Exploring the technological marvels and cutting-edge infrastructures of the Tecnopolo di Bologna was an extraordinary opportunity for the students of the Master in Data Science and Business Analytics.
This visit allowed them to witness firsthand how the theories learned in the classroom translate into practical applications, guiding them towards excellence.
The Tecnopolo di Bologna, an impressive 120,000 square meter facility located in the former Manifattura Tabacchi, hosts some of the most prestigious research foundations, including IFAB, dedicated to human development through scientific research, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), ENEA, and, of course, CINECA. During the visit to CINECA, the students followed a timeline showing the evolution of supercomputers, from the CDC 6600 of 1969 to Leonardo, a computing giant with a power of 250 PFLOP/S.
“One aspect that particularly struck me was Leonardo’s water cooling system, which keeps the machine room at a constant temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius,” said Mattia Campanella, one of the Master’s students. “Leonardo is at the heart of major projects, such as weather forecasting and the digital twin of the city of Bologna, as well as supporting research in various productive sectors. It is noteworthy that the energy required to operate Leonardo, amounting to 9 MW, comes entirely from renewable sources.”
A truly impactful discovery: “I was impressed to see that projects like these require thousands of billions of calculations that only supercomputers like Leonardo can execute in reasonable times,” explained Mattia. “Without these tools, such projects would be unimaginable. It is crucial that both the public and private sectors have access to these resources to innovate and democratize innovation. This access will allow society to better adapt to new technologies and use them consciously,” he added.
The visit offered students a tangible understanding of the power of the data at their disposal and the importance of computational power in contemporary reality. “Having access to this infrastructure and being able to run code scripts on it gave us a concrete perspective on the importance of computational power,” said Campanella.
Company visits like the one to the Tecnopolo di Bologna are fundamental for exploring new ideas and opportunities in the field of Data Science. “Ending the theoretical part of the master’s program with such a stimulating visit is the ideal opportunity to undertake or participate in innovative projects that attract each of us students from BBS,” concluded Campanella.
This experience provided students with a new perspective on how theory and practice can converge, offering valuable tools to face the challenges of the contemporary job market and outline a truly tailored educational path.