blog about EuroHPC User Days 2025

docs/blog/.authors.yml

@@ -74,3 +74,8 @@ authors:
     description: University of Barcelona
     avatar: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/3840437?v=4
     slug: https://github.com/ocaisa
+  hvelab:
+    name: Helena Vela Beltran
+    description: Do IT Now
+    avatar: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/47674829?v=4
+    slug: https://github.com/hvelab

docs/blog/posts/2025/10/eurohpc_user_day_2025.md

@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+---
+authors: [trz42, boegel, hvelab, laraPPr, ocaisa]
+date: 2025-10-20
+slug: eurohpc_user_day_2025
+---
+
+# EESSI & MultiXscale at EuroHPC User Days (30 September - 1 October 2025, Copenhagen)
+
+<figure markdown="span">
+![EuroHPC User Days 2025](eurohpc_user_day_2025.webp){width=30%}
+</figure>
+
+The EuroHPC User Days 2025 in Copenhagen was a great opportunity to connect with
+the HPC community and exchange ideas. The event started with a boat tour through
+the harbour - a relaxed way to kick off two days of technical discussions and
+networking.
+
+![Boat tour in Copenhagen harbour - networking kickoff](placeholder-boat-tour.jpg){width=38%}
+
+---
+
+## Plenary Highlights
+
+The plenary sessions delivered important updates on:
+
+- **EuroHPC infrastructure developments**
+- **Allocation procedures and access modes**
+- **The evolving role of the User Forum**
+- **An outlook to emerging Quantum computing infrastructure**, including a live demo
+- **Awarding the most innovative use of EuroHPC systems**
+
+These sessions set the tone for the event, emphasizing collaboration and transparency
+in the EuroHPC ecosystem.
+
+---
+
+## Parallel Sessions
+
+Researchers, startups, and public sector teams presented impressive work across
+various domains and topics such as chemical sciences and engineering, AI for
+science and industry as well as quantum computing and emerging technologies.
+
+The diversity of topics showed how EuroHPC systems are enabling breakthroughs
+across disciplines.
+
+---
+
+## Software: A Key Challenge
+
+One recurring theme was clear: **software matters**. With EuroHPC systems
+becoming increasingly heterogeneous - mixing CPUs, GPUs, and specialized
+accelerators - optimizing software stacks is a major challenge. Initiatives like
+**EESSI** can help address this, and the upcoming **EuroHPC Federated Platform
+(EFP)** offers great potential for broader adoption of the shared software stack
+provided by EESSI.
+
+---
+
+## Our Contributions
+
+We had productive discussions with site representatives from **Discoverer**,
+**Deucalion**, and **JUPITER** about how EESSI and MultiXscale can support users
+and administrators in making the most of advanced infrastructures. At one point,
+we even "captured" an orphaned screen to present our project and explain how we
+enable portability and performance across EuroHPC systems.
+
+![Discussing benefits of EESSI for a EuroHPC HE (here: Discoverer)](placeholder-discoverer.jpg){width=38%}
+
+---
+
+## AI and Quantum in Focus
+
+AI and quantum computing were clearly in the spotlight this year, signaling where
+the next big steps will be for EuroHPC and its users.
+
+---
+
+## Looking Ahead
+
+![EESSI & MultiXscale partners at the "captured" screen](placeholder-screen.jpg){width=38%}
+
+It was a fun and insightful event - continuing the tradition from last year's User
+Days ([link to previous blog post]) - and we're already looking forward to
+engaging with the EuroHPC user community next year in Ireland!
+
+<figure markdown="span">
+![EuroHPC User Day closing](EuroHPC-User-Day-thank-you.webp){width=70%}
+</figure>