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The Frontiers of Research Software Engineering

CDSI’s research software engineering symposium showcased the cutting edge of a growing industry

It was an afternoon of brain scans, cybersecurity, pizza and networking last week at CDSI’s Research Software Development Networking Symposium. 

More than a dozen people from in and around the ĢƵ community came to the symposium to network and take in half a dozen talks on a range of topics. 

Presenting the main talk was Dr. Tristan Glatard of Concordia University. He shared the ways that research software is being used to improve neuroimaging, with new technologies that can be applied to everything from MRI scans to the categorization of Parkinsonian syndromes. 

“I think AI challenges are one of the key factors that enable reproducibility, because if you have a result that’s obtained through one of these challenges, you have a very high level of proof and trust,” he said 

Paul Chamberland, ĢƵ’s Chief Information Officer, presented on the dangers of ransomware, with a focus on one infamous case from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the culprit was caught, thanks to some sleuthing by the FBI and the RCMP’s cybercrimes unit, he turned out to be who had extorted hundreds of thousands from various institutions. 

“Very interesting gentleman, to be quite frank,” said Chamberland.

Other presentation topics ranged from cloud computing technology to the application of RSE to mental health treatment. The symposium was also a networking event, bringing together researchers and software engineers from across fields of work and study to discuss developments in their field. 

“Open-source software development has become a key element of much of university research done today,” said CDSI’s director, Eric Kolaczyk. “It is a fundamental enabler and amplifier of research impact, particularly at institutions like ĢƵ, where there are multiple globally-visible collaborative software projects, in areas ranging from neuroscience to cosmology.  This networking symposium series is just one of several coordinated ways that CDSI aims to support the efforts of the research software development community here at ĢƵ.” 

More networking opportunities are soon to come, so and to learn about upcoming events first. 

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