NetDRIVE: Priorities and Ethics of Research Computing Investments

18 Feb 2025, 11:30 → 19 Feb 2025, 14:25 UTC

Pathology Museum

Martin Juckes (IRIS IAM), Sarah Sparrow (IRIS IAM)

The Network for sustainable Digital Research Infrastructure Vision and Expertise (NetDRIVE) is developing a forum for managers, software engineers, academics and others to come together to build a common vision for a sustainable future and to incite a transition to sustainable working practices in the Digital Research Infrastructure communities by 2040 or sooner. The implementation of NetDRIVE started on January 9th 2025.

 

NetDRIVE brings together creative thinking from across UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to enable change through technological progress, to build a common vision of a sustainable future, and to incite a transition to sustainable working practices in current and future DRI communities, recognising that digital research will become increasingly prevalent as the technical capability expands. The project will provide leadership in the UK and globally, exploiting the strength-in depth of a centuries long tradition of academic institutions driving change for societal benefit. 

 

This meeting will initiate NetDRIVE Stage 2 and will address the following three questions:

• How can we maintain competitive computing capability when we have net zero challenges and a 10-fold increase per decade in the price of a top-end machine? 
• How do we manage ethical issues around culture change and resource usage for our national compute resource and associated data? 
• How do we develop the new skills needed both for rapidly advancing technology and evolving sustainability targets? 

 

The meeting will be held over Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, with an evening social event.

 

1. About the Pathology Museum (and alternative map)

2. QMUL Westsmithfield Campus (For the Pathology Museum/Meeting)

3. QMUL Mile End Campus (For Dinner in the SCR)

Tuesday 18 February

11:30 Arrive/coffee

12:00 Buffet Lunch

1 Welcome

Introduction to the meeting and to the NetDRIVE project

Speakers: Alex Owen (Queen Mary), Martin Juckes (IRIS IAM)

NetDRIVE2_London_20250218_Final.pdf

NetDRIVE2_London_20250218_Final.pptx

WelcomeTalk.pdf

2 Invited presentation: Sustainable Computing

To stimulate discussion

Speaker: Jonathan Hays (Queen Mary)

IRIS-QMUL-NetDrive.pdf

IRIS-QMUL-NetDrive.pptx

3 Breakout 1 - Sharing ideas and concerns

This first breakout session should be used to share and clarify the ideas and concerns of delegates on the three questions posed in the meeting briefing note:
Q1: How can we maintain competitive computing capability when we have net zero challenges and a 10-fold increase per decade in the price of a top-end machine?
Q2: How do we manage ethical issues around culture change and resource usage for our national compute resource and associated data?
Q3: How do we develop the new skills needed both for rapidly advancing technology and evolving sustainability targets?

NetDRIVE_London2025_Briefing.pdf

14:50 Tea Break

4 Feedback from Breakout Session 1

5 Invited presentation: GreenDigit

The GreenDIGIT (https://greendigit-project.eu/) project is approaching the problem of reducing the environmental impact of Research Infrastructures (RIs) from the generic conceptual point of view by addressing all major factors that define and influence the RI environmental and climate impact.

Speaker: Catalin Condurache (EGI Foundation)

NetDRIVEworkshop_CC_Feb2025_final.pdf

6 Breakout 2 - Consolidating and balancing ideas

The second breakout should be used to looks at the topics raised in the first session, consolidate views where there is agreement, and present a balanced view of differing perspectives where there is disagreement. We do not expect differences to be resolved in the the brief span of this meeting, but we will try to present the range of views clearly.

7 Day Close

Speaker: Alex Owen (Queen Mary)

EndDay1.pdf

17:00 Depart Day 1

19:00 Meeting Dinner

7:00 reception for 7:30 dinner

Wednesday 19 February

08:30 Arrive/Coffee

8 Day 2

Speaker: Alex Owen (Queen Mary)

9 Feedback from Breakout Session 2

10 Breakout 3 - Recommendations and Conclusions

This final breakout set out recommendations and guidance for UKRI and the community.

Recommendations and guidance will be reviewed in the final plenary session and published in the meeting report.

11:00 Coffee Break

11 Feedback from Breakout Session 3 and Plenary Discussion

12 NetDRIVE Funding Opportunities

The first funding opportunity for Community Projects and Working Groups will be announced and discussed.

Speaker: Sarah Sparrow (IRIS IAM)

NetDRIVE_1st_funding_call.pdf

13 Close Meeting

Speaker: Alex Owen (Queen Mary)

13:05 Lunch/Depart