May 28, 2002 [Number 223]     Printable version (492k PDF)

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CIT Training Program Has a Record—Breaking Spring Term

The CIT Training Program spring term broke records—195 sessions of 127 separate topics, classrooms in continual use, and more training opportunities offered than in any previous term.

Scientific Seminars

Scientific seminars have almost doubled—16 of 34 topics are new—which allows CIT to better serve the NIH scientific community. Our instructors stay on the cutting edge of advances in computing tools that promote scientific research, and they are sharing their knowledge and experience with NIH colleagues.

Successful scientific classes included the hands-on "Introduction to Perl for Biologists," which had excellent reviews and has generated interest sufficient for many future sessions. Others with large attendance included "High-Volume, High-Speed Sequence Analysis on the Biowulf Supercluster," "Homology Modeling with GeneMine," multiple sessions of "Statistical Analysis of Microarray Data," and a very popular "Microarray Data Analysis Using S-Plus: From Quality Control to Discovery."

Even though a number of courses became available after the start of the term, the training program was able to get them on the Web immediately. This made it possible for several existing lecture series to add hands-on classes. Five different topics in AFNI (Analysis of Functional NeuroImaging) were addressed, as well as another series covering Blast, Structural Analysis, and MapViewer. Other mid-term arrivals included a series of Partek courses that allowed both new and experienced users to gain knowledge and to ask questions of experts.

Summer Term

The summer term runs from June through mid-August. The new "Blackberry Tips and Tricks," which generated a great deal of interest in the spring, will have more sessions in the summer. The many classes in personal computers, networking, Unix, Web development, statistics, database, the OS/390 system, and the NIH Data Warehouse continue to be strong and should have additional sessions in the summer. We anticipate many more presentations and continued offerings on popular topics.

The summer session will include more new topics, including:

• "Hands-on XML Schemas," an advanced follow-up session to the well-attended six-day "XML Basics" course.

• Apple Computer has proposed a number of topics centered around using Macs in science—including Unix, informatics research, and making PowerPoint presentations into movies on DVD.

• SPSS has agreed to bring a one-day introductory lecture on the use of their statistical software.

The Fall Term and Fernwood

Plans for opening two new classrooms in the off-campus Fernwood facility are going well. We will keep two of the three current building 12A classrooms—B51 and B47 rooms. To ensure continued high level of support to our instructors, we will have an on-campus office that will enable the training staff (based primarily at Fernwood) to spend significant time in both locations.

Beginning with the fall term, scientific classes will be held on the NIH campus. The location of other classes will depend on the location of the majority of people interested in the topic. Classes with multiple sessions may be offered at both sites to help people who have difficulty getting onto campus for classes.

Fernwood will have ample free parking and an NIH shuttle stop.

More Information and Registration

All classes are offered free of charge to users of NIH computer services to help them make efficient and effective use of computing, networking, and information systems in their work.

If you are interested in a class that has already taken place, consider joining the waitlist. Students on the waitlist are given the first opportunity to enroll once new sections become available.

The training program always welcomes new volunteer instructors. If you are able to offer a course, please contact us.

Registration and course information are available from the training Web page, or from a training consultant at (301) 594-6248.