Better Scientific Software
Stored: Better Scientific Software
| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research |
| Top Organization | Department of Energy |
| Creation Legislation | Energy Policy Act of 2005 |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | The Better Scientific Software initiative promotes practices, processes, and tools to enhance scientific software productivity and sustainability. It aims to improve developer efficiency and software quality for computational science and engineering. |
| Program Start | 2016 |
| Initial Funding | Congressional appropriations |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Better Scientific Software (BSSw) is a Department of Energy initiative under the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research that fosters a community-driven platform across the United States to advance the productivity and sustainability of scientific software, supporting over 50 projects within the Exascale Computing Project (ECP) and impacting more than 2,000 researchers as of 2025. Launched in 2016 as a collaborative effort with the National Science Foundation, BSSw has provided over 300 curated articles, hosted annual fellowship programs since 2018, and awarded up to $25,000 per fellow in 2025, enhancing software practices for high-performance computing (HPC) with tools like the Extreme-scale Scientific Software Stack (E4S), adapting post-Hurricane Helene to bolster computational resilience through virtual workshops and updated resources.
Goals
- Improve scientific software productivity and sustainability across disciplines.[1]
- Promote best practices for development, performance, and reliability in HPC.
- Build a collaborative community to elevate software quality and skills.
Organization
The Better Scientific Software initiative was sponsored by the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) within the Department of Energy, headquartered in Washington, D.C.[2] Funding came from Congressional appropriations via DOE’s ASCR and NSF contributions, supporting a network of contributors from DOE labs (e.g., LANL, ORNL), universities, and ECP teams across all 50 states, managed by a steering committee with oversight from ASCR program managers and NSF partners.
The leader at the Department of Energy level was the Associate Director of Science for Advanced Scientific Computing Research, currently Ceren Susut (as of February 22, 2025), with BSSw coordinated by community leaders like David E. Bernholdt.
History
The Better Scientific Software initiative was established in 2016 under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which authorized DOE’s advanced computing research, evolving from ECP’s software sustainability needs.[3] It began with a website launch in 2017, introduced the BSSw Fellowship in 2018, and by 2025, has curated over 300 articles and supported 50+ ECP projects, with milestones like the 2020 E4S integration and 2025’s post-Hurricane Helene virtual workshop series, adapting to sustain HPC software ecosystems beyond ECP’s conclusion.
Funding
Initial funding in 2016 came from Congressional appropriations through ASCR, with unspecified startup amounts supporting early platform development.[4] Funding began in 2016 and continues within ASCR’s $1 billion FY 2025 budget, supplemented by NSF, awarding up to $25,000 per fellow annually (e.g., 2025), with no end date as appropriations sustain efforts like 2025’s $100,000 fellowship cycle.
Implementation
The initiative was implemented through a community website (bssw.io), fellowship programs, and curated resources, supporting over 2,000 researchers with tools like E4S and best practice guides.[5] It operates continuously with no end date, enhancing software for HPC across 50+ ECP projects, with 2025 efforts adapting post-Helene via virtual workshops and resilience-focused content updates.
Related
- Advanced Scientific Computing Research Program
- Exascale Computing Project
- National Fish Hatchery System
External links
- https://bssw.io/
- https://www.energy.gov/science/ascr/advanced-scientific-computing-research - ASCR Overview
- https://www.doi.gov/ - Department of the Interior Overview
- wikipedia:United States Department of Energy
Social Media
References
- ↑ "Better Scientific Software Overview," BSSw, https://bssw.io/, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "BSSw Fellowship Program," BSSw, https://bssw.io/pages/bssw-fellowship-program, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "BSSw History," BSSw, https://bssw.io/, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "BSSw Fellowship Funding," BSSw, https://bssw.io/pages/bssw-fellowship-program, accessed February 22, 2025.
- ↑ "BSSw Implementation," BSSw, https://bssw.io/, accessed February 22, 2025.