Foundations of Research Computing
Foundations of Research Computing
The Foundations of Research Computing “Flash FORC” Winter Immersion 2026 is a one-day data skills immersion program offered to graduate students through a collaboration among NYU Data Services (NYU Libraries and IT), the GSAS Master’s College, and the Arts & Science Office of Teaching Excellence and Innovation. Flash FORC gives participants a grounding in the digital skills essential for their research in a single intensive day.
New this year: For this winter camp, we’re offering a few new options, including a deep dive into some of the ins and outs of using GenAI in statistical and quantitative analysis; and for FORC Alums, a chance to join our experts for a day-long clinic and get help directly with your own project.
Flash FORC happens on:
Thursday, January 15, 2026, 10am–4pm
Bobst Library, 7th floor (745 and 743)
Each track runs 10am–4pm, with six hours of interactive instruction, broken up with a one-hour free lunch. Students can take advantage of 1:1 consultations, connect with specialists, and network with fellow graduate students.
Participants who complete the program will receive a letter of completion for their portfolio detailing the skills covered in their track.
Send inquiries to asteaching@nyu.edu.
Room: TBD
Description: Participants in this track will look at ways to leverage AI for enhancing quantitative analysis, looking at both advantages and cautions to take. It is targeted at researchers conducting quantitative analysis using computational tools (e.g. R, Python, SPSS, Stata, etc.) and want to look at how AI tools can enhance that work. The session will look at both NYU-offered AI tools as well as more general tools in the AI ecosystem.
Room: TBD
Description: In this track, users will learn about Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and how it enhances AI models by combining external data retrieval with large language models (LLMs). They will explore the steps to build a RAG pipeline, including embedding text into vector representations, retrieving relevant context from databases, and augmenting prompts to generate accurate answers. The tutorial provides practical insights into when to use RAG over fine-tuning models and how to integrate this approach in building dynamic, context-aware AI solutions.
For additional information, see Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) page.
Room: TBD
Description: This track is open only to August 2025 or August 2024 FORC Camp alumni. Participants will have the opportunity to attend microtutorials on tools and skills from summer FORC sessions and consultations on how to apply them to current research projects.
THIS OFFERING IS BY INVITATION TO FORC ALUMNI.