KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica made history last week as it became the first Caribbean nation to host the Latin America High Performance Computing Conference (CARLA), drawing researchers, policymakers and technology leaders from more than 20 countries.

The 2025 edition of CARLA spotlighted the transformative role of high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) in driving scientific research, innovation and sustainable development across the region. Since its launch in 2014, CARLA has become the premier HPC conference for Latin America, but this year’s staging in Kingston marked a new milestone in its global reach.

The event was hosted through a partnership between the Scientific Research Council (SRC), the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona, Phase 3 Productions, and international organisations SCALAC and RedCLARA. Global technology giants including Dell, Nvidia, Intel, Lenovo, AMD, and Eviden also lent their support.

The main programme opened on September 24 with a welcome from Conference General Co-chair Dr Kevin Brown, a Jamaican researcher at the Argonne National Laboratory in the United States. Dr Brown described CARLA 2025 as a catalyst for building a globally connected but regionally grounded computing research community, urging participants to strengthen networks and integrate Caribbean talent into international collaborations.

NASA’s Dr Rupak Biswas delivered the opening keynote, demonstrating how HPC is being used in space exploration, climate modelling and advanced aircraft design. Other featured speakers included Professor Tannecia Stephenson of UWI Mona, Jamaica Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Authority Chief Information Officer (CIO) Anika Shuttleworth, and Professor Carlos Jaimee Barrios Hernández of Colombia, who all emphasised the urgent need for the region to leverage HPC and AI for climate resilience, sustainable growth and digital transformation.

SRC Executive Director Dr Charah Watson said Jamaica’s leadership in hosting CARLA reflects its commitment to advancing science and innovation.

“As Jamaica’s national research and development agency, the SRC has a responsibility to champion and demystify science and technology so citizens can understand it, trust it and help shape it,” she said.

“High-performance computing applications from climate resilience and public health analytics to advanced industry are vital for small developing states like Jamaica. We were especially proud that the exhibition was opened to high-school students, showcasing the many generations of Jamaican problem-solvers,” she continued.

Education and outreach were central themes of the conference. Open days on September 25–26 welcomed the wider public, with exhibitions showcasing research in DNA sequencing, hydrology, AI-driven code editing, and more.

Sixth-form students from Immaculate Conception High and Wolmer’s Boys High were introduced to HPC through interactive sessions led by Dr Brown and Professor Robinson Rivas Suárez of the Central University of Venezuela, who guided them in hands-on data analysis.

With workshops, training initiatives and cross-border collaborations, CARLA 2025 expanded opportunities for researchers and students while positioning Jamaica as an emerging hub for advanced computing in the Caribbean.

The conference closed with a renewed call for partnerships to strengthen institutional capacity, accelerate scientific innovation and harness HPC and AI for the region’s development.