‘Torch’ Will Vastly Increase NYU’s Computational Capacity, Powering NYU’s Rapid Ascent as New York’s Top Ranked Science and Technology Research University

Oct. 9, 2025 — New York University unveiled its newest supercomputer Torch—the most powerful supercomputer in New York State and one of the most powerful of any institute of higher education in the nation—at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 1, ushering in a new era of increased computational capacity for the nation’s largest private university.

From left, NYU Executive Vice President Marty Dorph, Jennifer Pearson, Chief Research Officer & Vice Provost for Research Stacie Bloom, Provost Gigi Dopico, and Vice President of Information Technology and Global University Chief Information Officer Donald J. Welch at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Named for the University’s iconic logo, Torch is five times more powerful than NYU’s current supercomputer, Greene, with the capability to do approximately 11 quadrillion (11 x 10^15) calculations per second; it’s more sustainable too: Torch was recently ranked No. 40 on the Top Green 500, a global list of the most sustainable supercomputers in the world, thanks to its advanced liquid cooling system. Greene, which came online in 2020, was ranked No. 50 on the same list.

The introduction of this newer high performance computing (HPC) cluster dovetails perfectly with NYU’s rising prominence as a research powerhouse. In December, for the first time, the National Science Foundation’s annual Higher Education Research and Development survey ranked NYU No. 1 in New York State for research funding, as it brought in $1.5 billion in annual funds; the University was also ranked No. 5 among all private American universities and No. 12 in the nation overall.

Earlier this year, NYU acquired 770 Broadway, securing over 1 million square feet for the creation of a world-class collaborative hub of laboratories and classrooms as the University moves to the forefront of strategic areas of AI, biotechnology, and quantum information research; all of these endeavors will benefit from Torch’s computer power.

The Torch is the most powerful supercomputer in New York State and one of the most powerful in higher education.

“With a state-of-the-art supercomputer, our research community can further advance innovation, make new discoveries, and deepen human knowledge,” said NYU President Linda G. Mills. “As one of the nation’s premier research universities, the Torch will help propel NYU forward into this unprecedented technology era.”

“Torch is the latest step in our vision to establish an unrivaled research and education ecosystem at New York University where world-class thinking meets world-class infrastructure.” said NYU Juan de Pablo, the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Executive Vice President for Global Science & Technology and Executive Dean of NYU Tandon. “By investing in state-of-the-art science and technology spaces and resources, we are eliminating all physical and computational barriers to excellence and ensuring our exceptional faculty and students can translate their visionary ideas into real-world execution.”

“Given the amazing trajectory of NYU’s research enterprise, it is only fitting that NYU’s faculty and researchers will possess one of the most powerful—and sustainable—supercomputers in all of academia, one that will provide our researchers with the computing power necessary to undertake research projects that were not previously possible,” said Chief Research Officer & Vice Provost for Research at NYU Stacie Bloom. “Torch will empower NYU’s research community to achieve new heights of scientific exploration in the fields of AI, climate modelling, and Alzheimer’s research, to name just a few, as they push the boundaries of innovation even further.

“When the University invested in the Torch supercomputer, it not only invested in one of the most powerful supercomputers at any academic institution in the nation but also one of the most energy-efficient,” said Donald J. Welch, Vice President of Information Technology and Global University Chief Information Officer. “As NYU further develops its computer infrastructure to support our rising research enterprise, we are cognizant of the University’s sustainability goals and commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.”

Source: NYU