In April, C++ users from across the University y gathered for a combined event that brought together the C++ User Group and an AI-assisted coding forum. The afternoon section featured expert technical talks, contrasting perspectives on AI in software development, a guest lecture from Ohio State University, and discussions that continued well beyond the scheduled sessions.
C++ User Group Meeting Highlights
The C++ User Group session opened with welcoming remarks by Erdem Atbas, Research Software Engineer, Research IT. Three excellent technical talks followed, each sparking engaging conversations:
Akshat Gupta (PhD student, Dept. Physics & Astronomy) delivered an insightful presentation on “BOA Constrictor: A Mamba-based lossless compressor for scientific data”. His work demonstrated how modern sequence modelling architectures can be adapted to efficiently and losslessly compress large scientific datasets.
Anthony Thornton (Mercury Lab) presented “Leveraging C++ in Multiphysics Modeling”, showcased practical applications and best practices for using C++ in complex, coupled simulation environments. His talk highlighted both the power and the ongoing relevance of C++ in scientific computing.
Raymond Wan (Research Associate, Dept. of Chemistry) shared his expertise in “CMake + Training at Kitware”, providing valuable insights into modern CMake workflows and the educational resources offered by Kitware’s training programs.
AI-assisted Coding Forum
The AI-assisted coding forum offered a balanced and thought-provoking exploration of how AI tools are (and are not) changing software development practices.
Erdem Atbas opened the forum with a live demo of coding with AI assistance, followed by his perspective on the practical benefits of AI tools.
Raymond Wan then presented the complementary viewpoint of a developer who deliberately chooses not to rely on AI coding assistants. His reflections on workflow preferences, code quality concerns, and maintainability provided valuable balance to the discussion.
A key highlight was the Panel on coding with AI, expertly curated and moderated by Prof Caterina Doglioni (Dept. Physics & Astronomy). The panel created space for open dialogue covering real-world adoption stories (such as the technology’s development, even if we agree/disagree), ethical considerations, productivity impacts, and future trajectories (when to let the next generation use AI tools). The diverse viewpoints shared during the panel, and the lively audience interaction, made it one of the most memorable parts of the day.
After a lunch break and informal networking, Marco Montella (Ohio State University) delivered a compelling guest lecture on “C++ in real-time analysis context”. His presentation on using C++ for high-performance, real-time data analysis was both technically deep and highly practical, triggering enthusiastic discussions. It was a pleasure to talk to him about the discovery of the Higgs boson particle.
Organising Team
Heartfelt thanks to the dedicated organising team whose vision, coordination, and behind-the-scenes work made this successful event possible:
- Erdem Atbas — Research Software Engineer, Research IT
- Caterina Doglioni — Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Andrew Gait — Research Software Engineer, Research IT
- Russell Garwood — Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Gillian Sinclair — Relationship Manager, Research IT
- Raymond Wan — Manchester Institute of Biotechnology
Further images from the day are available on the C++ group Teams space alongside the speaker slides.
For further information and to join the C++ User Group, visit the groups CaDiR Teams space.
