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SC4RC 2026
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500/1-001 - Main Auditorium (CERN)
Description
Computing plays a vital role in many areas of research supporting modelling, simulation and data analysis across disciplines ranging from literature and economics, to medicine and astrophysics. Its use has a significant negative impact on the environment, from raw material extraction and processing in production of computing hardware, through energy use in its operation, to its decommissioning and reuse/recycling. The demand for higher capacity and efficacy of hardware and software tools, as well as increasing dataset size, suggests these environmental impacts will continue to grow, unless synergies between sustainable research practices, resource optimisation and impact mitigation are recognised and exploited.
All research communities have a responsibility to limit the environmental impacts of their activities, and there is a pressing need for a coordinated and interdisciplinary focus on computing impacts. this conference aims to facilitate knowledge exchange between data-intensive disciplines, allowing the sharing of best practice, the development of common resources, and the catalysis of new interdisciplinary collaborations. Key topics include, but are not limited to:
- estimation and monitoring of environmental impacts and energy usage of computing,
- responsible use of computing hardware (sustainable procurement, extending and optimising use phase, responsible disposal),
- resource-efficient software,
- carbon-aware scheduling,
- FAIR and effective data curation, storage and sharing,
- addressing the rebound effect,
- community building and training,
- general and field-specific best practices,
- changing user behaviour and incentivising sustainable computing practices (addressing e.g. external drivers).
Key dates
- Early Bird registration discounts have now ended.
- Bursary requests have closed.
- The main call for submissions is now closed. Late-breaking abstracts will be considered on a rolling basis, and pending available programme slots.
- Notification of decisions: late March 2026.
- Registrations close: Wednesday 15 April 2026 at 17:00 CEST.
Programme
A draft timetable can be found in the left-hand menu.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Ben van Werkhoven (Leiden University)
- Raghavendra Selvan (University of Copenhagen)
- Jo Walton (University of Sussex)
- Wim Vanderbauwhede (University of Glasgow)
- Michael Sparks (University of Manchester)
- Jeremy Cohen (Imperial College London)
Proceedings
Although there will be no proceedings for this first instance of SC4RC, during the course of the week we will draft a position paper, with conference participants as authors, which we will submit for publication.
Organising Committee
| Anica Araneta | University of Cambridge, UK |
| Auroop Ganguly | Northeastern University, Boston, USA |
| Grant Hill | University of Sheffield, UK |
| Loic Lannelongue (Co-Chair) | University of Cambridge, UK |
| Rakhi Mahbubani (Co-Chair) | Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Croatia |
| Peter Millington | University of Manchester, UK |
| Ayan Paul | Northeastern University, Boston, USA |
| Karolos Potamianos | University of Warwick, UK |
| Markus Schulz | CERN, Switzerland |
You can contact the OC with your comments and suggestions at info@sc4rc.org.
Local Organising Committee
| Catharine Noble | Markus Schulz |
Programme Advisory Committee
| Sebastian Buschjager | Aurélie Bugeau |
| Manuel Cubero-Castan | Caterina Doglioni |
| Kristin Lohwasser | Kristy Pringle |
| Charlotte Rae | Joanna Taylor |
| Simon Portegies Zwart |
Sponsors and endorsers
Contact
Webcast
There is a live webcast for this event
SC4RC 2026