The SciPy? GSoC projects are run under the umbrella of the PSF. The PSF info for 2012 is not yet available, but that of 2011 should help in getting started: http://wiki.python.org/moin/SummerOfCode/2011. In particular, look at what is expected of students: http://wiki.python.org/moin/SummerOfCode/Expectations.

Summer of Code 2012 Ideas

Improve missing data (NA) support

Numpy 1.7 includes for the first time support for missing data, implemented in a way similar to how it works in R. There is a lot more to do in this direction, for example:

1. Size - that requires bit masks and a decision that masks only take two values.
2. Speed - that requires support in the ufunc loops.
3. Functions - isna needs some help, like isanyna(a, axis=1)
4. More support in current functions.
5. Implement NA support for relevant projects which depend on numpy (for example pandas).

Ideas from previous years that may still be relevant

• Continue work on Fwrap started by Kurt Smith in GSoC2009
• improve datasource and integrate it into all the numpy/scipy io http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/numpy/browser/trunk/numpy/lib/_datasource.py
• Statistics Cleanup
• scipy.ndimage: Rewrite in Python where possible, port to Cython elsewhere. Decide on a consistent coordinate framework. As a bonus, fix boundary issues.
  • Leverage patches from CellProfiler developers for this, see e.g. patches with ticket #945
• Automatic Differentiation - there are existing implementations and work in progress (algopy, openopt)