The National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) continues to support Australia’s research community through impactful, hands-on training opportunities that equip researchers with the digital skills needed for today’s data-driven science.
As part of our ongoing collaboration with The Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation
(QCIF), NCI recently hosted a two-day advanced workshop on Image Classification with Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Led by QCIF’s eResearch Analyst at James Cook University, Dr Erin Graham, the training was conducted on NCI’s peak supercomputer, Gadi—providing participants with access to world-class infrastructure to explore the power of artificial intelligence in image analysis.
The workshop offered a comprehensive introduction to neural networks and their application in image classification tasks. Dr Graham expertly guided participants through both the theoretical and practical implementation of CNNs, enabling researchers to develop and test models using high-performance computing resources in real time.
Thanks to Gadi’s unparalleled computing power, attendees were able to train and evaluate their models on medium-scale datasets with speed and efficiency—demonstrating the vital role of national infrastructure in facilitating computationally intensive machine learning workflows.
The event attracted researchers from across disciplines and institutions, reflecting the growing demand for accessible, high-quality training in AI and deep learning. The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive:
“I got a great introduction to convolutional neural networks. Erin the instructor was great: patient, friendly, knowledgeable.” – Workshop participant
This workshop is one of many training initiatives supported by NCI as part of our commitment to building Australia’s research capability. Through our growing catalogue of workshops and training sessions, we aim to ensure that researchers at all levels can make the most of high-performance computing for scientific discovery.
We extend our thanks to QCIF’s Dr Erin Graham for her leadership in delivering such an engaging and successful session, and we look forward to further empowering Australia’s research sector through our strong training partnerships and continued investment in digital skills development.
