Faculty Name: Dr. Saswata Bhattacharya
Course Name: Fundamentals Of Scientifc Computing
Course Period: 28 th Jul to 18 th Nov 2025 (Tuesday 11:00 AM to 11:55 AM; Wednesday 02:30 PM to 03:55 PM; Friday 10:00 AM to 10:55 AM)
Number of Credits: 3 credits
Course Contents:
Elements of numerical computing, including a review of basic calculus, Taylor’s theorem, and the Mean Value Theorem; concepts of error and approximation, including absolute and relative errors; elements of computer arithmetic, such as floating point representation, round-off and truncation errors, and simple approximations like the natural logarithm; introduction to Python as a calculator using Jupyter Notebook, covering logical expressions, operators, variables, data structures, functions, branching statements, iterations and recursion, floating point numbers and round-off errors, reading and writing data, and basic visualization and plotting; use of Python packages such as Matplotlib for plotting, NumPy for array-based computation, and SciPy for scientific computing; and an introduction to basic statistics and data analysis, including descriptive statistics and data visualization techniques.
What you'll learn:
By the end of this course, students will have a foundational understanding of numerical computing concepts and error analysis; be able to write and debug basic Python code in Jupyter Notebook for scientific and mathematical tasks; use Python data structures, control flow, and functions effectively; apply key numerical techniques for approximation and analysis; utilize core scientific Python libraries such as NumPy, Matplotlib, and SciPy; and perform basic statistical analysis and data visualization. Students will be equipped with the computational thinking and practical coding skills necessary for solving scientific and engineering problems and for more advanced work in data-driven research and simulation.
About the Instructor: Dr. Saswata Bhattacharya is a Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering at IIT Hyderabad, specializing in phase transformations, phase-field modelling, and discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) simulations to explore processing-microstructure-property correlations. He has significantly contributed to GPU-accelerated phase-field modelling and the development of MicroSim, an open-source software funded by the National Supercomputing Mission, India. An experienced educator, he has taught courses on thermodynamics, kinetics, computational materials science, and microstructure modelling, including the NPTEL course “Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Materials.” He has also conducted industry training programs, delivered invited lectures globally, and received the IIT Hyderabad Excellence in Teaching Award (2020). He recently co-authored and co-edited the book “Strain Engineering in Functional Materials and Devices”.
Not applicable
Assessment may consist of assignments and/or quizzes and/or viva and/or exams.
Fee: Rs.15,000/- Plus GST
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Last Date for Registration and Payment: TBA