GoingToMeet

The Practical Course on Scientific Programming and Data Visualization was developed at Harvard where it was offered for the last two years. In 2010, for the first time, it will move to Heidelberg, allowing 45 European students to participate. The course is designed primarily for structural biologists, but scientists from other disciplines are welcome to apply. The goals of the course are to to allow students to learn and master computational skills that are frequently required in less routine projects and to learn methods of data visualization. Joint lecture sessions and three parallel tutorial tracks will be offered: Scientific Programming with Python, OSX Programming and Molecular Visualization with Maya. As part of the course, we ask students to prepare a project proposal that is relevant for their own research area.

Teachers
Confirmed Speakers

Alexander Griekspoor, mekentosj.com, United Kingdom

Bernhard Lohkamp, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

Kathryn Loving, Schrodinger, United Kingdom

John McGee, The Renaissance Computing Institute, United Kingdom

Gaël McGill, Digizyme and Harvard Medical School, United Kingdom

Piotr Sliz, Harvard Medical School, United Kingdom

Ian Stokes-Rees, Harvard Medical School, United Kingdom

Programme
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
09:00 - 12:00 Joint Lecture Session - Introductory Lectures
09:00 - 09:15 Opening remarks: Daniel Panne and Piotr Sliz
09:15 - 10:00 Data Animation with Maya: Gael McGill
10:00 - 10:15 Coffee Break
10:15 - 11:00 Scientific Programming with Python: Ian Stokes-Rees
11:00 - 11:45 Modern Programming Tools on OSX: Alex Griekspoor
11:45 - 13:15 Lunch Break
13:15 - 17:45 Classes (Python, Data Animation, OSX)
17:45 - 19:15 Dinner
19:15 - 20:45 Special Lecture:
Visualizing Macromolecular Processes: Daniel Panne
20:45 - 22:00 Computing Lab Open

Thursday, 6 May 2010
09:00 - 10:30 Joint Software Showcase Session:
Using Python for Molecular Dynamics and Drug Design: Kathryn Loving
10:30 - 10:40 Coffee Break
10:40 - 11:45 Computing classes, continued
11:45 - 13:15 Lunch Break
13:15 - 17:45 Computing classes, continued
17:45 - 19:15 Dinner
19:15 - 20:45 Joint Software Showcase Session:
Data Handling with Scientific Python, examples from NMR: TBA
20:45 - 22:00 Computing Lab Open
Friday, 7 May 2010
09:00 - 10:30 Joint Software Showcase Session:
GUI design with Python - examples from crystallography: TBA
10:30 - 10:40 Coffee Break
10:40 - 11:45 Computing Project starts
11:45 - 13:15 Lunch Break
13:15 - 17:00 Computing Project, continued
17:00 - 17:45 Closing Lecture:
Structural Biology Software Tools: Piotr Sliz
17:45 - 22:00 Dinner and Reception

Organisers
Scientific Organisers

Piotr Sliz, Harvard Medical School, USA

Daniel Panne, EMBL Grenoble, France
Conference Organiser

Sally Davison, EMBL Heidelberg, Germany

Registration and Payment

Please register online.


Deadline for registration is 17 January 2010.


This course has 45 places. There will be a two stage application process involving entering your contact data and then a letter of motivation. You should decide at the point of application which group you would like to be part of:

1. Python: As a part of the application, we ask students to prepare a short statement (no more than 2000 characters) detailing the main applications they currently use for their research, the programs they use to process and analyze data, and a proposal for new tools that they would like to develop using Python, which would address an outstanding need.


2. Maya: As a part of the application, we ask students to prepare a short proposal (no more than 2000 characters) that outlines how they would like to use Maya for their scientific research.


3. OSX: As a part of the application, we ask students to prepare a short statement (no more than 2000 characters) detailing their current programming proficiency, what they know about OSX programming, and what they expect to learn and be able to accomplish after taking this course.

The cost of the course is 250 EUR including 3 nights accommodation in the ISG hotel, course material and food during the course.


Accommodation and Transport
Hotel

3 nights accommodation in a twin room (is included) in the participation fee for the default dates of Tuesday, 4 May - Friday, 7 May 2010. Rooms have been reserved at the ISG Hotel.
All additional nights (beyond the 3 nights twin room paid by EMBL) will be charged extra (approx. EUR 75 per night for single accommodation and EUR 100 for twin accommodation).
Local Transport

Shuttle buses will go from designated bus stops near the hotels to EMBL and back, mornings and evenings. The schedule and location of the bus stops will be available before the meeting.

The course will take place in the Advanced Training Centre (ATC) on the EMBL campus.