Key Information

Tutor: Dr Chris Cooling
Duration: 3 x 2 hour sessions 
Format: Live (In-Person) & Live (Online)
Course Credit (PGR only): 1 credit 
Audience: Research Degree Students, Postdocs, Research Fellows

Dates

  • 10, 13 & 14 November 2025
    14:00-16:00, MS Teams
  • 16, 19 & 20 March 2026
    10:00-12:00, South Kensington

Course Resources

Fortran is a general-purpose coding language that traces its roots back to the 1950s and the birth of modern computing. Today, it has been extensively updated to include modern programming features and is heavily used for scientific computing applications in several fields due, in part, to its high performance. As a result, it is frequently used in computationally intensive areas including high performance computing.

In this course, you will learn the basics of how to write a Fortran source file utilising the basic constructs of the language, how to compile and run the code and how to troubleshoot common errors. 

Syllabus:

  • What is coding?
  • What is Fortran?
  • What is the compiler and how do we use it?
  • My first program
  • Variables and assignment
  • Loops
  • Conditionals
  • Functions
  • Importing modules
  • Error messages

The course will be delivered through a combination of slides, demonstrations and hands-on practicals. This course is aimed at novice programmers wanting to learn Fortran as their first programming language, or those who already know another programming language and want to learn to use Fortran.

This course is open to Research Degree Students, Postdocs & Research Fellows. Limited spaces available for wider Imperial community.

No previous programming experience is assumed or required.

Learning Outcomes:

After completing this workshop, you will be better able to

  • Define the terms source file, compiler and executable
  • Use a compiler to create and run simple codes
  • Apply fundamental components of the Fortran language including variables, loops, conditionals and subroutines
  • Create programs designed to solve simple numerical problems
  • Interpret common compiler and run-time errors and use these to help debug a program

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