Welcome to Scientific Programming

Welcome to the SUCCEED Scientific Programming workshop. The purpose of this class is to take you behind the scenes of the models you have used in previous SUCCEED workshops. Our goal is that each of you will learn the skills we expect of more advanced Shodor interns. Each of you has a different background. Some of you are seeing programming for the first time. Some of you have programming experience, but have not seen the mathematical side of what we do. It is important that each of you respect the experience and skills that your classmates bring into the group, and learn from each other in a friendly atmosphere.

For the first five classes, we will take a programming topic, and give you a problem which requires you and your partner to master that topic. At the end of the class, each group will discuss with each other their various methods of solving their problem. Weeks 6 and 7 will focus on common mathematical algorithms, such as Euler's method for solving problems where the rate of change of a variable is known, Monte Carlo methods of using random numbers to simulate statistical processes, root finding methods for solving equations, and search methods for finding and sorting data. During weeks 8, 9, and 10, you will come up with an original scientific or mathematical question that requires the use of computational science. You will develop a strategy for solving your problem, implement the strategy, and assess whether or not your solution is realistic. You will present your findings to the rest of the class.