Women in HPC
Who we are…
The journey of Women in HPC (WHPC) began with a simple but meaningful question: Why aren’t there more women in HPC?
In an attempt to address this issue, a community was formed with the aim of empowering women in supercomputing, raising awareness for their research, and creating a space for networking. After all, WHPC also aims to show that diversity can only make the HPC community stronger and more successful.
In order to advance this idea of exchange and support in Germany as well, a WHPC Chapter was established in cooperation between NHR@FAU and members of the NHR Alliance. The NHR|WHPC Chapter participates annually in national and international conferences on high performance computing, such as SC and ISC, in the form of panels, sofa talks, and poster presentations, so look out for our logo and visit our activities at upcoming events.
How to get involved…
Our ideas and activities have sparked your curiosity, and you want to know how you can get involved? WHPC is for female researchers at every level, supporters from every gender, and everyone else working in the field of HPC all over Germany wanting to advance diversity.
Depending on time and commitment, there are different levels of involvement: You can either take part in the activities of the NHR|WHPC Chapter even without previous involvement, contribute your research at poster presentations, join our LinkedIn community and participate in the dialogue, or even register officially by applying for a free membership.
If you are particularly interested in joining our chapter, simply select “National High Performance Computing Alliance” in the registration form and also choose whether you want to receive newsletter updates from the WHPC initiative. You can also subscribe to our members’ mailing list and stay informed about the latest news.
Why it’s worth it…we are asking Ayesha
What was your personal motivation for getting involved with WHPC and founding the chapter?
I’ve been a volunteer with WHPC since 2019—whether chairing the WHPC poster track at consecutive ISC conferences since its launch in 2024, serving as Mentoring Co-Chair at WHPC workshops at SC, or just connecting members across the HPC community (and yes, occasionally rescuing those lost in the conference maze!). When I first stepped into high-performance computing, I noticed that diverse voices were far too few at the table, and I thought, ‘Well, if no one else is going to fix this, I guess it’s up to me!’ My motivation has always been to create spaces where talented researchers can be seen, heard, and celebrated. Founding the NHR|WHPC Chapter in Germany felt like the perfect way to turn ‘Why aren’t there more women in HPC?’ into ‘Look at the amazing contributions we’re enabling together!’
Why would you personally encourage someone to support the chapter?
Supporting WHPC means more than attending events: it’s about investing in a stronger, more inclusive, and innovative HPC ecosystem. I’ve seen firsthand how mentorship, networking, and opportunities like our poster tracks and workshops can transform a career.
By uplifting underrepresented voices, we unlock new ideas, broaden collaboration networks, and create opportunities for everyone. Whether you’re a researcher, mentor, industry partner, or early-career professional, your support helps build an environment where excellence and diversity go hand in hand and where everyone belongs in HPC—and maybe even keeps the coffee flowing during those networking receptions when mentors and mentees are trying to fit 20 conversations into half an hour!
What were your most positive experiences with WHPC that made the engagement worth it?
The most rewarding experiences have been directly witnessing the growth, confidence, and success of our members. Chairing the ISC WHPC poster track, mentoring at SC conferences, and organizing panels and sofa talks have allowed me to see participants gain visibility, connect with peers, and share their research with the broader HPC community. Seeing members take the stage with confidence, forge collaborations, and inspire others is genuinely meaningful. Every handshake, every insightful discussion, and every ‘thank you’ from a participant reminds me that our volunteer work truly makes a difference. And yes, the occasional chaos of conferences—like a runaway poster, a laptop crashing mid-demo, last-minute session swaps, or a colleague trying to explain MPI deadlocks over coffee while we’re all late for a session—only makes it more memorable!
 Apply for our chapter |
 Follow us on LinkedIn |