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testimonials.html
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---
layout: base
root: .
title: Testimonials
---
<div align="center">
<div class="row">
<div class="span2"></div>
<div class="span8">
<img src="{{page.root}}/img/bootcamps/2012-12-uta.png" alt="Boot Camp at the University of Texas, 2012" />
<h4><em>What I cannot create, I do not understand.<br/>— Richard Feynman</em></h4>
</div>
<div class="span2"></div>
</div>
</div>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>Software Carpentry training has had a tremendous influence on the
productivity of the students in my lab and several other labs on campus. It
trained them to write code that works properly more quickly and to automate
repetitive tasks that they used to spend hours on (now they spend minutes). In
addition, we are now reusing code much more often, because the code is written
in such a way that the students can remember what they did and other students
can understand exactly how the code works. I can't recommend Software
Carpentry strongly enough.</p>
<cite>— Ethan White is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology and the Ecology Center at Utah State University.</cite>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>My labmates and I attended a Software Carpentry boot camp a few months ago,
and since then, several graduate students and RAs have been much more willing
to tackle simple programming tasks independently. We have also now implemented
a version control repository in the lab: it has greatly reduced the number of
files flying around and helped to ensure that everyone in the lab has the most
up-to-date versions of all the code we routinely use. Its history mechanism
also keeps us from having to manually document every change made or analysis
done, which has greatly improved our ability to find information quickly.</p>
<cite>— Lynne Williams studies the cognitive neuroscience of language development over the lifespan and develops statistical techniques to analyze large multivariate data sets.</cite>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>As a nuclear engineer at the US national labs, the number of nuclear safety
and performance codes I see which are practically untested, basically
undocumented, and completely lacking in version control is alarming. New
projects are starting to incorporate better practices, but over and over
again, students and new staff members show up ready to implement advanced
numerical methods but don't have a handle on version control. I've found that
the time it takes to train new researchers to adopt essential software
practices is vastly reduced by the bootcamps and online resources provided by
Software Carpentry. By directing colleagues to the online lectures instead of
teaching them individually to test and version control their code I've
personally saved a great number of hours and they've been spared just as many
false starts.</p>
<cite>— Katy Huff is a post-doc in nuclear engineering at Argonne National Laboratory.</cite>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>Software Carpentry helped me to explore the ways in which I improve and
maintain my code. This made it easier for me to look back upon my old work and
adapt it for new purposes, thereby making my research progress more
quickly. It has also let me ask types of questions that I previously had no
ability to address.</p>
<cite>— Minyoung Wyman studies the evolution of male and female differences using fruit flies as a model organism</cite>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>As a self-taught programmer, Software Carpentry gave me the tools to plan
better code before even picking up a keyboard—improving my ability to
expand, re-use, and test what I develop. The result is a more reliable, better
traceable product, and I have a better sense of what to look for when
evaluating other tools.</p>
<cite>— Deanna Langer's PhD explored multi-parametric MRI for prostate cancer localization</cite>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>Armed with a single introductory C++ course, I did a master's degree and
several years of consulting work on spatial simulation models before taking
Software Carpentry. Long, slow, frustrating experience left me well prepared
to appreciate this course. What has changed? I work more quickly, and re-use
my own code; I find more errors, and spend less time fixing them; I trust my
results more; I don't mind revisiting and revising old work; collaborators and
potential employers are more impressed; and I'm happier.</p>
<cite>— Josie Hughes develops models of mountain pine beetles and other outbreaking forest insects</cite>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>I depend on the techniques taught in this course to maintain reliable
programs, scripts and data organization. The time management, revision
control, debugging and testing strategies are absolutely essential to build
and maintain my projects. The basic Unix, shell, and scripting skills save me
significant time and effort every day. It's an invaluable resource for
computational researchers.</p>
<cite>— Anita Oder is helping develop a set of optimal experimental planning and analysis tools for neuroimaging research</cite>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>While doing Software Carpentry, I made significant changes to the program I
was using in my research. I felt like I was finally in control of its
behavior, not vice versa. I still refer Software Carpentry to anyone new to
programming, best practices, or even Python, especially if I have to work with
that person.</p>
<cite>— Elango Cheran's MSc thesis was on detecting structural variants from paired-end sequencing data</cite>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>Like most psychology students, I got no formal training in computational
methods during my undergrad or graduate program. This meant that I was
effectively cut off from the tool I was using and pessimistic about my chances
of ever mastering it. Software Carpentry demystified programming for me and
also gave me a solid background in software development practices. I now use
tools that I never would have considered before taking the course, and have
even accepted a postdoc in a computation-heavy lab, which would have been out
of the question. My only regret is that I wasn't able to take this course
earlier in my degree!</p>
<cite>— Hanah Chapman studies the evolutionary psychology and cognitive neuroscience of human emotion</cite>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>Deadline after deadline: research life is as simple as that. As a
consequence, research software is too often written in a rush. How many of you
have faced that little, tricky, hidden bug a few days before submission? If
you did, you also know that feeling of mistrust of your code. Software
Carpentry showed me how easy and rewarding it is to write code that is
testable from very early stages: write a little function, and immediately
check whether simple examples yield the results you expect. And while
Subversion repositories are not so easy to set up, once they are working, it's
like having a perfect lab assistant to tell you what is going on at any
time.</p>
<cite>— Enzo De Sena builds physical and acoustic models of surround sound</cite>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="testimonial">
<p>Before I attended the Software Carpentry boot camp, I honestly didn't think
I'd pick up anything useful other than a few minor tips and tricks because I
had been programming for over 6 years at that point. Much to my surprise,
Software Carpentry transformed the way I approach programming. I learned how
to write better, flexible software with command-line options; the importance
of open-source, reusable software in research; and was introduced to the best
research notebook I've encountered so far: IPython Notebook. I couldn't
recommend Software Carpentry enough, even for the veteran programmers out
there.</p>
<cite>— Randal S. Olson studies biologically-inspired artificial brains and algorithms at Michigan State University</cite>
</blockquote>
<p>Have a story of your own you'd like to share? Please <a href="mailto:{{site.contact}}?subject=testimonial">let us know</a>.</p>