Mission

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Scientific Discovery Through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) program marshals the nation's top researchers to develop and apply cutting-edge computational methods, driving breakthroughs in some of the most challenging scientific problems. From unraveling the fundamental nature of matter to securing efficient energy production and understanding complex Earth systems, SciDAC leverages advanced computing to enable discoveries otherwise unreachable.

The Power of Scientific Computing: Scientific computing, including modeling and simulation, is indispensable for research that is too complex, hazardous, time-consuming, or expensive for traditional theoretical and experimental approaches alone. Within the DOE Office of Science (SC), a coordinated portfolio of research, notably SciDAC, strategically invests in harnessing the power of high-performance computing (HPC) for transformational science.

SciDAC Collaborative Model and Enduring Impact: The SciDAC program embodies a unique partnership involving all six DOE Office of Science (SC) areas — Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR), Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Biological and Environmental Research (BER), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES), High-Energy Physics and Nuclear Physics (HENP), alongside the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) and the Office of Electricity (OE). This collaborative framework unites experts from national laboratories, universities, and other research organizations, fostering deep synergy between applied mathematicians, computer scientists, and domain science experts. This collaborative framework accelerates progress in scientific computing, enabling breakthrough discoveries by addressing critical challenges in:

• Developing predictive models with high-fidelity simulations;
• Integrating AI, machine learning, and advanced data analytics into discovery workflows;
• Generating and managing massive datasets for effective scientific AI and modeling;
• Increasing demand for Uncertainty Quantification (UQ);
• Adapting to rapidly evolving computer architectures and novel computing paradigms.

This cross-disciplinary approach ensures that advanced computational tools are developed, validated, and made widely available to the broader scientific research community, solidifying SciDAC as a cornerstone for innovation in computing and scientific discovery.

SciDAC's Evolution: From Terascale to Exascale, AI and Beyond: Initiated in 2001, SciDAC began by developing the scientific computing software and hardware infrastructure essential for utilizing terascale computers across various DOE research programs. As computing rapidly evolved through petascale and multi-core architectures, SciDAC adapted and was re-competed multiple times. ASCR's foresight in building the scientific ecosystem for extreme-scale computing proved critical. This vision culminated in the successful deployment of exascale facilities such as Frontier at ORNL and Aurora at ANL, a testament to the decades of foundational work driven by programs like SciDAC and further accelerated by the Exascale Computing Project (ECP). This era of exascale computing opens unprecedented avenues for scientific exploration, empowering researchers with tools of immense power.

The Role of SciDAC Institutes: Central to SciDAC's success are its specialized SciDAC Institutes, which serve as hubs of expertise in applied mathematics and computer science. Currently, these include FASTMath (Frameworks, Algorithms, and Scalable Technologies for Mathematics) and RAPIDS (Rapid Analytics for Physics Integrated Data Science) To maximize the integration of the transformative impact of AI, a new Institute, LEADS (Learning-Enabled Analysis and Data Science), was established in 2025 to specifically address the intricate challenges of scientific machine learning, integrating AI into various domain sciences, and ensuring robust, physics-informed AI solutions for scientific discovery.

Our Collaborative Mission: In an era of continuously evolving supercomputers and transformative computational methodologies, the direct engagement of computer scientists and applied mathematicians with domain scientists is more vital than ever. SciDAC embodies a unique partnership — involving ASCR, all five other DOE SC programs, the Office of Nuclear Energy, and the Office of Electricity — to foster deep synergy between these experts. This collaborative framework accelerates progress in scientific computing, enabling breakthrough discoveries by addressing critical challenges including creating a venue to develop a critical workforce.