#108 The U-M Supercenter: When Everybody Has Rights, Who Has Responsibilities?

Hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid attend a Ypsilanti Township town hall on the University of Michigan–Los Alamos research computing project to probe key issues: the 200 jobs originally touted versus roughly 30 permanent on-site roles, whether the facility is a data center or a high-performance research computing center, and how responsibility is shared under a 90/10 operational split. The episode raises concerns about transparency, community benefits, governance, public funding, and why an expert attendee was denied entry. The hosts ask clear questions about what changed, who is accountable, and what measurable benefits the host community will receive. Ultimately, the episode calls on institutions claiming leadership to explain decisions, disclose changes, and earn public trust through clear answers and enforceable commitments.