Leadership transitions have taken place within the EuroHPC User Forum Coordination Group (UFCG) following the completion of two-year terms. Sinéad Ryan, Dean of Research at Trinity College Dublin, now holds the position of Chair, while Maria Girone, Head of CERN openlab, continues in her role as Vice-Chair. The pair have decided to operate jointly as co-chairs for the coming two years.
The changeover occurred during the EuroHPC User Days 2026 event. Outgoing Chair Chris Richardson, who led the UFCG since its creation in October 2024, received recognition from the EuroHPC JU for his work in establishing the group and supporting the User Forum's development.
Role and structure of the UFCG
The User Forum Coordination Group serves as a bridge between the EuroHPC user community and the broader EuroHPC JU infrastructure. Its mandate centres on promoting dialogue, fostering collaboration and enabling knowledge exchange among users. The group also gathers feedback on the development of EuroHPC services and facilities, ensuring that user perspectives shape the evolution of Europe's high-performance computing ecosystem.
The UFCG reports directly to the EuroHPC JU Executive Director and works to strengthen connections between the user community and the organisation itself.
About the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking
The EuroHPC JU functions as both a legal entity and funding mechanism, uniting the European Union with participating member states to coordinate supercomputing efforts and consolidate resources. The initiative aims to position Europe as a global leader in supercomputing capability.
The organisation has already acquired 12 supercomputers, which are distributed across the continent. Researchers and organisations from the public and private sectors can access these machines through EuroHPC Access Calls, regardless of their location within Europe, to pursue scientific advances and develop applications with industrial, scientific or societal value.
Beyond supercomputing, the EuroHPC JU manages a network of 19 AI Factories supplemented by 13 AI Factory Antennas, which provide free, tailored assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises and startup companies. The organisation is also implementing a European Quantum Computing infrastructure that brings together various European quantum technologies alongside existing supercomputing resources.
The EuroHPC JU invests in research and innovation initiatives aimed at building a complete European supercomputing value chain, encompassing processor design, software development, applications and the cultivation of European expertise in high-performance computing.
Following the recent adoption of Council Regulation (EU) 2026/150, the EuroHPC JU's scope has expanded to include new priorities: the rollout of AI Gigafactories across Europe and the advancement of quantum computing technologies.
