Topics in Distributed Scientific Computing (P03127)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : PHY-P-TDC

This course provides an introduction to some currently active topics relating to the development and deployment of distributed computing technologies in scientific research
and in the commercial IT world. The course comprises two activities: a Seminar Series and a Structured Reading Group.

The Seminar Series comprises a programme of talks given by members of the academic or commercial communities who develop or deploy distributed computing techniques or technologies in their own work. Each student will choose the topic of one of the seminars, follow it up with a literature review and summarise it in a written report and an oral presentation.

The Structured Reading Group activity will see the students divided into a number of groups, each one of which will be assigned (or can choose, subject to approval by the Programme Director) one or more technical documents from the distributed scientific computing domain (e.g. a paper from an academic journal or a technical specification from a standards body) and they must prepare both a written briefing note which summarises the salient points from the document(s) and an oral presentation outlining them.

Entry Requirements

? This course is not available to visting students.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy), (School of Physics and Astronomy, Schedule Q)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Present a written report and an oral presentation summarising the topic of one of the talks given in the Seminar Series, and placing it within the wider context of distributed scientific computing and related developments in the commercial IT world.
2. Contribute to a written precis of a technical document and participate in an oral presentation of its salient points.

Assessment Information

Group report (35%) and presentation (15%) summarising a technical document and individual written report (35%) and presentation (15%) developing the topic of one of the talks in the Seminar Series.