Power Up GitHub Copilot for Research Software Development

This workshop-style course is designed for researchers, developers, and technologists in higher education who want to enhance their productivity and innovation capabilities by utilizing GitHub Copilot in research and development workflows.

Participants will explore advanced techniques for automating coding tasks, integrating AI in software development, and optimizing workflows to boost efficiency in research projects. Through hands-on labs and practical exercises, this course will guide participants in leveraging GitHub Copilot’s AI-assisted capabilities to streamline complex tasks.

Skill Level and Target Audience

• Researchers in higher education seeking to streamline coding tasks and accelerate development in research projects.
• Software Developers and Engineers interested in integrating AI-powered tools into their workflows.
• Research Technologists and Data Scientists who work with large codebases and want to improve productivity using AI.
• Educators and Program Managers who want to understand how to introduce AI tools like GitHub Copilot into curriculum development or academic projects.

Workshop Objectives

• Understand GitHub Copilot’s capabilities: Learn the fundamentals of GitHub Copilot, including how it can enhance productivity in code generation, debugging, and refactoring.
• Integrate GitHub Copilot into research development workflows: Implement GitHub Copilot as a tool to support rapid development, code suggestions, and efficiency in writing research-specific scripts.
• Use GitHub Copilot to automate common research tasks: Automate repetitive coding tasks in research, such as data preprocessing, analysis pipelines, and model experimentation.
• Optimize collaborative research projects with GitHub Copilot: Explore how to use GitHub Copilot for team-based development, version control, and project collaboration.
• Apply best practices for ethical AI and data privacy in coding: Address ethical considerations and data privacy when integrating AI into research projects.
• Complete a capstone project using GitHub Copilot: Develop a functional prototype or workflow enhancement within a research context using GitHub Copilot.

Course Outcomes

Participants will leave the course with the following:

• A thorough understanding of how GitHub Copilot can accelerate and optimize research and development tasks.
• Practical skills in using GitHub Copilot for code generation, automation, and optimization in research contexts.
• An understanding of best practices and ethical considerations for integrating AI into academic research.
• A completed project that demonstrates the application of GitHub Copilot in a real-world research setting.

This course empowers researchers and technologists to integrate GitHub Copilot effectively into their workflows, enhancing productivity, fostering innovation, and supporting ethical AI practices in research environments.