Welcome to our new SIGHPC Education Community Spotlight series – a blog series celebrating the passionate individuals involved in our community and highlighting those that are committed to driving HPC education forward. Each edition offers an authentic glimpse into the values, perspectives, and personalities that shape our vibrant community. From unique career paths to heartfelt motivations, we’re shining a light on the people behind the work to foster connection, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose.
Today, we are introducing Berny!
The Human behind the Science
What inspired you to become involved in computational science education?
Growing up in a suburban area of Maputo, Mozambique, I witnessed firsthand the challenges our communities face from climate-related hazards. While studying Meteorology at university, I was introduced to HPC and its powerful ability to model and predict these events with greater accuracy, ultimately enabling more actionable information. This exposure sparked a deep interest in making computational tools more accessible and usable for researchers and students, particularly in under-resourced regions. My work in Mozambique’s HPC ecosystem – supporting the deployment and use of HPC for science – has shown me how education in computational science can truly empower individuals to solve real-world problems and drive impactful discoveries.
What’s one small moment in your teaching engagements that has made you smile recently?
During a recent interaction session with an undergraduate student, I was guiding him through HPC cluster job submission and configuring research software to perform simulations. Later, he sent me an email saying, “I finally get it now – this is powerful!” That moment, seeing the spark of understanding and growing confidence in someone new to HPC, reminded me why I love facilitating these moments of discovery – especially in the early stages of scientific initiation.
Summarise your teaching or research philosophy in one sentence?
I believe in empowering students and researchers through accessible, hands-on, and context-driven learning that connects computational tools with real-world scientific challenges.
Which best describes you: Teacher, Educator, Trainer, Mentor, Coach, Facilitator, Guide, or something else?
I would describe myself primarily as a Facilitator and Guide, and occasionally a Trainer. I work closely with researchers and students to demystify complex HPC concepts and guide them in using computational tools effectively in their scientific work. But in Mozambique, where HPC is still a new and often misunderstood field, I also play a second, critical role: advocate. I continuously engage decision-makers and policymakers across science, technology, innovation, and higher education to raise awareness about the transformative power of HPC for national development. Bridging the gap between policy and practice is essential, and I’m committed to showing how building HPC capacity can drive scientific innovation, resilience, and progress in our country.
More about your work and impact
What is your role and where are you based?
I’m HPC Support Scientist based at the Mozambique Research and Education Network (MoRENet) in Maputo. I support the academic and research community in accessing and using HPC resources for scientific computing.
What are you currently working on?
Currently, I’m involved in maintaining and optimizing our national HPC infrastructure, supporting users with scientific software deployment, and promoting HPC literacy across institutions. I also represent Mozambique as a national focal point for the SADC HPC Ecosystem Project, aiming to strengthen regional collaboration in HPC development and training.
Please share one project, initiative, or milestone that you’ve been involved in that you’d love others to know about?
One initiative I’m proud of is our work to establish the first national HPC ecosystem in Mozambique. Despite limited resources and low institutional awareness, we’ve successfully built and operated HPC clusters, provided technical support to emerging researchers, and promoted the integration of HPC into university research workflows. Another milestone that stands out is being invited to speak at the UbuntuNet-Connect 2023 Conference in Kampala, where I joined a panel discussion on sustaining HPC infrastructure in resource-constrained regions and deploying scientific models to support development. I also had the honor of representing Mozambique as part of the SADC HPC delegation at the Supercomputing Conference (SC) in both 2022 and 2023, including participation in the STEM-Trek pre-conference program—experiences that broadened my international perspective and strengthened connections with the global HPC community. In addition, I’ve been working on adapting bioinformatics tools to HPC environments to assist Mozambican researchers with genomic sequence analysis, helping bridge the gap between data-intensive science and local computational capabilities.
How do you see your work contributing to the broader scientific computing or educational community?
My work contributes by expanding access to HPC and computational science education in a region where it is still in its early stages. I support researchers in applying HPC to real-world problems, from climate modeling to data analysis, and work to build a sustainable community of users who can drive innovation in their fields. By training others, advocating for national HPC policies, and participating in regional partnerships, I’m helping to build the foundations for a more inclusive and resilient scientific computing community in Africa – and ultimately, contributing to global scientific progress.
Community and Collaboration
What advice do you have for anyone who is just starting in computational science education?
Start with curiosity and stay patient with the process – it’s okay not to know everything at once. Computational science can seem overwhelming at first, especially when resources are limited, but don’t be discouraged. Focus on solving real problems that matter to you or your community, and build your skills step by step. Seek out mentors, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to experiment or fail – that’s part of learning. Most importantly, remember that your unique background and perspective can bring valuable insight to the field. The world needs more diverse voices in science and computing in this current big data-era.
Who in the computational science education world inspires you, and why?
I’m inspired by individuals who are working to democratize access to HPC and computational science in underrepresented and resource-constrained regions.
One prominent example is Dr. Happy Sithole from the National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System (NICIS) in South Africa. His leadership has significantly advanced HPC infrastructure in the region, and he has been instrumental in fostering capacity-building and regional collaboration through initiatives like the SADC HPC Ecosystem Project.
Dr. Genito Maure from the Department of Physics at Eduardo Mondlane University was my academic mentor during my undergraduate studies. He introduced me to HPC as a research tool and guided me in accessing CHPC supercomputing resources to perform advanced simulations using state-of-the-art numerical models—at a time when Mozambique had no local HPC infrastructure. His mentorship was pivotal in launching my journey into computational science.
I’m also deeply grateful to Mr. Lino Khalau, my former manager at MoRENet. He was the person who brought me into the national HPC ecosystem, offering early guidance, motivation, and ongoing encouragement. His leadership helped shape the foundation of HPC services at MoRENet and played a crucial role in developing Mozambique’s technical capacity.
Another major source of inspiration is Prof. Lourino Chemane, whose strategic leadership at the policy level helped make Mozambique’s HPC ecosystem a reality. As former CEO of MoRENet and an advisor to the Ministry of Science and Technology, he championed the role of advanced digital infrastructure for research and innovation. His vision and advocacy laid the groundwork for our national HPC strategy.
Bryan Johnston from CHPC South Africa has also had a profound impact on my growth. He introduced me to OpenHPC and has been a central figure in the SADC HPC Ecosystem Project. His mentorship, training, and commitment to regional collaboration—especially in supporting early-career professionals like myself—have been invaluable. His support has enabled me and my colleagues to participate in conferences, access global networks, and continuously develop our technical skills.
Lastly, Elizabeth Leake from STEM-Trek has been incredibly inspiring through her commitment to inclusivity and professional growth in the HPC community. She played a central role in organizing our participation in the Supercomputing (SC) Conferences, including workshops, tutorials, technical sessions, and networking activities. She also ensured our accommodation and well-being during the events. Her dedication to equity in access and her efforts to empower individuals from emerging regions had a life-changing impact on me. Her work motivates me to pursue computational science with even greater purpose and to help extend such opportunities to others in similar contexts.
Each of these individuals has contributed uniquely to my development and to the broader vision of inclusive, sustainable HPC ecosystems across Africa. Their leadership continues to guide and inspire my commitment to advancing computational science in Mozambique and beyond.
What’s a team-up or community project that really meant something to you?
A project that truly meant a lot to me was the “HPC First Grid User Training”, a week-long practical training organized by our local HPC team at MoRENet. It was the first training of its kind to be fully delivered by national facilitators, including myself and my dedicated colleagues Vitalina Baptista, Dionísio Nhadelo, and Martilio Banze (who continues working alongside me today).
This initiative had a high impact, as it marked a turning point in building local capacity to train and support new HPC users in Mozambique. We conducted hands-on sessions covering Linux basics, HPC architecture and concepts, job submission, and how to navigate HPC environments effectively. We also invited distinguished local experts in computational science, including Prof. Genito Maure from the Department of Physics and Prof. Fialho Nehama from the School of Marine and Coastal Sciences, who shared their experience and helped contextualize HPC for scientific research.
This training was more than a technical exercise – it was a milestone in demonstrating that Mozambique can develop its own community of practice in HPC, foster leadership, and empower researchers with tools to tackle complex problems using computational resources. It showed me the power of collaboration and local ownership in growing scientific computing from the ground up.
Has there been something you’ve seen others doing in computational science education that has stuck with you?
Yes—what has truly stuck with me is witnessing how regional partners across Southern and Eastern Africa are committing deeply to advancing HPC for community and national development.
I greatly appreciate how fellow members of the SADC HPC Ecosystem Project are leveraging high-performance computing not just as a tool, but as a strategic pillar for education, research, and innovation. For example, ZAMREN in Zambia is at an advanced stage in operating and managing their national HPC system, serving a growing base of researchers and institutions. Zimbabwe has established its own HPC center, showing strong national coordination and technical leadership. I’ve also been impressed by the progress and leadership shown in Tanzania, Botswana, and Uganda—where institutions are not only building technical infrastructure but also fostering user communities and integrating HPC into national science agendas.
What inspires me most is the shared vision and strong leadership these countries demonstrate in treating HPC as a developmental priority. Their progress motivates me to continue advocating for HPC in Mozambique and to strengthen our collaboration so we can grow together as a regional force in scientific computing.
The Lighter Stuff
If you could teleport anywhere in the world for one day, where would you go and whom would you bring with?
If I could teleport anywhere for one day, I would go to a world-class supercomputing center like the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) or Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to witness firsthand the scale, innovation, and societal impact of high-performance computing. But I wouldn’t go alone. I would bring with me key Mozambican stakeholders—Directors, Ministers, the Permanent Secretary, and some Rectors of our universities – so they could see and hear directly from global experts about the transformative power of HPC. It would be an opportunity to spark greater political will and high-level commitment to advancing HPC in Mozambique.
After the visit, I would teleport with my girlfriend to a beautiful natural site nearby to relax and explore-combining purpose with personal joy, and ending the day inspired on both professional and personal levels.
Pick a meme or theme song to reflect your teaching style.
“Started from the Bottom” by Drake
If there is one problem in the world that you could solve, what would it be?
If I could solve one problem in the world, I would stop war and emergence war in the world.
Coffee, tea, or cake?
Cake
Any final thoughts, words of wisdom, or musings?
Never underestimate the power of starting small and staying consistent. Whether you’re launching your first HPC job, facilitating a training session, or advocating for infrastructure in your country—every effort counts. Growth in computational science doesn’t happen overnight, especially in under-resourced environments, but with collaboration, passion, and perseverance, we can shape something impactful and lasting.
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is language—as a native Portuguese speaker, expressing myself in English, especially in technical and international settings, hasn’t always been easy. I’m also a naturally calm and sometimes shy person, which has made communication even harder at times. But I’ve learned that growth comes through trying, showing up, and being willing to improve day by day. And I truly am.
I’m always open to connecting, sharing experiences, and building community—especially with others working to make science more inclusive and accessible.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berny-chaimite-3684b9124/
Email: bchaimite@gmail.com | berny.chaimite@morenet.ac.mz
