Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC)

The SPEC Kaivalya Dixit Distinguished Dissertation Award is accepting nominations! This prestigious award recognizes outstanding doctoral dissertations in the areas of: 👉 Computer Benchmarking 👉 Performance Evaluation 👉 Experimental System Analysis We're looking for dissertations that demonstrate exceptional scientific originality, significance, practical relevance, and impact. Contributions can span from designing new metrics to developing innovative methodologies and tools for measurement, workload characterization, dependability, and efficiency evaluation. The winner will receive a $1,000 prize and will be celebrated at the ACM/SPEC International Conference on Performance Engineering (ICPE 2026). 🏆 Eligibility: Dissertations defended between October 2023 and September 2025 are eligible. Please note that a thesis can only be nominated once. Know a deserving candidate? Spread the word and help us recognize the next generation of leaders in quantitative system evaluation! Learn more at: https://ow.ly/Rliz50WBA2E #PhD #Dissertation #Research #ComputerScience #PerformanceEngineering #ComputerBenchmarking #SPEC #ICPE2026

Attending SIGGRAPH 2025? Don't miss our Birds of a Feather session on "Unlocking the Power of New Graphics APIs with SPECviewperf 15". New graphics technologies, from advanced ray tracing to virtualized geometry, are delivering incredible capabilities. But they also bring a critical challenge: how do you accurately benchmark and compare different hardware configurations? This question is vital for developers, designers, and system buyers who need to make informed decisions. This BoF will discuss how SPEC developed the new SPECviewperf 15 benchmark to address these challenges. We'll explore the new, graphically intensive workloads and share insights into interpreting benchmark results to enable more informed decisions. It's a chance to learn how to evaluate system performance without the need for purchasing expensive applications. When: Sunday, August 10, 2025 Time: 9:00am - 10:00am PDT Where: East Building, Room 9 Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/g4Df_naa We look forward to seeing you there! #SIGGRAPH2025 #SPEC #SPECviewperf #Graphics #RayTracing #PerformanceBenchmarking #ComputerGraphics #TechTalk

We're still buzzing about the positive impact of the recent U.S. export policy changes, championed by SPEC's International Standards Group! This move truly strengthens the core mission of standardization: fostering global cooperation. Want to dive deeper into why this matters for the future of computing energy efficiency and inclusive benchmark development? Our latest blog post explains it all. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gvnRB_Uc #SPEC #GlobalStandards #Collaboration #EnergyEfficiency #Technology #Standardization #Innovation

We are happy to announce that SPEC, through the tireless efforts of our International Standards Group, has successfully advocated for changes to U.S. export policies. This clarification re-enables companies on the BIS Entity List to participate in creating global standards. This is a pivotal moment that strengthens the very goal of standardization: bringing together the best minds from industry, academia, and research worldwide to cooperate on crucial computing energy efficiency standards. We look forward to the return of previously excluded member companies and fostering even more inclusive benchmark development, including the next-gen SERT Suite. Harmonized global standards mean significant cost reductions for manufacturers and more effective pathways to sustainable technology development. Learn more about SPEC's commitment to global collaboration: https://ow.ly/xqXX50W4zO8 #SPEC #GlobalStandards #EnergyEfficiency #Collaboration #Computing #Sustainability #Benchmarks #Innovation

