As part of Verão no Campus 2025, an initiative promoted by the University of Minho, a group of high school students visited the Deucalion to explore advanced computing and engineering paths in a real environment.
The visit took place within Computação sem Fronteiras action, organised by INESC TEC, which granted 27 students an immersive experience in computer science, computing, physics, engineering, and biomedical engineering through hands-on and collaborative activities. The programme aimed to bridge school education with research, offering practical insight into how computing supports scientific and technological innovation.
During the supercomputing activities, students simulated how a supercomputer operates by working in teams to organise cards in parallel, illustrating the principles behind large-scale computation. The highlight of the programme was the visit to Deucalion, the most powerful supercomputer in Portugal and among the leading systems in Europe. Students learned how Deucalion works and how its computing capacity is equivalent to thousands of laptops working simultaneously.
Initiatives such as Verão no Campus 2025 play a key role in bringing advanced scientific infrastructures closer to younger audiences. This direct contact with real-world supercomputing environments helps demystify high-performance computing (HPC), enabling future generations to better understand its impact on society and explore potential paths in engineering and technology.