Five things to know about sustainable computing from Best Paper Award winners - Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering

Colorado State University Ph.D. students Jason Crop and Hayden Moore recently earned the Best Paper Award at the Association for Computing Machinery International Green and Sustainable Computing Conference. Their work, titled "Revisiting Cooler is Better," examines how thermal management in data centers can improve efficiency as artificial intelligence continues to expand.

The rapid growth of AI infrastructure creates significant power, cooling, and water demands. Crop and Moore highlight that future computing needs require progress across every level of the hardware stack rather than relying on a single breakthrough. Their research advocates for small, consistent improvements in processor architecture and system design to lower environmental footprints.

Crop balances his academic work with a role as a power thermal design engineer at Broadcom, where he focuses on AI system thermal design. This connection between industry and academia allows him to apply research to real-world infrastructure challenges. Moore, who started his journey in the ECE department at Colorado State University, views advanced research as a primary mechanism to solve complex technical problems.

Collaboration remains a central theme of their success. The pair emphasizes that dedication and teamwork are required to move the needle in sustainable computing. By sharing these insights, they hope to encourage more students to explore advanced degrees in electrical and computer engineering to address the looming energy demands of the digital economy.

The findings serve as a reminder that the next decade of computing relies on the work of current researchers. As the demand for data centers grows, the focus on sustainable operation becomes a standard requirement for the field. Their award-winning paper marks a step forward in aligning computing performance with environmental responsibility.