SEMINAR: HPC Seminar: Why HPC is crucial to understanding how galaxies form

Supercomputer simulations have played a transformative role over the last 30 years in establishing the paradigms of the growth of cosmic structure and galaxy formation. Theoretically they allow us to tackle problems that are otherwise intractable analytically, such as predicting the structure of the cosmic web and the internal properties of galaxies. Observationally they allow us to build virtual universes that allow us to interpret the results of large galaxy surveys. I'll review what goes into one of these simulations, explaining why and how supercomputers have proven to be crucial. I'll also highlight key predictions from simulations and identify areas where more work is needed as we enter the era of SKA-science.