Rust for Good: Systems Programming in Science and Public Health

In labs, hospitals, and research institutes, Rust is starting to appear where it matters most: places where correctness, clarity, and safety aren't just features, but the foundations of good science and reproducibility. This keynote explores how Rust is beginning to quietly transform the scientific and health domains, powering tools that are open, auditable, and built to last. From epidemiological software like synthetic data generators and codelist frameworks to environmental models and open biomedical infrastructure, we’ll spotlight projects that show how systems programming can serve the public good and support good science. We'll also reflect on the legacy of scientific tooling and how we can ensure the Rust tools we build today promote transparency, collaboration, and open science tomorrow. LEVEL: Intermediate

Healthy Data, Rusty Code: Epidemiology Meets Modern Systems Programming

• Python & Rust

Caroline Morton -- Epidemiology relies on codelists for health data, but managing them can be error-prone. This talk introduces codelist-tools: open-source Rust libraries with Python/R bindings, offering a safe, efficient way to manage codelists and making modern systems programming accessible to non-Rust users.