The 15th CHPC & 7th NITheCS Coding Summer School on Data Science and Computational Thinking

27 January - 7 February 2025

The Coding Summer School takes place in a physical form at various university and research locations around South Africa and Southern Africa. Students are required to attend one of the designated locations.

Representation from 2024 CSS

See all the research institutes that took place in 2023:

https://youtu.be/Igmw_AA4uiw

Background

The Summer School is jointly organised by the Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the National Institute for Theoretical  Computational Science (NITheCS). This joint effort was specifically motivated by a concept paper of the South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) that explores the possibility to broaden the scope of NITheP (National Institute for Theoretical Physics) into a national institute/centre for theoretical and computational science.

Aim of the School

"Train researchers across South Africa and Southern Africa the fundamentals of scientific computing and data science."

Format

• Lectures & tutorials occur Monday to Friday
• Lecture & tutorial times: 09:30 - 16:00 with breaks each day
• Notes and exercises provided
• Certificates awarded to qualifying students

Week 1

Week 1 topics:

• Data Science with Pandas

• Python Best Practices

• Workflow management: extract, transform, load (ETL)

• Exploratory data analysis (EDA) and management

• Bash Basics

Week 2

Week 2 topics:

• Computational Thinking

• Probability Theory and Statistics

• Machine Learning

• Artificial Intelligence

Coordinators

CHPC: Dr Werner Janse van Rensburg, Mr Binjamin Barsch, Dr Kevin Colville, Miss Nomlindelo Mfuphi

NITheCS: Prof Francesco Petruccione, Mrs René Kotzé, Dr. Thuthukile Khumalo, Mr Aluwani Guga

Registration

The CHPC and NITheCS calls for all talented students registered for a postgraduate degree or if your a researcher in industry, to submit their applications.

Final year undergraduates planning to do postgraduate the following year can apply as well.

The registration fee is free for all successful applicants, however the students must attend the designated university locations. As public-funded institutions, the CHPC and NITheCS support the transformation of South Africa and thus the School organizers highly encourage students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to submit their applications.

Registration is required for students to partake in the CSS, that includes receiving any type of certificate or letter of participation.

Please take note:

- A background in Python programming is required and an acceptance test needs to be done to successfully join the coding summer school 

- No accommodation and no travel costs will be covered.

- Light snacks and refreshments will be served.

- Limited space is available at each venue. 

Entrance Test:

- Note, you have to complete the entrance test after registering for the Coding Summer School. The entrance test is compulsory to complete.

- The sooner you complete it the sooner you will be informed whether or not you qualify for the Coding Summer School.

- If you are new to Python then in preparation for the entrance test, we recommend (optional):

• you do the free https://alison.com/course/python-for-beginners course, no payment is necessary to complete the course.
• attend the NITheCS Software Carpentry Workshop from 11-15 Nov 2024 (see nithecs.ac.za/upcoming-events).

Important Dates:

Starting date for registration:  09 October 2024

Closing date for registration: 13 December 2024

Notification of Successful Candidates: will be notified within a month after registration and completion of the entrance test

School Dates:

School start and Orientation: Monday 27 January 2025 @ 09:30 AM

School end: Friday 7 February 2025

University Champions by Institution

• CPUT: Mr Vuyo Moyo (moyov@cput.ac.za)
• Durban University of Technology: Ms Ayogeboh Epizitone (ayogebohe@dut.ac.za)
• iThemba Labs-Cape Town: Mr Meisam Aligholami (aghmeisam@gmail.com)
• JomoKenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology: Miss Cynthia Awuor (cynthiaawuor18@gmail.com)
• Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT): Dr Makhosonke Henry Thabethe (thabetheMH@mut.ac.za)
• Nelson Mandela University: Dr Adeniyi Ogunlaja (adeniyi.ogunlaja@mandela.ac.za)
• NWU-Mafikeng: Mr Ayanda Zungu (Ayanda.Zungu@nwu.ac.za)
• NWU-Potch: Dr Daniel Moeketsi (Daniel.Moeketsi@nwu.ac.za)
• NWU Vall Campus: Dr Hope Mogale (hope.mogale@nwu.ac.za)
• NWU-VC: Dr Luke Coetzee (Luke.Coetzee@nwu.ac.za)
• Rhodes University: Dr Taremekdzwa Allan Sanyanga (asanyanga@gmail.com)
• SAMRC: Dr Zandisiwe Magwebu (zandisiwe.magwebu@mrc.ac.za)
• Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University: Mr Lesego Miya (lesego.miya@smu.ac.za)
• Sol Plaatje University: Dr Alfred J Mwanza (alfred.mwanza@spu.ac.za)
• Stellenbosch University: Mr Idris Muniru (idrismunir@gmail.com)
• Tshwane University of Technology: Dr Nangamso Nyangiwe (NyangiweNN@tut.ac.za)
• University of Cape Town: Prof Mattia Vaccari (mattia.vaccari@uct.ac.za)
• University of Johannesburg (DFC): Dr Krishna Govender (krishnag@uj.ac.za)
• University of Johannesburg-APK: Dr Adedapo Adeyinka (aadeyinka@uj.ac.za)
• University of KwaZulu-Natal (PMB Campus): Dr Nkosinathi Dlamini (dlaminin2@ukzn.ac.za)
• University of Limpopo: Mr Thokozane Mxolisi (thokozane.mlotshwa@ul.ac.za)
• University of Mpumalanga: Dr Mncedisi Bembe (mncedisi.bembe@ump.ac.za)
• University of Pretoria: Dr Edwin Mapasha (edwin.mapasha@up.ac.za)
• University of the Free State: Mr Albert van Eck (vanecka@ufs.ac.za)
• University of the Western Cape: Dr Frederic Isingizwe (fisingizwe@uwc.ac.za)
• University of the Witwatersrand: Mrs Refilwe Kai-Sikhakhane (rflwkai@gmail.com)
• University of Venda: Mr Lutendo Phuthu (Lutendo.Phuthu@univen.ac.za)
• University of Zululand: Mr Phathizwe Majozi (majozipp@unizulu.ac.za)
• VUT: Ms Vivian Mapande (fhatuwanim@vut.ac.za)
• Walter Sisulu University: Dr Zolile Mtumela (zmtumela@wsu.ac.za)

General Inquiries:

For general inquiries, please log a ticket at the following link: https://chpc.freshdesk.com/support/tickets/new and select "Coding Summer School" as the category.

Important: Privacy

In compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA) No. 4 of 2013, please read the CSIR's Privacy Notice: https://www.csir.co.za/csir-privacy-notice

Purpose for the collection of personal data:

• To make contact with you with any matters regarding this course;
• Information on your academic background is used by the organisers to determine if you are eligible to participate in this event;
• To report to the Departments of Higher Education and Training, Science and Innovation, and the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA);