Bob Graybill
HPCWire has named Bob Graybill, an ISI division director working in the organization’s Arlington Office, as one of 16 “People to Watch.”This is the second time Graybill has been so designated.
The HPC list is an annual honor, “recognizing” in the words of the online descripton, “some of the most influential and interesting luminaries driving the changing landscape of high performance computing. The members of this group, who are determined by a selection committee that includes past People to Watch as well as a long list of advisors for the publication, features educators, researchers, and industry veterans who are making significant contributions to the cause of high performance computing.”HPCWire is an online source published by Tabor Commuications, which also publishes GridToday.
Here is Graybill’s citation, whch begins with a quote.
“High Performance Computing is a national asset that if utilized by all segments of industry, up and down the supply chain, has the potential of accelerating innovation and U.S. competitiveness.”
– Robert Graybill
Why he’s worth watching: With more than 30 years’ experience in the defense, government, and commercial industry, Robert Graybill is now a Division Director at University of Southern California’s Information Sciences Institute. His eagerness to advance the development of computer and communication technologies has elevated him to another worthwhile post as a senior advisor on the Council on Competitiveness, an organization guided by the mission to set an action agenda that drives economic growth and raises the standard of living for all Americans. As you might guess, HPC plays a large role in Graybill’s work with the Council.
“I am leading the formation of an advanced national high- performance computing collaboration system that will link companies, universities, and national laboratories together to share high-performance computing systems and expertise,” explains Graybill about his work with the Council on Competitiveness. “This effort, based on the Council of Competitiveness HPC user and industry findings, is intended to improve the competitiveness of U.S. companies in world markets.”
The system is called The National Innovation Collaboration Ecosystem, and its aim is to put the U.S. in an increasingly competitive position across world markets by providing a national virtual prototyping infrastructure aimed at accelerating innovation and speeding up the productization of ideas into workable products.
Outside of his work, Graybill’s family takes a high priority in his life. He especially enjoys the interaction that he has with his grandchildren. “My three grandchildren provide a great source of joy in my life,” says the man working to ensure that they live in a country that can compete in the world market for years to come.
Graybill reveals humble beginnings when asked about his first paying job. “I worked on a dairy farm for my uncle when I was in Junior High School,” says the man who later went on to six years at DARPA, where he designed, developed, and implemented six new transformational programs in high-end computing architectures and responsive embedded computing hardware, software, and network systems.
The DARPA veteran reveals that he has a penchant for reading political thrillers. “My favorite author is Tom Clancy,” says Robert. “I have read all of his books, cover to cover.”
When asked about an aspect of himself that might surprise his friends or colleagues, Graybill reveals that some might be surprised to learn how handy he is with a set of woodworking tools and some raw materials. “I build decks, cabinets, and furniture,” explains Robert. “Or at least I did in the past when I had more free time.”
Published on June 20th, 2006
Last updated on August 9th, 2021
