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Prao
Joined 26 February 2014
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** What's your overall background? | ** What's your overall background? | ||
My name is Pooja Rao and I'm originally from Gurgaon, India but currently | My name is Pooja Rao and I'm originally from Gurgaon, India but currently living in NY, USA. I am a PhD student in computational fluid dynamics at Stony Brook University, NY, specializing in fluid mixing in high Reynolds number regime. I speak Hindi and English fluently, and love to read and travel. | ||
* Why do you want to participate in the Google Summer of Code? What do you hope to gain by doing so? | * Why do you want to participate in the Google Summer of Code? What do you hope to gain by doing so? | ||
I love math and technology. It seems like a fun way to spend summer, learning cool | I love math and technology. It seems like a fun way to spend summer, learning cool math/tech oriented things (that could turn into something useful) and also, to get your feet wet in open-source world. It's also a very good way to observe and learn about how professionals coders code and communicate. | ||
* Why are you choosing Octave? | * Why are you choosing Octave? | ||
I have used Octave a little before and found it a useful math tool. The project on IBVP parabolic-elliptic offers me the perfect opportunity to combine my numerical analysis, fluid dynamics(PDE solving) and coding skills. Plus, I could see myself using this tool for my own work. | I have used Octave a little before and found it a useful math tool. The project on IBVP parabolic-elliptic offers me the perfect opportunity to combine my numerical analysis, fluid dynamics(PDE solving) and coding skills. Plus, I could see myself using this tool for my own work. | ||
== C: Contact == | == C: Contact == | ||
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* Please describe your experience with other programming languages. | * Please describe your experience with other programming languages. | ||
I have used Python to test the complex code ideas before implementing them in C, C++. I've also used a few Python modules and libraries for my assignments. | I have used Python to test the complex code ideas before implementing them in C, C++. I've also used a few Python modules and libraries for my assignments. I am taking a Python based scientific computing class and as part of my coursework, I use IPython and notebook. I really like the IPython notebooks. I can make some simple GUIs using Tkinter. | ||
* Please describe your experience with being in a development team. | * Please describe your experience with being in a development team. | ||
For my Ph.D. research, I use and help develop a multi-physics, publically available code, FronTier, that's been in development for a couple of decades. | For my Ph.D. research, I use and help develop a multi-physics, publically available code in C, FronTier[1], that's been in development for a couple of decades. I work in a big team that shares code, so in a way I'm familiar with the development environment, although I am totally new to open source development. | ||
[1] http://sitsec.ams.sunysb.edu/trac/wiki/FronTier | |||
* Please describe the biggest project you have written code for and what you learned by doing so. Also describe your role in that project over time. | * Please describe the biggest project you have written code for and what you learned by doing so. Also describe your role in that project over time. | ||
I started using FronTier as an end user, taking data output and writing scripts to answer specific research questions. As my research progressed, I needed to add more features to the code and I transitioned to being a developer. | I started using FronTier as an end user, taking data output and writing scripts to answer specific research questions. As my research progressed, I needed to add more features to the code and I transitioned to being a developer. | ||
My biggest project was to adopt some parts from the old version of FronTier(in C) to a new C++ version. It involved reading a bunch of papers on subgrid scale modeling, understanding a big piece of code written by someone and changing (also adding new features) it to C++, which I didn't know much of until I started working on this project. | My biggest project was to adopt some parts from the old version of FronTier(in C) to a new C++ version. It involved reading a bunch of papers on dynamic subgrid scale modeling (small-scale turbulence modeling), understanding a big piece of code written by someone else and changing (also adding new features) it to C++, which I didn't know much of until I started working on this project. | ||
The complexity of the code and poor documentation, made it quite challenging to add new pieces of code that worked in sync with the rest of it. It taught me the value of having a clear plan of action before implementation and the importance of testing vigorously. I found it useful at times to discuss certain aspects with more experienced users and refining my thought process. | The complexity of the code and poor documentation, made it quite challenging to add new pieces of code that worked in sync with the rest of it. It taught me the value of having a clear plan of action before implementation and the importance of testing vigorously. I found it useful at times to discuss certain aspects with more experienced users and refining my thought process. | ||
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* Please state the commits and patches you already contributed to Octave. | * Please state the commits and patches you already contributed to Octave. | ||
