Webster University Receives $746,000 NSF Grant to Improve High-Performance Computing Education in Missouri

Webster University was awarded a three-year grant for $746,008 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund the Connect-HPC project. Led by Webster University Professor Xiaoyuan Suo, who teaches in the George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology, the venture will expand access to high-performance computing (HPC) education across Missouri through a collaboration between Webster, Missouri Wester State University, Drury University, Truman State University and Southeast Missouri State University.

This is the second NSF grant Suo received this year that will improve technology education in Missouri.

“There is a growing demand for employees with skills in high-performance computing as data needs from employers and consumers continues to grow exponentially,” Suo said. “Through this collaboration, we will be able to train up to 40 STEM instructors on how to integrate HPC and computational methods into their courses, sharing that information with more than 800 undergraduate students among the five partner institutions. This program also will serve as a model that can then be shared with other institutions, further enhancing the quality of technical education offered in the state.”

According to the grant, the project is unique because it is a scalable, low-barrier approach that integrates HPC concepts, ranging from unplugged algorithmic activities to hands-on distributed computing tasks, directly into existing introductory and intermediate coursework without requiring full curricular redesigns. As part of the project, the 40 STEM instructors will be trained through summer workshops and a sustained mentoring network, while simultaneously preparing undergraduate student instructional facilitators to provide peer support.

Suo is listed as the principal investigator. Professor Marcus R. Bond from Southeast Missouri State University, Professor Jeffrey N. Woodford from Missouri Wester University, Professor Colin DeGraf from Truman State University and Professor Ying Cao from Drury University were listed as co-principal investigators.

Earlier this year, Suo received a $300,000 National Science Foundation CyberTraining grant to create a summer bootcamp for undergraduates to study and research cyberinfrastructures.  That project will provide undergraduate students with hands-on experience using high-performance computing to solve real-world scientific problems across STEM disciplines through peer mentoring and authentic research experiences.

In 2023, Webster was one of four institutions in Missouri awarded a two-year grant by the National Science Foundation to expand high-performance computing education.

“These grants further strengthen Webster’s work in advanced computing education, undergraduate research, and workforce preparation,” said George Herber Walker School of Business & Technology Dean Sam Dotson. “Congratulations to Professor Suo for leading the way in ground-breaking research and programs that continue to propel Webster into a leadership position in technology education.”

The latest award is pursuant to the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1861-75) and is subject to the NSF Grant General Conditions dated 05/29/2026, available at https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/general_conditions.jsp. Named “Collaborative Network for STEM Undergraduate Education through Computational Training in High Performance Computing,” the award is number 2539366.