LEARN BY DOING: MARIA PANTOJA
computing through the grapevine MARIA PANTOJA IS USING PARALLEL COMPUTING TO MAXIMIZE VINEYARD PRODUCTION AND MORE
W
hen Maria Pantoja grew bored waiting for feedback on her doctoral thesis, she began looking into the many ways graphics processing units (GPU) can speed things up with parallel computing.
“At that point, very few people were using it,” said Pantoja, an assistant professor in the Computer Science Department. “I was right there at the right time.” GPUs are specific pieces of hardware used to accelerate graphics.
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But Pantoja was interested in more than just graphics. With the help of a Lockheed Martin Endowed Professorship award, Pantoja is now using parallel computing to tackle realworld challenges, helping vineyards improve production, helping locate endangered birds in Hawaii and helping researchers examine earthquake damage. “When I was little, I wanted to change the world,” she said with a laugh. “Now I think I can.”
