Josef Weidendorfer named to HPCwire 35 Legends Class of 2026

Professor Josef Weidendorfer has been named to HPCwire’s 35 Legends Class of 2026, recognizing his contributions to high-performance computing and his work on emerging technologies for future computing systems.

This year’s class brings together researchers, engineers, and executives from across the international HPC community. The honorees are not ranked and are recognized for their contributions to the field.

Josef Weidendorfer has worked in HPC research and development for many years, with a particular focus on emerging computing technologies, parallel programming and the efficient use of new types of computing systems. Before joining TU Dresden in 2026, he led the Future Computing Group at the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ), where his work included hybrid HPC systems and test environments for emerging technologies. He has also contributed to the development of Valgrind and has been involved in major international HPC conferences and initiatives, including the ACM International Conference on Computing Frontiers and the SC conference series.

At TU Dresden, Weidendorfer is Professor of Emerging Computing Technologies and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at the Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH). His research focuses on emerging computing technologies, including neuromorphic, analog and photonic computing as well as new approaches to memory, storage and networking, with energy efficiency as an important consideration.

“I feel truly honored to be among so many other legends. But for sure, I am not done yet. The end of Moore’s law and the rapid emergence of new hardware technologies pose major challenges for future heterogeneous HPC systems. With my team at TU Dresden, I want to help develop usable and sustainable programming and usage models and bring promising research ideas into production for the benefit of HPC users.” Weidendorfer reflects on his inclusion in the 2026 class.

The HPCwire 35 Legends Class of 2026 and the individual profiles are available on the HPCwire website: https://www.hpcwire.com/35-hpc-legends-josef-weidendorfer/