SCAD

Scad is a term with multiple, unrelated meanings across different fields. In biology, scad denotes several pelagic fish species in the jack family (Carangidae). These fish are typically found in tropical and subtropical seas, form large schooling groups, and are targeted by commercial and artisanal fisheries. The common name is used for various species across different oceans, and market names may vary by region.

In computing, scad is the file extension used by OpenSCAD, a free, script-based 3D CAD (computer-aided design) system. OpenSCAD models are created by writing code in a simple domain-specific language; the resulting geometry is generated by the program and can be exported to common 3D formats for 3D printing. The .scad files contain the model definitions, modules, and parameters that allow parametric design.

SCAD is also the acronym for the Savannah College of Art and Design, a private university with campuses in Savannah, Atlanta, and other locations. Established in 1978, SCAD offers programs in art, design, architecture, and related disciplines and operates internationally through campuses and study-abroad programs.

In statistics, SCAD stands for Smoothly Clipped Absolute Deviation, a nonconvex penalty function introduced by Fan and Li (2001) for variable selection in regression models. The SCAD penalty seeks sparsity with reduced bias for larger coefficients compared with conventional Lasso methods.