Back in September 2023, I was asked about formalizing our gelato outings at conferences. After a week of thinking about it, I decided to create a LinkedIn group. After 3 months, it had 100 members. By early 2026, it had 375 members. It is still growing at a steady pace. However, not everyone wants to use LinkedIn prompting a separate home at this site.
The HPC Gelato Group is home to social outings for the HPC community largely focused around frozen dairy. Consuming dairy is not required, but being social is. Our rules are simple:
- No marketing, sales, recruiting, or other formal business activities. This is a Social outing and must stay that way. Inevitably, these things happen. Instead of ruining the event, arrange a time to talk later.
- Everyone must treat everyone else as an equal peer. When you have something melting in your hand you must eat quickly, it is hard to be too serious. Don’t spoil the mood by being aloof. Talk with everyone.
The most important thing is to have fun and keep it fun. We are about expanding people’s networks and crossing generational boundaries. That way junior people in the field can more comfortably meet more senior people. Come with that expectation and enjoy the community.
(A more detailed version of the HPC Gelato Group history and how to build community in a new way yourself is available in IEEE Computing in Science and Engineering 2026 as a Community Stewardship article.)
Jay Lofstead, February 2026