Turnover and Inauguration of the UPCOE Computing Facility. Photos by Mark Opinaldo
UP officials, donors, UPERDFI members, and esteemed guests joined the turnover and inauguration of the UP College of Engineering (UPCOE) Computing Facility on February 15, 2023, at the National Engineering Center, UP Diliman, Quezon City.

The program included special messages from UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo, UPCOE Dean Maria Antonia N. Tanchuling, UPERDFI Chairman Alex Sy Sun Eng and UPERDFI President Rafael Nestor V. Mantaring, as well as the signing of the Deed of Donation for the computer cluster, ribbon cutting and unveiling of the marker.
Invited but unable to attend was Former UP President Danilo Concepcion, under whose term the Facility was established. He encouraged the project and enlisted much-needed financial support from the Friends of the University of the Philippines Foundation in America (FUPFA) and the UP Foundation. Inc.
UPERDFI launched the High Performance Computer (HPC) Project in 2020. PhP 20 Million was raised for the procurement of 1,152 CPU cores, with appropriate high-speed RAM and storage capacity. Added to the 512 cores that were earlier procured by the UPCOE from DOST ERDT funds, the Computing Facility now comprises 1,664 cores, significantly increasing research productivity.

Problems that took weeks to model and simulate (using linked computers) can now be completed in a matter of minutes. The Facility is managed by a UPCOE team led by the Associate Dean for Research, Dr. Roel Ocampo. He is also the UP Coordinator for the DOST ERDT Program.

UPERDFI continues to accept donations for the expansion of the Computing Facility. Donations will be used to procure additional cores, benefiting the UP College of Engineering’s roster of 267 full-time and 97 part-time faculty members and over 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students. When available, the facility will also be open to users from other UP colleges and from industry.
Unveiling of UPCOE Computing Facility Marker. Photos by Norika Ishikawa
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