Computational science and engineering: tools and techniques for teaching

ABSTRACT

The methods of computational science and engineering have been applied to a wide range of problems such as weather forecasting, cosmology, drug design, and car crash simulation. More recently, high performance computers have been applied to problems in biology (e.g., molecular biology, bioinformatics). The development of CSE as an interdisciplinary field has had a profound effect on the way science and engineering is done, both for basic research and product development. Less than ten years ago, these methods required very expensive supercomputers and special software skills to be effective. Today, while supercomputers are still important, the power of widely available PCs and workstations means that many of these methods can be introduced into the undergraduate curriculum. The objectives of this session are, therefore:• To introduce participants to some of the methods of CSE (e.g., modeling, scientific visualization).• To demonstrate the range of software tools that can be utilized.• To provide examples of these tools applied to teaching topics from different scientific disciplines.• To provide participants ideas and resources that they can use in their own courses.