Today XSEDE announced a pilot-phase program meant to give users ready access to HPC expertise. Called ECSS (Extended Collaborative Support Services), ECSS service allows researchers with XSEDE supercomputer allocations to collaborate with HPC experts to enhance their project workflow and hopefully get better results more efficiently. “The Affiliates program will provide a vehicle for including qualified contributors on projects, expanding the impact of ECSS and also bringing us expertise in new areas,” said ECSS Affiliates program lead and XSEDE co-PI Nancy Wilkins-Diehr. “The program provides opportunities for Affiliates to get involved in cutting edge projects that they may not see at their own institutions, and it gives ECSS a way to bring in additional expertise.”