Astronomers, computer scientists, and engineers from 11 countries are collaborating to design the SDP, the supercomputer that will process data from the telescope.  The SDP has to accept real-time streaming data from the telescope, and then process it in a specified time period, so it can receive and process the next astronomical observation. It will also generate alerts when it detects new transient objects of astronomical interest - for example, if it observes the start of a supernova, this will be noticed and transmitted to other observatories so several telescopes worldwide can observe the evolution of the supernova. The SDP will make images and other data products that will be distributed to astronomers across the world.

Bio: Currently I hold a Principal Research Associate position at the University of Cambridge. My main current research interest is the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which will be (once built) the largest radio telescope observing at metre and centimetre-wave wavelengths. I am the Project Engineer for the SKA Science Data Processor (SDP) consortium. This means that I have the overall responsibility for the design which will however be the product of the work of a large and diverse team within the consortium.