July 15-19, 2013 at the University of Leeds

The TALISMAN node of the National Centre for Research Methods is pleased to offer a five-day summer school on computer programming for social scientists. The school aims to bring social scientists without any programming experience to the point where they can program their own social science models and applications. It will provide a beginners’-level introduction to computer programming using examples drawn from social science. It will also introduce key libraries, methodologies, and platforms available for social science programmers.

Students will learn the high-level programming language Java. Java was chosen because it is the most in-demand language in industry, and because people who learn the language should have no difficulty picking up other languages.

The school offers a unique, hands-on learning experience. Practical work will include building up core social science models, and will introduce students to Spatial Interaction Modelling, Microsimulation, Agent-based modelling, Genetic Algorithms and other Artificial Intelligence techniques, Statistical Analysis and Scientific Visualisation. Each day there will be a two hour “hacking” workshop for students to build their own software with advice from experienced staff.

We welcome applications from postgraduate students/researcher and academics. The deadline for applications is April 30, 2013

For further information and to apply, please visit: http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/research/events/computer-programming-for-social-scientists/