Congratulations to Samuel Kounev, Klaus-Dieter Lange, and Jóakim von Kistowski on the release of the second edition of their book, "Systems Benchmarking - For Scientists and Engineers," now published by Springer! 🎉 Building on the strong foundation of the first edition published in 2020, which has been adopted as a key resource in graduate and postgraduate courses globally, the updated version provides an even more comprehensive look at the state-of-the-art and future of systems benchmarking. In addition to a number of updates across all chapters, the second edition features three new chapters: - Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence: Addressing the growing need for robust ML and AI system evaluation. - Scalability of Networks and Systems: Introducing innovative metrics and methodologies for assessing scalability. - PC, Workstation, Graphics, and Network Benchmarks: Covering essential industry benchmarks such as SYSmark, PCMark, Phoronix Test Suite, 3DMark, Blender, and end-to-end network performance analysis tools. The second edition also features a foreword by the distinguished Ian T. Foster of Argonne National Laboratory and University of Chicago. A special acknowledgment goes to the numerous #SPEC members who contributed their expertise as chapter co-authors in Part II: Jeremy Arnold, André Bauer, John Beckett, James Bucek, Ken Cantrell, Don Capps, Alexander Carlton, Simon Eismann, Sorin Faibish, Johannes Grohmann, Nikolas Herbst, Tobias Hossfeld, Rouven Krebs, Yannik Lubas, Mary Anne Marquez, Maximilian Meissner, Aleksandar Milenkoski, David Morse, Nicholas A. Principe, David Schmidt, Norbert Schmitt, Van Smith, Simon Spinner, Sitsofe Wheeler, and Marwin Züfle. Explore the new edition further at: https://lnkd.in/gkktbmHM A huge congratulations to Sam, Klaus, and Jóakim on this significant achievement! #SystemsBenchmarking #Benchmarking #PerformanceEvaluation #ML #AI #SPEC #Springer

We are happy to recognize Dr. Tirthak Patel of Northeastern University as a Runner-Up for the 2024 Kaivalya Dixit Distinguished Dissertation Award for his work, "Robust System Software for Quantum Computing”. 🎉 Congratulations Dr. Patel! Learn more about the 2024 awards at: http://ow.ly/cM3B50VxI9Q

Exciting news for graphics professionals and hardware enthusiasts! 🎉 SPEC has released the SPECviewperf 15 benchmark, a major update to the industry-standard benchmark for measuring graphics performance. This release is packed with updates, including: 🚀 New Graphics APIs: Now featuring DirectX 12 and Vulkan support, reflecting the latest industry trends. 🎬 New Workloads: Benchmarking performance for emerging use cases with workloads based on Blender 3.6 LTS, Unreal Engine 5.4, and Chaos Enscape 4.0. ⚙️ Updated Workloads: Reflecting the latest versions of key professional applications like 3ds Max 2023, CATIA 2022x, Creo 9, Maya 2025, and Solidworks 2024. ✨ Usability Improvements: An all-new GUI and streamlined installation and configuration processes make it easier than ever to get started. As Ross Cunniff, SPECgpc Committee Chair, highlights, SPECviewperf 15 empowers users to make informed decisions about hardware investments, leading to better user experiences and increased productivity. This is a major update for anyone involved in evaluating and optimizing graphics performance for professional applications. Learn more about the SPECviewperf 15 benchmark and get your download here: https://ow.ly/Hivv50VN5EH #graphicsperformance #benchmark #SPECviewperf #DirectX12 #Vulkan #Blender #UnrealEngine #Enscape #3dsMax #CATIA #Creo #Maya #KitBash3D #Solidworks #hardware #technology #innovation

SPEC is happy to recognize Dr. Alexander Joseph Fuerst of Indiana University Bloomington, under the supervision of Prof. Prateek Sharma, as a Runner-Up for the 2024 Kaivalya Dixit Distinguished Dissertation Award for his work, “Serverless Control Planes for Orchestration of Cloud Resources.” Congratulations Dr. Fuerst! Learn more about this year's awards at: ow.ly/cM3B50VxI9Q

Only 1 week until #ICPE 2025! Join researchers & industry experts in Toronto from May 5-9 to discuss the latest in system performance & #benchmarking. Check out the great speaker line-up and register today! https://ow.ly/b3vL50VJ5kJ

Congratulations to NVIDIA's Mat Colgrove, the recipient of the SPEC 2025 Presidential Award! This award recognizes Mat's exceptional decades of service to SPEC, from his early work with SPEC CPU 2006 to becoming release manager for SPEC’s High Performance Group, serving on the Board, and his instrumental role as VP of Operations. Mat's dedication and collaborative spirit embody the heart of SPEC. Thank you, Mat! https://ow.ly/PT3P50VBO8y #SPEC #NVIDIA #Benchmarking #Leadership #HPC