Amit Chourasia is the Chief Research Data Architect at UCLA, where he leads strategy and architecture for research data, advanced research computing, AI enablement, and institutional research technology. His work focuses on translating complex research and organizational needs into scalable platforms, services, and roadmaps that enhance research competitiveness and impact.
Over the past 20+ years, he has led the development of platforms, infrastructure, and services spanning high-performance computing, research software, data-intensive science, and science gateways. In roles at UCLA and the San Diego Supercomputer Center, he has helped deliver full-stack platforms serving more than 25 research communities and 25,000 users, while contributing to major research computing and cyberinfrastructure initiatives.
His work has contributed to major grant-funded efforts in research computing and technology and has been recognized with honors including being named an ACM Gordon Bell Award finalist, contributing to work recognized with the NVIDIA Global Impact Award, and earning an R&D 100 Award. He has also served the broader community through proposal review, conference leadership, and program committee chair and co-chair roles across research computing, visualization, and science gateways.
Institutional Profile: UCLA Profile
Current Focus
- Research data and research computing strategy
- AI enablement for research and institutional capability building
- Cyberinfrastructure and research technology architecture
- Platforms and services for data-intensive and software-driven research
- Cross-campus alignment of faculty, administrative, and technical priorities
Selected Highlights
- Helped secure $118M in grant awards for research computing, platform, product, and cyberinfrastructure initiatives.
- Directed full-stack platforms serving more than 25 research communities and 25,000 authenticated users engaged in computational research and learning.
- Helped shape the design, acquisition, and operational support for multiple Top500 HPC cluster initiatives serving more than 1,000 scientific teams
- Built and led platforms spanning research computing, data management, scientific workflows, and science gateways.
- Recognized through honors including being an ACM Gordon Bell Award finalist, a contribution to work recognized with the NVIDIA Global Impact Award, and an R&D 100 Award
Prior Experience
Before joining UCLA, Amit held leadership roles at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, including Director of Software and Platforms, Chief Scientist for Applied Sciences and Platforms, and Manager of the Visualization Group. His work there spanned research platforms, science gateways, data management, visualization, HPC systems, and applied research software.
He also served as Lecturer in Data Science at UC San Diego, teaching in the industry-focused master’s program in Data Science and Engineering, and as a Visiting Scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.