Anne C. Elster is a Professor of Computer Science at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and Director of the Heterogeneous and Parallel Computing Lab. Specializing in GPU acceleration and parallel computing, Elster has shaped high-performance computing standards through her work with the MPI Standards Committee and the Oden Institute.
The field of high-performance computing (HPC) relies on the ability to process massive datasets across multiple processors simultaneously. Anne C. Elster has spent over two decades advancing this capability, specifically through the development of tools that optimize how code runs on heterogeneous systems. This approach involves using different types of processors—typically combining a Central Processing Unit (CPU) with a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)—to handle specific computational tasks more efficiently.
GPU Acceleration and the HPC-Lab
Elster joined the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in 2001, initially establishing a research group that evolved into the Heterogeneous and Parallel Computing Lab (HPC-Lab) in 2008. The lab focuses on the parallelization and auto-tuning of codes designed for heterogeneous computing environments. A central part of this work is GPU acceleration, a technique that offloads mathematically intensive tasks from the CPU to the GPU, which can perform thousands of small calculations at once.
The research group is recognized for its work on GPU accelerations dating back to 2006. By creating methods to optimize how software interacts with this hardware, Elster’s work allows scientists to run complex simulations faster and with greater precision. This technical focus extends to the classroom; in Fall 2024, Elster taught a 4th year class on Parallel Computing to over 100 students, despite facing reduced staff support due to economic challenges at NTNU.
Institutional Leadership at NTNU and the Oden Institute
Elster’s influence extends beyond research into institutional governance and international collaboration. She has held several leadership roles within NTNU, serving as a member of the NTNU Board from 2022 to 2023 and as a first alternate for the board during the periods of 2017-2021 and 2021-2025. She also served as a member of the IE Faculty (Dean’s) Board from 2021 to 2025.
Her ties to the United States are deep, rooted in her academic training and professional affiliations. Elster earned her Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering from UMass Amherst and subsequently obtained both her Master and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from Cornell in 1994. Before her tenure at NTNU, she worked at Schlumberger Austin Research and served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Texas at Austin, where she taught courses in Operating Systems and Algorithms.
This connection to Texas continues through her long-term affiliation with the Oden Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. Elster spent a research leave there from July 2023 to June 2024 and has maintained Senior Visiting Scientist status, which was extended until Summer 2025.
Contributions to Parallel Computing Standards
Technical standards ensure that different high-performance computing systems can communicate and operate together. Elster contributed to these foundations as a member of the original MPI (Message Passing Interface) Standards Committee. MPI is the industry standard for communication between nodes in a parallel computing cluster, making it a fundamental tool for almost all large-scale scientific computing.
Her technical contributions also include the development of the Linear Bit-reversal algorithm. Such algorithms are essential for the efficiency of Fast Fourier Transforms, which are used across diverse fields from signal processing to quantum physics. Elster’s commitment to the broader scientific community is further evidenced by her role as an Associate Editor of IEEE Computer Society’s Computer (CiSE) and her work on various program committees, including the Sid Fernbach and Test-of-Time Awards committees.
Professional recognition of her expertise is reflected in her status as an IEEE Senior Member, achieved in 2000, and her designation as an IEEE Computer Society Distinguished Contributor. Her recent activity includes serving on the SC24 Program Committee and mentoring students in the general mentoring program and the Women in High Performance Computing (WHPC) program at the SC24 conference.