The 50th anniversary of the Atlas computer

Celebrating 50 years of computing at RAL

• Thursday 13 November 2014 from 13:00 - 18:00 - Lectures, reception and exhibition

This year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Atlas Computer Laboratory and continued world-class computing at STFC's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

The Atlas Computer Laboratory was one of the first purpose-built computing facilities in the world, and was home to the Atlas 1 computer - one of the most powerful computers in the world at the time, and the first super-computer to be built in this country.

The Laboratory established a national computing operation to support scientific research. Since 1964 it has been part of innovative work from the world's first computer animation to advanced virtual reality simulations; it has contributed to the governance of the World Wide Web; it has managed the data which led to the discovery of the Higgs boson, and continues to support major scientific experiments at facilities both on-site and internationally.

This event will illustrate some of the computing innovations at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and enable visitors to explore its history as well as its current work supporting world-class science. We are particularly excited that, in its 50th anniversary year, we are able to display the console from the original Atlas computer, together with memorabilia of the time.

Programme

13:00 - 14:30: Past and Present (Lecture Theatre)

• Introduction:
  Juan Bicarregui - Head of Data Division, STFC Scientific Computing Department
• Welcome to RAL:
  Andrew Taylor - Executive Director of STFC National Laboratories
• Computing at Chilton 1959-2000:
  Bob Hopgood - Atlas Computer Laboratory and RAL (1963-2000)
• 50 years of the mathematical software library HSL:
  John Reid - Numerical Algorithms Group, STFC Scientific Computing Department
• The Scientific Computing Department Today:
  David Corney - Acting Director, STFC Scientific Computing Department

14:30 - 15:00: Break

15:00 - 16:30: Future Directions (Lecture Theatre)

• Future Directions for Computing in Particle Physics:
  Dave Britton - Professor of Physics, University of Glasgow, Leader of the GridPP project
• Future directions in Gravitational Physics:
  Stephen Fairhurst - Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of Cardiff, Chair of STFC Computing Advisory Panel
• Future Directions in Digital Chemistry:
  Jeremy Frey - Professor of Physical Chemistry, University of Southampton
• The 4 forces of change for Intense-Computing:
  Cliff Brereton - Director Hartree Centre

16:30 - 18:00: Reception and Exhibition (Exhibition Centre)