Photo captions provided by Chris. All photos, credit to Chris Keeley. Click on a photo to see a larger version.
Chris Keeley joined the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) a little over four years ago. Starting out as a project manager, his expertise and skillset meant he was destined to work on projects with larger scopes and teams. Since then, Chris has taken on many new roles, including joining the Center’s leadership in an assistant director role, and helps NCSA continue to provide excellent support to researchers on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.) campus as well as national researchers who come to us from the National Science Foundation’s ACCESS and NAIRR Pilot programs. To top it all off, he’s a U. of I. alumnus, so he wears that orange and blue with pride. Without further ado, take it away, Chris Keeley!
What is your title and team?
I’m the Assistant Director of Operations for the Research Consulting Unit at NCSA. I joined NCSA and Research Consulting just over 4 years ago.
What types of projects do you work on at NCSA?
I spend most of my time supporting the Research Consulting Unit, the Illinois Computes Program and the NAIRR Pilot Program. I assist the unit leads with budget and resource planning, and I support a variety of projects and services however I can. A big part of my role involves coordinating access to computing resources – both nationally, through the NAIRR Pilot Program, as part of the ACCESS Allocations team and locally, through NCSA systems and the Illinois Computes Program. I also help manage facilitation and consulting support activities for Illinois Computes.
Is there anything especially cool you’ve done recently that you’d like to talk about?
Last October, I got married to my favorite person, Ryan, which definitely tops the list of cool things I’ve done recently! It was a joyful, grounding moment in the middle of a very full year!
In terms of work, I’m proud to have helped launch and support the NAIRR Pilot Program, which has awarded more than 500 computing allocations over the past year. It’s exciting to watch the program continue to grow and improve and I’m grateful for the opportunity to play a small part in helping researchers get access to the resources they need.
What would you consider your superpower?
I think I’m good at recognizing overlooked connections: the links between systems, people and ideas that don’t immediately stand out. I find energy in analyzing complex situations and offering a perspective that helps others see things differently. Not because I have all the answers, but because I like to explore the patterns beneath the surface.
What are a few items on your bucket list?
In no particular order, I’d love to: visit the Great Barrier Reef, see the Zhangjiajie mountains and explore more of the U.S. National Parks. I’d also like to learn to play the hurdy-gurdy, hike the Appalachian or Pacific Crest Trail and master the delicate art of growing berry bushes here in the Midwest.
What inspires you?
I make a conscious effort to find inspiration in all kinds of sources, both big and small. I think I’m especially compelled by quiet persistence – small acts of dedication and kindness of all kinds, that build up over time. I find beauty and motivation in those steady, subtle displays of growth and care.
What might people find you doing outside of work?
If it isn’t winter, you’ll probably find me out in my garden, inspecting bare patches of earth for signs of new life, mixing up batches of soil and fussing over my plants. When I’m not outside playing in the dirt, you might catch me playing video games with Ryan (Returnal, Valheim, Darkest Dungeon and many more), hanging out with our animals, playing the piano, cooking with/for friends and family, or diving into random topics that pique my curiosity.
ABOUT NCSA
The National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides supercomputing, expertise and advanced digital resources for the nation’s science enterprise. At NCSA, University of Illinois faculty, staff, students and collaborators from around the globe use innovative resources to address research challenges for the benefit of science and society. NCSA has been assisting many of the world’s industry giants for over 35 years by bringing industry, researchers and students together to solve grand challenges at rapid speed and scale.