Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick joined University of Massachusetts President Dr. Jack Wilson, Holyoke Mayor Michael Sullivan, leaders from MIT, Boston University, and senior executives from EMC, Cisco, and Accenture to announce initial construction on Holyoke's High Performance Computing Center (HPCC) is on track to begin next fall, with a target completion date set for late 2011. The public-private collaboration, which recently completed a successful 120-day planning process, will establish Massachusetts as a global leader in the development and application of the next generation of computing technologies.
Announced by the Governor and the collaborative partners on June 11, 2009, the project will create a world-class, green high performance computing center in Holyoke that will provide an infrastructure for research computing and a collaborative research agenda in advanced computing and applications such as life sciences, clean energy, and green computing. The center will catalyze the development of an innovation district in downtown Holyoke, powered by green and cost-competitive energy.
"This center will serve as an anchor of a highly competitive and vibrant innovation district in the Pioneer Valley," said Governor Patrick. "The potential for job growth and advances in technology and research is unprecedented, and both the center and this collaboration will serve to create long term prosperity for Holyoke and regional economies throughout Western Massachusetts."
"We are delighted to be working with the Commonwealth's universities, businesses, and government on an exciting plan to bring state-of-the-art computing capability to the region. The development of the Holyoke High Performance Computing Center will capitalize on local sources of green power as it inspires productive new partnerships that will foster the Commonwealth's innovation economy," said MIT President Susan Hockfield.
"We have created an unprecedented partnership that is determined to convert an audacious idea into a tangible and enduring reality. While we have important work to complete, I am more hopeful than ever that we will achieve our goal and will create a green High Performance Computing Center that will power the state's innovation economy and be a driving force for economic renewal and growth in the Pioneer Valley. I thank Governor Patrick for his steadfast leadership on this issue and for advancing an economic vision that so clearly has research, discovery, and innovation at its core," said University of Massachusetts President Jack M. Wilson.
