RCC Spotlight: Carly Sweeney

Carly Sweeney is a junior at Florida State University majoring in computer science. Carly joined FSU’s Information Technology Services as an intern during the spring of her sophomore year. She spent two semesters as a Solutions Architect and as a User Experience intern before serving as a High-Performance Computing (HPC) intern for the FSU Research Computing Center (RCC). 

Carly's research at the RCC revolves around utilizing the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for benchmarking on HPC. Benchmarking involves evaluating the efficiency of compute nodes utilizing a single node, high core count or multiple nodes using parallel processes in the HPC. Running WRF on the system, she analyzes how long the process takes for different sets of nodes with different compiler combinations on the HPC to gauge efficiency levels accurately. Due to the variety of processor types and system capabilities in the HPC, it's helpful to benchmark the system to make sure that it operates at the same rate as the standard benchmarking case for WRF version 4.5. Since different nodes are added to the cluster on a yearly basis, it's helpful to test across the nodes for each year to capture benchmark timing and accuracy. 

When she’s not conducting research, Carly creates scripts to automate the process of benchmarking across all node years and compiler combinations, and she creates documentation that future users can use to run benchmarks with the WRF. Her research is important for ensuring the HPC does what is supposed to do—crunch numbers efficiently—and will allow for future benchmarking tests to be done seamlessly during planned maintenance periods. 

“The RCC is an engaging place to work, and it's an open and welcoming learning environment that has been an amazing place to work. Everybody is there to help each other, which has been helpful as an intern, and everyone there truly wants to help each other succeed.” -Carly Sweeney 

As an undergraduate student, Carly consistently seeks new job opportunities and avenues for career growth. Her internship has deepened her interests and broadened her horizons, particularly in the realms of research and exploration.