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Advanced Research Computing

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Course Catalogue

This page provides a summary of the research IT training we provide for UCL staff and students as well as some of our recommendations for online courses from other providers.

Follow us on Ìý´Ç°ù Ìýfor announcements about research IT training opportunities at »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË and elsewhere.

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ARC courses

Introduction to the Unix Shell

An introduction to command line interaction with the Unix shell.*

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* Software Carpentry Workshops and the HPC Carpentry for UCL CentralÌýCllustersÌýcourse also teach the basics of using the shell.
An Introduction to Research Programming using Python

This course will introduce fundamental programming concepts and is aimed at researchers who want to use Python to manipulate and analyse data.

HPC Carpentry for UCL Central Clusters

This course introduces the essential things you'll need to know in order to access UCL's research computing clusters, use the command line, transfer files, load pre-installed software packages using environment modules, and submit jobs on the cluster using a scheduler.

NextÌýinstance: to be confirmed

Further information and registration:Ìý

Software Carpentry Workshop

Ìýaims to help researchers get their work done in less time and with less pain by teaching basic research computing skills. This hands-on workshop will coverÌýconcepts and tools, including program design, version control, data management, and task automation. Participants will be encouraged to help one another and to apply what they have learned to their own research problems.

Next instance: to be confirmed


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if you would like to be notified of future classroom-based instances of these courses when they become available (most of the coursesÌýare also available as a self-paced option on Moodle). You can also use the form to suggest topics you would like us to consider covering in future.

Electronic Research Notebook (ERN) training

UCL's new ERN service is provided by RSpace, who have some useful onlineÌýtraining videos. LinksÌýtoÌýtheseÌýcan be found on the ERN further informationÌýweb page.

Digital Skills Development courses

ISD's Digital Skills Development team also runs courses that may be of interest to researchers; forthcoming courses include:

This "in a nutshell" training is an introduction to setting up version control using Git. The command line interface (in contrast to the Graphical User Interface, or GUI) will be used to understand key functions of Git. This is a "hands on" workshop; prior to attending the session, participants are required to set up their computers for command line using Linux. (Further information on what you need to do will be sent to you when you register). Having done this course, participants should continue further training; we recommend the Software Carpentry Workshop (see ARC courses, above).

This course is designed to help you to use R and R-studio to import, manipulate, describe and analyse categorical and continuous data and to produce plots and tables to support analysis. You should have a good understanding of statistical concepts. No prior experience with R is required, but experience of using a spreadsheet application such as Excel would be an advantage.

Please follow the links to find out more and register if interested.

Webinars

In the 2020-21Ìýacademic year,Ìýwe ran a series of lunchtime webinars forÌýnew researchers (and also forÌýthose who wereÌýjust new to our services!) which lastedÌýapproximately 45 mins including questions. Recordings of these webinars are available below.

TitlePresenterDateÌý
Tips and techniques for developing research software, or how not to be slated by the mediaJonathan Cooper1pm, Wednesday 14th October 2020
Storing and sharing your research dataJames Wilson1pm, Wednesday 25th November 2020
Efficient and secure use of the UCL compute clustersOwain Kenway1pm, Wednesday 20th January 2021
Open Science and the future of research applicationsDonna Swann and Kirsty Wallis1pm, Wednesday 3rd February 2021
Information Governance, sensitive data and the Data Safe HavenTrevor Peacock1pm, Wednesday 10th February 2021

Recommended online courses

SeeÌýTools and TipsÌýfor moreÌýtools, tips and training resources recommended by members of the ARCÌýteam.

TitleProviderDescription
Research Data NetherlandsAn introductory course for those who (want to) support researchers in storing, managing, archiving and sharing their research data.
Research IT ServicesThese are the course notes from a module we teach as part of the Scientific Computing MSc. Aimed at intermediate level programmers, the course moves beyond programming, to explain how to construct reliable, readable, efficient research software in a collaborative environment.
CourseraExcellent course on the basic but still powerful and relevant methods in machine learning, easy to follow. The course is an intermediate level, and Andrew Ng has a great way of explaining complicated concepts in a simplified and practical way.
CourseraA follow up on the Machine Learning course above, with focus on Deep Learning, presented in the context of the main applications such as Computer Vision and NLP. Highly recommended!
FuturelearnAn introduction to the MapReduce paradigm for distributed data processing on a cluster. Some experience with R, statistics and matrix operations is recommended.
FuturelearnLearn how to analyse Python programmes and identify performance barriers to help you work more efficiently.
FuturelearnAn introduction to the theory and practice of parallel computing. Provides a good explanation of different computing architectures and the pros and cons of each.
ARCHERA collection of YouTube videos, slides and exercises from ARCHER's introductory high performance computing course. The course explains the theory and practice of parallel computing with a nice variety of practical examples.

Other research IT training providers

ARCHER2

ARCHER2 is a national UK supercomputing service which also provides a range of training courses at sites around the UK which are free for UK academics. See theirÌýÌýfor details.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning provides video tutorials covering a wide range ofÌýIT skills including programming, data analytics, web development, data visualisation, continuous deployment and moreÌý– all free to UCL staff and currently enrolled students. SeeÌýISD Learning &ÌýTeaching ServicesÌýfor details.

UK Data Service

As well as providing access to a range of social and economic data, the UK Data Service run regularÌýÌýcovering a wide range of tools and methods for working with qualitative and quantitative data. See theÌýÌýfor recordings of past webinars.

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