Candidates for President
Bilel Hadri – KAUST
As a Lead Senior Computational Scientist, my role involves enhancing the impact of operations and services for HPE-Cray HPC systems at the KAUST Supercomputing Lab. My responsibilities span coordinating operational support and guiding strategic system procurements. My experience with Cray systems began in 2009 at the National Institute for Computational Science at ORNL, where I worked until 2013 before joining KAUST, giving me more than a decade of deep engagement with HPE-Cray technologies.
I have been an active participant in CUG since 2010, contributing to the technical program and receiving the Best Paper Award at CUG 2012. Over the years, I have consistently volunteered as a program committee reviewer and was elected PEAD SIG Chair in both 2016 and 2018. In 2020, I joined the CUG Board as a Director at Large, and in 2022, I was elected Vice-President.
This year, I am running for President with a clear set of priorities:
- Strengthen connections across the HPE-Cray HPC community, engaging both large leadership class centers and smaller sites to ensure broad representation and collaboration.
- Leverage my experience in organizing successful CUG conferences to support smooth operations, strong technical programs, and an inclusive environment for contributors.
My long standing dedication to CUG, combined with my technical and leadership experience, has prepared me well to serve as President. I am committed to working closely with the Board and the broader community to support CUG’s continued growth, strengthen its impact, and ensure it remains a vibrant group for innovation and collaboration.
Candidates for Vice President
Maciej Cytowski – Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre
Since my first contributions to CUG in 2005, I have remained deeply impressed by its success as a community-led organisation and by the value it delivers to all member sites. I firmly believe in the power of community building, especially within the specialised domain of supercomputing. CUG stands as a model for how such communities should be created and sustained, and I am committed to continuing my contribution to its growth and success.
The CUG Vice-President role is well aligned with my everyday role at the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre and various voluntary roles in organising and planning committees of international HPC conferences. At Pawsey, my team works closely with researchers utilising Setonix system (HPE Cray EX) to support their science and translate it to software and hardware requirements. Many of solutions we use on Setonix were either adopted and/or shared through CUG. Our engagement with CUG, as well as with other centres and vendors through the CUG network, is regarded as strategically important and has made a substantial contribution to advancing Australian research.
If successful, and while transitioning from my current role as Director-at-Large on the CUG Board, I would like to focus more on shaping CUG’s technical and strategic content, strengthening our collaboration with HPE Cray, and identifying opportunities to welcome new members into the community.
Candidates for Director At Large (DAL)
Chris Fuson – Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
My name is Chris Fuson, and I work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where I serve as the Group Lead for the National Center for Computational Sciences’ User Assistance Group and as the Program Manager for a NOAA partnership. Cray systems have played a large role in my career, from the T3E and X1 to the XT and EX lines. I’ve supported researchers across multiple Cray programming environments, played a role in system procurements, and helped ensure projects remained on budget.
Since attending my first CUG meeting in 2013, it has become the conference I look forward to most each year. I’ve had the opportunity to present papers, lead and participate in BOF sessions, and was honored to receive the CUG Best Paper award in 2015. CUG has provided invaluable networking opportunities and fostered collaboration across sites. I’ve been proud to give back by serving on the program committee, chairing sessions, and leading the PEAD Special Interest Group for four years. During my time as chair, PEAD grew into a half-day event featuring presenters from HPE and multiple member sites. Most recently I have served by organizing the CUG social media and daily event communication.
I am running for CUG Director at Large because I am committed to the future of the organization. I believe my background, including leadership roles at multiple HPC conferences such as SC, positions me well for this role. CUG is a vital part of our community, and I would be honored to participate in its continued growth and success.
