As government commits to a 20-fold AI capacity increase by 2030*, Northern Ireland’s High Performance Computing (NI-HPC) facility at Queen’s University Belfast will demonstrate how researchers can harness the region’s advanced computing capability to accelerate discovery and innovation.
The NI-HPC User Conference returns to Queen's University Belfast on November 4th-5th with up to 150 delegates expected in the conference hall. The two-day event showcases how NI-HPC's Kelvin-2 supercomputer is delivering results across unexpected sectors - from sustainable fashion design achieving 40-times faster prototyping to critical hydrogen safety simulations underpinning Northern Ireland's energy transition.
International speakers include Dr Sadaf Alam, Director of Advanced Computing Strategy at the University of Bristol, discussing the AI and HPC landscape through the lens of Isambard-AI, and Professor Damien Coyle from The Bath Institute for the Augmented Human, exploring wearable brain-computer interfaces for rehabilitation.
READ MORE: How Analytics Engines Is Cutting Through The Noise And Reshaping AI Adoption
"We're demonstrating that world-class computational power isn't the sole preserve of traditional sciences anymore," said David Smyth, Director of NI-HPC.
"When a fashion researcher cuts design prototyping from 80 hours to 2 hours using our infrastructure, or historians process centuries of manuscripts at scale, we're proving HPC transforms work across every discipline. This conference shows the breadth of what's possible and removes barriers for anyone curious about what this technology could do for their research or collaboration."
Researchers, through access to the facility, have delivered tangible breakthroughs across its six strategic research areas, including brain-computer interfaces advancing stroke rehabilitation, computational fluid dynamics validating hydrogen storage safety protocols, and meteorite-inspired materials cutting carbon emissions in steel production.
Professor Roger Woods, Principal Investigator for the Kelvin-2, said: "Computational power will be the defining competitive advantage of the next decade. We're seeing researchers tackle questions that seem impossibly large, and Northern Ireland talent accessing infrastructure that rival institutions ten times our size. This conference demonstrates how accessible that advantage has become, whether you're an early-career researcher, an established academic centre, or part of a government or industry collaboration."
The November conference offers a clear route for anyone exploring whether NI-HPC fits their work, with practical sessions ranging from introductory content to technical deep dives with NVIDIA professionals.
The second day of the conference features specialised workshops on AI for medical imaging, large language models and generative AI, satellite imaging, and digital twins, with session numbers capped to ensure meaningful engagement.
READ MORE: Northern Ireland at the Crossroads: Seizing the AI Opportunity
The event also highlights how NI-HPC’s work complements broader regional initiatives such as Momentum 1.0 and the Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre, which aim to deepen engagement with SMEs and stimulate Northern Ireland’s wider innovation ecosystem.
NI-HPC is a £3.6 million EPSRC-funded facility operating as a UK Tier-2 national resource, jointly managed by Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University. Its architecture creates a benchmark environment for next-generation computational work.
For more information about NI-HPC, log on to https://ni-hpc.ac.uk/
Sync NI's Autumn 2025 magazine explores how Northern Ireland is moving AI from pilot to production
This issue features exclusive insights from industry leaders on real-world AI implementation, responsible adoption, enterprise infrastructure, and how data-driven innovation is transforming businesses across the region.
Read the Big Data Special Edition free online →
Stay connected with NI's tech community:
Subscribe to our newsletter – Get the latest tech news, job opportunities, and events delivered to your inbox
Visit Sync NI – Your daily source for Northern Ireland technology news