I did a couple of small patches to get used to Mercurial and the source code. | |||
[https://savannah.gnu.org/patch/index.php?8372] | [https://savannah.gnu.org/patch/index.php?8372] | ||
[http://savannah.gnu.org/patch/?8393] | [http://savannah.gnu.org/patch/?8393] | ||
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** IRC and mailing lists | ** IRC and mailing lists | ||
I am comfortable using IRC and mailing lists. I found them useful during the installation process and getting answers for project related questions. | I am comfortable using IRC and mailing lists. I found them useful during the installation process and getting answers for project related questions. | ||
** Mercurial or other source code management systems | ** Mercurial or other source code management systems | ||
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* What will make you actively stay in our community after this GSoC is over? | * What will make you actively stay in our community after this GSoC is over? | ||
I think I've learned a few things just by hanging around in IRC, reading mailing digests regularly and submitting small patches. I view it as an experience which not only improves the coding skills, but the intangible ones as well. Other members seem helpful and welcoming. Besides I use Matlab pretty frequently, but I'am trying to switch to Octave. It's a very helpful tool for my research (which is not going to change any time soon). A combination of all these things makes me want to stick around after GSoC is over. | |||
== O: Only out of interest == | == O: Only out of interest == | ||
* Did you ever hear about Octave before? | * Did you ever hear about Octave before? | ||
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* What was the first question concerning Octave you could not find an answer to rather quickly? | * What was the first question concerning Octave you could not find an answer to rather quickly? | ||
Installing Fem-Fenics on my Ubuntu 12.04 LTS was a little more consuming than I thought. The reason was I had to use trial-and-error method to fix the error messages. There were some mailing archives and wiki-pages that were tangentially helpful but ultimately google turned out to be my friend. | |||
== P: Prerequisites == | == P: Prerequisites == | ||
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== S: Self-assessment == | == S: Self-assessment == | ||
* Please describe how useful criticism looks from your point of view as committing student. | * Please describe how useful criticism looks from your point of view as committing student. | ||
There is always value in getting an objective view of your work, general or specific, and working on your weak points. | Constructive criticism is extremely important for improvement both as a coder and as a person. There is always value in getting an objective view of your work, general or specific, and working on your weak points. Having said that, I don't find vague feedback very helpful. | ||
* How autonomous are you when developing? | * How autonomous are you when developing? | ||
I'd say fairly autonoumous. I usually refer to online resources to resolve problems. But I'd say I'm also good at recognizing roadblocks that might need a little | I'd say fairly autonoumous. I usually refer to online resources to resolve problems. But I'd say I'm also good at recognizing roadblocks that might need a little nudge in the right direction, especially if there is time constraint. | ||
** Do you like to discuss changes intensively and not start coding until you know what you want to do? | ** Do you like to discuss changes intensively and not start coding until you know what you want to do? | ||
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* Please provide a rough estimated timeline for your work on the task. | * Please provide a rough estimated timeline for your work on the task. | ||
I am working on a more detailed outline that deals with the specifics. Any ideas, comments on this schedule will be much appreciated!<br> | |||
'''Community bonding period'''<br> | |||
I'd like to know the source code and community better by getting more involved in help-forums, IRC, etc. I wouldn't have my research commitments in May and that should help. I'd also like to discuss the frequency and means of communication with my mentor. I have set up a blog and would like to put my weekly/fortnightly progress on it. Also, I think this project is more math-intensive than coding-intensive, so it's important I know the theory behind implementation well. <br> | |||
'''Coding period (tentative schedule)''' <br> | |||
'''Overall goal:''' Implement Matlab compatible pdepe function <br> | |||
'''Midterm goal:''' Implement pdepe for non-singular case <br> | |||
'''Second Half goal:''' Implement pdepe for singular case <br> | |||
'''Week 1''' Initialization & error catching of input parameters <br> | |||
'''Week 2/3''' Implement Galerkin for non-singular case: taking initialization, discretizing and setting up ODE system <br> | |||
'''Week 4''' Use DASPK to solve ODE system<br> | |||
'''Week 5''' Testing Non-singular cases & buffer time for debugging; coexistence of above two <br> | |||
'''Week 6''' Implement Petrov-Galerkin <br> | |||
'''Week 7/8''' Testing, validation, timing studies and performance analysis <br> | |||
'''Week 9''' Documentation, clean up/finish <br> | |||
'''Week 10,11''' If there's extra time and possibility, then work on imrpoving ode15s implementation <br> | |||
'''Week 12''' Pencil-in time <br> | |||
I don't have any exams or other commitments during GSoC period and the problem seems a good match for my skill set, so I expect to have no issues completing it in the time frame allotted. | |||
[[Category: Summer of Code]] | [[Category: Summer of Code]] | ||