery of world-class supercomputing resources and services supporting NASA missions. The cornerstones of these resources are the Pleiades and Electra supercomputers, which rank among the world's fastest and most capable systems.
In addition, Thigpen oversees the deployment and testing of ground-breaking technologies. Currently, these efforts include utilizing technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and cloud technologies to further enhance our high-end computing users' experience. He is also evaluating the potential benefits of quantum computing on NASA's mission challenges.
Thigpen's 36-year career supporting government contracts includes software engineering and mission support management. Before joining NAS in 1999, he worked for Sterling Software, Inc.,leading the advanced systems development group and managing technical teams that provided HEC capabilities and services to NASA researchers; he developed a wide variety of software solutions including operating systems, network and messaging protocols, machine control software and air traffic control software. He holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Nebraska Omaha.
Conferencia: High End Computing Capability