Monash University Media Release
Key points
- Monash University, NVIDIA, Dell Technologies and CDC Data Centres to build MAVERIC, Australia’s first higher education AI supercomputer.
- Featuring the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 platform – the first deployment of its kind in Australia – MAVERIC will deliver unprecedented AI capability for research in areas from cancer detection to climate action.
- MAVERIC will use cutting-edge liquid cooling technology that is up to 300× more water-efficient than traditional systems.
Monash University is developing and deploying MAVERIC, in collaboration with NVIDIA, Dell Technologies and the CDC Data Centres (CDC). The advanced AI supercomputer will use first-in-Australia technology to solve complex problems across a vast and multifaceted span of human endeavours.
Monash University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Sharon Pickering, said the collaboration with world-leading technology partners is essential in bringing together the expertise needed to strengthen sovereign capabilities right across the research and development pipeline.
“We want our people – Monash academics, students and our research partners – to be at the forefront of shaping the future of AI; not just in how it’s applied, but in unlocking entirely new possibilities and innovations. Our focus is on solving real problems and putting AI to work in a meaningful way – from breakthroughs in cancer detection, to redefining what’s possible in preserving the health of our planet for future generations,” Professor Pickering said.
Featuring the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 platform, MAVERIC will be purpose-built for large-scale AI and data-intensive workloads. This marks one of the first deployments of this advanced NVIDIA AI infrastructure platform in Australia, placing MAVERIC at the forefront of global AI supercomputing design.
Monash will deploy the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 architecture through Dell Technologies, which integrates NVIDIA accelerated computing, NVIDIA AI Enterprise software and AI frameworks into its high-performance Dell Integrated Rack Scalable Systems (IRSS), including IR7000 racks with a Dell PowerEdge XE9712 server. Dell’s engineering expertise and integrated solutions will give Monash a robust and efficient platform tailored for AI research at scale, forming a critical foundation for MAVERIC’s advanced computing capabilities.
“For almost two decades, Dell Technologies has collaborated with Monash University on innovative technology solutions that allow research projects to reach their full potential. MAVERIC’s AI capabilities, run on Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA, will allow the university to participate in the fight against some of humanity’s biggest challenges, including disease and environmental science. To do so while boosting Australia’s sovereign AI capabilities is a win for the research community and a win for Australia,” said Angela Fox, SVP and Managing Director ANZ, Dell Technologies.
CDC, a leading developer, owner and operator of highly secure and connected large-scale data centres in Australia and New Zealand, will house MAVERIC at its data centre in Brooklyn, Melbourne. The GB200 NVL72’s closed-loop liquid-cooling design delivers up to 300× greater water efficiency than traditional air-cooled systems, enabling heat removal without consumptive water use. CDC data centres are designed to operate with no water consumption for primary cooling, which helps save billions of litres of water annually across its campuses. Combined with CDC’s strong alignment with green energy goals, the deployment will support Monash’s commitment to a sustainable, high-impact research infrastructure.
“Monash University’s NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 supercomputer marks a new era for Australian research, empowering scientists and innovators to tackle the world’s toughest challenges with unprecedented AI capabilities and energy efficiency,” said Dennis Ang, senior director ASEAN and ANZ Region, NVIDIA. “Together, we’re building the foundation for breakthroughs that will create new economic opportunities and supercharge the next generation of researchers, developers and startups.”
Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, Dr Andrew Charlton MP, welcomed today’s announcement.
“I welcome this collaboration between a great research institution and leading technology companies,” Assistant Minister Charlton said. “I met with NVIDIA today, and they were excited about the prospect of this tech platform being deployed in Australia for the first time.
“If Australia is going to stay at the cutting edge of research, we need to make sure we are accessing the best technology possible.
“This will be key to unlocking growth and productivity in Australia, and ensure Australian researchers continue to be among the best in the world.”
CDC Founder and CEO Greg Boorer said, “This is a great example of how CDC’s next generation liquid cooling technology is helping transform the digital infrastructure of the research and education sector. CDC is proud to support the advancement of Australian research through the hosting of Monash University’s supercomputer MAVERIC. This partnership is a significant step forward in our mission to support the nation’s most critical organisations and institutions in driving the continued prosperity of Australia in an environmentally conscious and sustainable way.”
Work to build MAVERIC will commence in 2025 with the platform to be activated in early 2026.
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So one of the tasks of this super AI thingy will be to look at ways to preserve our planet for future generations. I think we already
Know the answer to that one but are those who make the decisions willing to do it? Not on evidence seen so far. Perhaps really powerful AI will take it upon itself to take the actions required. Strap yourselves in folks.
To get any real movement here AI would need to be a Labor faction.Or a Liberal/Gnat donor.Any nominations?
Super AI thingies mooted to save the planet? In your dreams, luvvies. AI, I’ll bet my last dollar, doesn’t give a rat’s arse about the future health of Mother Earth, instead chirruping away with saccharine observations of limited usefulness to all except the immoderate few currently enthralled by bits & bytes.
Try as I may, I fail to see how a supersized language database can responsibly countermand an ecological/geological/biological meltdown.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
When I was in the public service in Canberra I was aware of what was called – no imagination needed – a super computer. It contained everything the government needed to know about you.
One very public case involved a lady who contested a will, claiming she had lived with the now-deceased man for seven years; loved him, cared for him, looked after him etc etc so was put out to learn she was ignored in his will.
She took it to the courts.
Meanwhile, all the court details were entered in the super computer and bingo. She had been receiving the single pension for the last seven years and had as her address not the one she allegedly shared with her late partner. By memory she had to change her address again, moving into a very large house with lots of bars on the windows.