Scientific Visualization in Undergraduate Computational Science Education

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Scientific Visualization in Undergraduate
Computational Science Education

• Steve Cunningham, Ph. D.
• California State University Stanislaus
• rsc_at_cs.csustan.edu
• Angela Shiflet, Ph. D.
• Wofford College
• shifletab_at_wofford.edu
• SIAM-CSE 03

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Outline

• Why scientific visualization in undergraduate CSE
• In modeling and simulation
• As separate course
• Experiences

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Scientific Visualization -Integral Part of
Emerging Discipline

• 2002 Charles Swansons survey of undergraduate
  computational science programs sponsored by Krell
  Institute

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Why scientific visualization in undergraduate CSE?

• Scientists toolkit
• Stimulates insight and understanding
• Presentations
• Fits well with modeling and simulation

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Goal Introduce computer graphics into the
problem-solving cycle
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Modeling and simulation

• Express results in graphical way
• Use tools, not sophisticated graphical techniques
• Matlab
• Mathematica or Maple
• Excel
• STELLA
• Tool addresses specific kind of problem best

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Mathematica -graphical computer algebra system

• Example - cellular automata simulation of spread
  of fire in forest

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Mathematica for simulations

• Program to
• Perform simulation
• Generate image for each time step
• Animate results
• Alter parameters to investigate
• Example - probability of lightening

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STELLA tool models dynamic systems

• Example - predator-prey populations

• Diagram of model

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Modeling predator-prey populations
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Graphics to depict results of time-driven
simulations
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Tool only presents part of set of images to
represent given problem

• Tool influences process of understanding results
• encouraging one way
• limiting other ways of thinking about a problem

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CSE program should include computer graphics
course

• Fundamentals, not packages
• Graphics tools change quickly
• Leading-edge researchers often write or revise
  specially tailored programs
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• Scripps Laboratory

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Focus

• Traditional computer graphics course
• Technology of creating images
• Scientific visualization
• Fundamental graphics concepts
• Algorithms
• Developing programs to create effective images
  for scientific applications

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Fundamental concepts for Scientific
Visualization

• Graphics pipeline
• Modeling
• Transformations
• Color, Lighting, Shading
• Interaction
• Visual communication for sciences
• Programming with graphics API, such as OpenGL

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Emphasis in Computational Science at Wofford
College

• BS in
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Psychology
• 5 courses
• Summer internship

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ECS courses

• C Programming
• Data Structures
• Calculus I
• Scientific Programming
• Data and Visualization

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Scientific Programming -Modeling and Simulation

• STELLA, C, Mathematica
• Applications
• Predator-prey model
• Radioactive Chains
• Enzyme Kinetics
• Spread of Influenza
• Spread of Fire
• Animal Foraging

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Interactive Textbookwww.wofford.edu/ecs/
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Data and Visualization

• Developing Web-Accessed Databases
• Algorithms
• Genomic Sequence Comparison
• Searching Genomic Databases
• Programming Scientific Visualizations

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Text

• Computer Graphics Programming, Problem Solving,
  and Visual Communication
• Steve Cunninghams materials
• www.cs.csustan.edu/rsc/NSF

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Scientific applications - Examples and
Assignments
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Diffusion of heat through a metal bar
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Program template - initialization
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Program template - reshape, display, idle
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Program Template - main
barchart
barchart.c
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Spread of Malaria
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Gas laws
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Lorenz Equations
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Interactive display of molecule from molecule
description file
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Why scientific visualization now possible in
undergraduate CSE?

• Today, need
• Personal computers
• Readily available compilers

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National Science Foundation

• This material is based upon work supported by the
  National Science Foundation under Grants
  DUE-9950121 and DUE-0087979