Terry Herdman
Terry Herdman, former associate vice president for research computing stands in front of the Wright House on the Virginia Tech campus
Terry Herdman came to Virginia Tech in 1974 after graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a Ph.D. He started as a visiting professor in mathematics and later directed Virginia Tech’s undergraduate program in applied and computational mathematics on the Blacksburg campus as well as the graduate program in interdisciplinary applied mathematics at the Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church. In 1987, Terry, John Burns, a fellow professor in the mathematics department, and Eugene Cliff, professor of aerospace and ocean engineering (now emeritus), co-founded the Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Mathematics (ICAM). Terry was appointed associate vice president for research computing, taking on the leadership for Virginia Tech’s Advanced Research Computing (ARC) unit in 2005. He retired from Virginia Tech in 2022.
Education
Terry talks about his education in rural McCracken, Kansas up to his graduate studies at the University of Oklahoma.
Getting his Ph.D.
Terry talks about getting his Ph.D. under the mentorship of W.T. Reid at the University of Oklahoma.
Terry comes to Virginia Tech
Terry talks about he got to VT after getting his Ph.D. at the University of Oklahoma.
Starting the Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Mathematics (ICAM)
How do you start and finance a new program? Through networking.
In the next two clips, Terry talks about the start of the Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Mathematics (ICAM) in the Wright House at Virginia Tech.
Moving into research computing
As a mathematics professor, Terry traveled to Northern Virginia and Virginia State University to teach every week. Soon he was given a new opportunity that would further his career, without all the travel.
Start with high performance computing
Over lunch, Erv Blythe, Virginia Tech's vice president for information technology and chief information officer at the time, offered Terry a new position.
High Performance Computing Investment Committee
Virginia Tech wanted high performance computing to be free for research faculty, but the center needed money to operate. Terry talks about how a new committee was formed to achieve this goal.
What made Advanced Research Computing (ARC) different?
Terry talks about how hiring computational scientists, plus experienced outreach faculty, helped make Advanced Research Computing (ARC) stand out from other research computing programs.
Overcoming challenges
Terry discusses one of the big challenges while leading Advanced Research Computing (ARC).
Advice
Terry gives advice to those going into research computing.