Illinois researchers will join industry leaders and scientists from around the world at the 2026 Supercomputing Conference in Chicago, where they will showcase emerging technology from Sunday through Nov. 20 at McCormick Place.
University researchers will be among those featured at the conference’s inaugural Regional Tech Hub, which will highlight Illinois advancements in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and biomedical research.
The work includes efforts to combine quantum and classical supercomputing to study complex materials and develop AI-assisted technologies that could improve cancer surgery.
SC26 general chair Kevin Hayden, also a senior network engineer at Argonne National Laboratory, said the Regional Tech Hub was created to highlight Illinois research institutions and encourage collaboration among them.
“The end goal is collaboration,” Hayden said. “Yes, Northwestern is great, the University of Illinois is great, Argonne is great. But I think together they can work to truly do some impactful research and really help the world.”
The Regional Tech Hub will open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday at 2 p.m., with programming scheduled throughout the conference...