SC25 BoF

Bridging Intelligent Workflows with Quantum and HPC for Scientific Discovery

SC25 BoF

Tuesday - Nov 18, 2025
12:15pm—1:15pm CT

Scientific workflows are undergoing a fundamental transformation driven by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), the rise of agentic systems, the convergence of HPC and quantum computing (QC), and the increasing need for near real-time coordination across computing and experimental facilities. This BoF builds on three prior successful sessions at SC22, SC23, and SC24.

This year, we broaden the conversation by focusing on four emerging and interrelated challenges. First, we will explore the rise of agentic workflows, where intelligent systems autonomously make decisions during execution. Second, we will examine how workflows must evolve to integrate heterogeneous computing resources, particularly as quantum computing becomes more prominent alongside traditional HPC systems. Third, we will discuss the increasing need to co-schedule computing and instrument resources to enable seamless execution of workflows that span experiments and simulations, especially under tight operational constraints. Finally, we will address the infrastructure and policy reforms required to support these capabilities, including rethinking scheduling, access policies, and system design.

These challenges mirror many of the issues raised in related discussions on near real-time streaming and compute-in-the-loop architectures. The need to move beyond batch scheduling and support workflows that are event-driven, adaptive, and latency-sensitive is becoming increasingly urgent. Moreover, existing facility policies and infrastructure were not designed for workflows that must react to experimental data in near real-time or that need to coordinate across multiple sites and technologies.

This BoF will bring together researchers, facility operators, and workflow developers to assess the current landscape and envision the next phase of workflow-enabled science. Participants will hear from experts who are leading national and international initiatives in agentic workflows, HPC/QC integration, and cross-facility execution. The session will feature lightning talks to set the stage, followed by a highly interactive format where attendees will engage in small-group discussions focused on identifying key challenges and actionable next steps in each thematic area.