Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center (PSNC) affiliated to the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences is an internationally known node of the European Research Area in the field of IT infrastructure of science and an important R&D center in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT). As a development centre of e-Infrastructure, PSNC designed and built the Metropolitan Network POZMAN, High Performance Computing Center and the national broadband network PIONIER, maintained and still developed by PSNC.
PSNC is an important element of global research and development base, implementing projects mainly under the European Union Framework Programmes, but also supporting R&D initiatives with more than a thousand partners from around the world. PSNC has participated and participates in 224 such projects, coordinating 20 of them. For over a quarter century of its activity 350 research and structural projects have already been implemented in the Centre (coordinating as many as 48 of them), which is one-seventh of all PSNC projects.
Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center (PSNC) affiliated with the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences has been operating since 1993 with a mission: “Integration and development of information infrastructure for science”. A rich, multi-domain list of areas of activity undertaken by PSNC is the result of the continuation of the idea based on searching for innovations inspired by ICT, the effect of which is applied in complete implementations of digital science and industry.
We try to be everywhere where science meets business, where innovation affects social life, and the research mission is intertwined with the responsible development of new technologies. Digital science introduces a radical transformation of the nature of science and innovation through the use of technology (ICT) in a research process. It is becoming more open, creative, global and collaborative, as well as closer to society. From the beginning, in our work we have set ourselves new research and development challenges to create the best possible solutions through experiments and projects, and through experience and good scientific practices, to convert results into effective commercial prototypes.
The rapid decline in computing costs, the emergence of the Internet as a communication tool, the development of mobile Internet, the spread of daily applications and the growing role of online social networks and commercial platforms have significantly affected the functioning of the economy and have had a profound impact on enterprises, public organizations and personal life. At PSNC, we face the challenges posed by the digital economy, developing digital prototypes as part of new generation networks, the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence or Big Data to create innovations, test modern products and build broad cooperation with the business environment.
Social innovations include a number of activities aimed at improving the quality of life of people, organizations and entire communities, by introducing unique solutions, as well as new ideas, products, services or models that meet a wide range of social needs. We strive to implement these activities on a technological basis among various social groups, by implementing new ICT applications and spreading knowledge and awareness about contemporary opportunities, but also by actively fighting the problem of digital exclusion.
We are an institution of high development potential. A positive consequence of the Centre’s exemplary activity in acquiring and implementing projects was the establishment of broad cooperation with international institutions. Projects developed at PSNC include cooperation with almost a thousand units from over 60 countries in the world, on six continents. All projects are focused on IT technology and concern new generation networks, grids, portals, digital libraries, IT energy efficiency, climate, weather, air quality, new sources of energy, digital humanities, personalized medicine, intelligent agriculture, industry 4.0, astronomy, bioinformatics, Big Data analysis, artificial intelligence, New Media, education, Smart City, cyber security. The list of areas of activity in which PSNC undertakes work is constantly expanding, providing an important example of taking up new technological challenges.