Laguna HPC Cluster and SoCal Research Computing Alliance

Last updated April 19, 2026
0.0.0.1 NSF-funded cyberinfrastructure initiative expands CARC resources to support a regional research computing alliance in Southern California.

1 CC* Regional Computing: Building Cyberinfrastructure to Forge a Regional Research Computing Alliance in Southern California

1.0.0.1 Grant from National Science Foundation’s Campus Cyberinfrastructure (CC*) Program

Collaborators: Carl Kesselman (Principal Investigator) and Byoung-Do Kim (Co-Principal Investigator)

The Laguna cluster is a high-performance computing (HPC) system developed through the National Science Foundation–funded project, Building Cyberinfrastructure to Forge a Regional Research Computing Alliance in Southern California (Award #2232917). The award supports the construction of a new HPC resource built upon the success of the Science DMZ network and integrated into USC CARC’s existing cyberinfrastructure.

In collaboration with the USC Information Sciences Institute (ISI) and the Los Nettos Consortium, this effort expands CARC’s research computing services to under-resourced universities across the Southern California region and to the Open Science Grid. The project builds on prior work to implement a Science DMZ network, extending connectivity between smaller campuses and regional and national research networks while strengthening the overall cyberinfrastructure ecosystem.

The Laguna system provides researchers with access to an advanced computing environment and user services, enabling hands-on experience with high-performance computing practices. By supporting knowledge sharing and technical collaboration across institutions, the project promotes educational engagement and fosters scientific partnerships throughout the region. Access to CARC’s team of HPC experts provides user services, training, and support to enable collaborative research and workforce development in the region.

More information on the NSF award can be found here.

Visit the Southern California Research Computing Alliance website here to learn more about the Laguna cluster.