‘Julia programming language’ Special Interest Group (JuliaSIG)
Interdisciplinary group of academics focusing on Julia programming
Chair: Dr Vincenzo Brachetta, FHEA
Julia programming language
Julia is a high-level, open-source, and general-purpose dynamic programming language. It is both productive and fast, and is utilised in various fields, including data science and high-performance computing.
Some of the main features of Julia are the ‘multiple dispatch’ as a core programming paradigm, and the default just-in-time (JIT) compiler, together with a full-featured interactive command-line REPL (‘read-eval-print loop’) built into the Julia executable.
The ‘Julia programming language’ Special Interest Group (JuliaSIG)
The Special Interest Group ‘Julia Programming Language’ was established at the University of Birmingham in November 2024, by the current Chair Dr Vincenzo Brachetta (School of Metallurgy and Materials). Under his leadership, the aim of this community of practice is to study Julia within a supervised peer-learning environment, to support the next generation of researchers in improving and accelerating their analyses. By enabling faster computations, a concurrent aim is to reduce the environmental impact associated with the excessive use of computational resources, thereby improving the sustainability of computational-based research.
An interdisciplinary approach is necessary to improve also researchers’ overall skills. The activities are not solely focused on the technical aspects but also explore broader concepts related to the open-source world, GNU/Linux, and the interconnections between programming and other disciplines. Primarily consisting of seminars and workshops, these activities are organised during various moments of university life on campus. They aim to accommodate different perspectives and backgrounds of learners within a respectful environment. Consequently, everyone is encouraged to present their material, from any discipline, whether as a complete study or a draft, at seminars organised throughout the academic year.
Online group
A Microsoft® Teams® group supports the activities by providing a shared digital space for communication, discussion, and collaboration. This platform enables ongoing engagement across departments and facilitates knowledge exchange. Details on how to access the group are available via the blog post here.
Getting involved
Everyone who genuinely wishes to contribute to this group is welcome. There are various activities and roles available, with more to come, including opportunities for individuals from any discipline.
If you are already familiar with programming languages or with Julia and have time to devote to teaching and learning practices, please do not hesitate to contact us. Your contribution can enhance both the learners’ experience and your own expertise, providing you with the opportunity to establish a lasting record of work in this field, which will be valuable for both your personal and professional development.
Contact
Dr Vincenzo Brachetta, FHEA
School of Metallurgy and Materials, University of Birmingham
Email: v.brachetta@bham.ac.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincenzobrachetta