The world is data-intensive and computational.

Humans are clamoring to learn how to live in it.

The Hacker Within is Helping

Peer-led organization for scientific computing best practices.

Community

• democratic anarchy
• maximize permissions
• charismatic leadership
• occasional beer

Peer-Driven

• peer teaching and learning
• interdisciplinary normalizes mixed skill levels
• relevant topics
• appeals to the desire to show off
• direct peer-to-peer skill sharing

Software Carpentry is Helping

Software Carpentry Foundation

• NumFOCUS umbrella
• Elected Steering Committee
• Representative, Expert Advisory Council

We make researchers in science, engineering, and medicine more productive by teaching them basic lab skills for scientific computing.

Software Carpentry Workshops

• Two days of hands-on learning
• Scientists teaching scientists
• Instructors are volunteers
• Materials are all open access

• bash --> automate tasks
• python --> build modular code
• git --> track and share work
• SQL --> manage data
• nose --> program defensively

But Why Do They Do It?

• community
• travel
• teaching experience
• teaching = learning
• sensed need
• etc.

New Resources Are Helping

Getting Started

Getting It Done

Getting It Right

Getting It Out There

Effective Computation Course

• Open source IPython Notebooks
• Project-Driven Course Structure
• Example-Driven In Class Work
• BYO-Science Template
• Alpha-testing, Tiffany Timbers, Simon Fraser
• Beta release soon

github.com/physics-codes/seminar

New Curriculum is Appearing

Data Science 8

Cathryn Carson, David Culler, etc. databears.berkeley.edu

Data Science MOOCs

Rob Rutenbar, John Hart, etc. cs.illinois.edu

But it's not enough

We all have to teach.

All the time.

Lower the Barrier, Not Standards

“The feedback giver explained that he 'used high standards' in evaluating the essays for publication in the teaching magazine. Still, he said, having read the student’s essay, he believed the student could meet those standards. His criticism, this form of feedback implies, was offered to help the student meet the publication’s high standards. Black students trusted this feedback as much as white students, and trusting it powerfully motivated them to improve their essay.”

-- Claude Steele, Whistling Vivaldi

Easy Suggestions

• New Developer Instructions
• Comprehensive Documentation
• Accessible Listhost
• Define Expectations Clearly
• Curate Low Hanging Fruit
• Give Permissions Generously
• Strict Issue Assignment Workflow

Harder Suggestions

• Targeted Sprints
• Appoint an Ambassador
• Mentor Users Directly
• Consider Users Conferences

Acknowledgements

This book was heavily inspired by the work of Software Carpentry and The Hacker Within. We are thrilled to see Effective Computation in Physics come to press and spread the joys of computation further into the physical sciences. In case you were wondering, the cuddly creature on the cover is a bobtail squid.

Acknowledgements

• Anthony M. Scopatz
• Paul P.H. Wilson
• Gregory V. Wilson
• Lorena Barba
• Tiffany Timbers

THE END

Katy Huff