Current Research Interests
My research program can be broadly described as falling within AI for science, an area of intense world-wide research interest.
I undertake research in the application of artificial intelligence/machine learning to a range of challenging science problems. This work includes the development of novel AI/ML algorithms, their optimization, and their application to a range of science and engineering domains.
Current research topics include: -
- Scalable ML/AI models addressing challenging science problems running on HPC systems
- ML model optimization
- Ocean SST Forecasts
- Data Driven Weather Forecasting
- Future state of the Great Barrier Reef
- Extreme Weather Events including Marine Heatwaves
- Machine Condition Monitoring
Biography
I am currently Professor in the School of Computing, College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics at ANU. Prof. John Taylor was formerly a Chief Research Scientist and Research Group Leader in CSIRO Data61, and Chief Computational Scientist at the Defence Science and Technology Group. He has broad experience in leading complex, multi-site, large scale interdisciplinary teams of research scientists, computational scientists, computer scientists and software engineers to deliver high quality strategic science. He has held leadership positions managing large and diverse programs of research and teaching at prominent universities and research laboratories in both Australia and the United States of America. In these positions he has taken the lead in developing the vision, the culture of excellence, setting the strategic directions, building high performing teams and delivering on the strategic goals.
Gordon Bell Prize
I have recently been appointed Chair of the ACM Gordon Bell Climate Modelling Prize, the internationally recognized HPC prize. The ACM Gordon Bell Prize tracks the progress of parallel computing and rewards innovation in applying high performance computing to challenges in science, engineering, and large-scale data analytics. The Gordon Bell Prize is awarded each year to recognize outstanding achievement in high-performance computing. The purpose of the award is to track the progress over time of parallel computing, with particular emphasis on rewarding innovation in applying high-performance computing to applications in science, engineering, and large-scale data analytics.
GPU Computing Leadership
I have led the development of CSIRO’s scientific and eResearch computing, particularly through the development of GPU computing, that has provided CSIRO researchers with world class AI computing capabilities. This has increased CSIRO’s competitiveness, lifted its productivity, and created new nationally and globally significant research opportunities while also positioning CSIRO to take full advantage of future trends in high performance computing.
Prof. Taylor developed one of the first HPC/GPU clusters at CSIRO in 2009 achieving a ranking of #146 on the TOP500 list in 2010. CSIRO has operated HPC/GPU clusters continuously since 2009.
Computational science leadership at the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG)
Through my leadership of all aspects of the new the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) High Performance Computing (HPC) capability project (2016-2023), while also managing a research group in CSIRO, I delivered a world class HPC capability to the nation supporting defence research and development, major acquisitions, and national security. The secure, centralised HPC capability for DSTG, will significantly improve DSTG’s ability to undertake simulation, modelling, and experimentation, including the application of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI), in support of a wide range of DSTG research activities. In 2023 I was the lead organizer for the inaugural Defence HPC Summit in Adelaide with more than 180 participants from DSTG, Defence, academia and industry in attendance.
Computational science leadership at CSIRO
I have delivered a broad range of new science capabilities at CSIRO with significant global science and commercial impact.I consistently delivered high quality research leadership while at CSIRO in my roles leading the Computational Platforms Group (2016-2023), the Terabyte Science Theme (2007-2009), Computational and Simulation Sciences Transformational Capability Platform (CSS FSP) since its inception in December 2009 and the CSIRO eResearch Program from October 2011-2016.
The CSS FSP and the eResearch program are widely recognized for their strategic vision and their delivery of world class transformational capabilities to the organization as evidenced by the more than 400 participants drawn from around CSIRO, Australia and the world that attended the annual conference.