diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5149d2b..c67a6b0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ if (POLICY CMP0048)
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0048 NEW)
 endif (POLICY CMP0048)
 
-project(optix7course)
+project(optix7course VERSION 1.0.1)
 
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)
 if (NOT WIN32)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f9b5120..d0cd72c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 ## Latest Updates:
 
+* 10/21/2020: Bugfix: all moduleCompileOptions and
+  pipelineCompileOptions are now properly zero-initialized by default.
+  Otherwise, variables not set in these struct might have invalid values.
+
 * 8/3/2020: Updated to also compile on OptiX 7.1
 
 * 1/3/2020: Several fixes and documentation adds to make project
diff --git a/example02_pipelineAndRayGen/SampleRenderer.h b/example02_pipelineAndRayGen/SampleRenderer.h
index 390c374..0f6f2ba 100644
--- a/example02_pipelineAndRayGen/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example02_pipelineAndRayGen/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -90,13 +90,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions    = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around
diff --git a/example03_inGLFWindow/SampleRenderer.h b/example03_inGLFWindow/SampleRenderer.h
index 390c374..f4f5dc6 100644
--- a/example03_inGLFWindow/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example03_inGLFWindow/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -90,13 +90,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around
diff --git a/example04_firstTriangleMesh/SampleRenderer.h b/example04_firstTriangleMesh/SampleRenderer.h
index 515ed7c..3cc9537 100644
--- a/example04_firstTriangleMesh/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example04_firstTriangleMesh/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -120,13 +120,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around
diff --git a/example05_firstSBTData/SampleRenderer.h b/example05_firstSBTData/SampleRenderer.h
index f339bec..8ebd8cc 100644
--- a/example05_firstSBTData/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example05_firstSBTData/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -121,13 +121,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around
diff --git a/example06_multipleObjects/SampleRenderer.h b/example06_multipleObjects/SampleRenderer.h
index 4e9fcf6..ecb2ad2 100644
--- a/example06_multipleObjects/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example06_multipleObjects/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -121,13 +121,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around
diff --git a/example07_firstRealModel/SampleRenderer.h b/example07_firstRealModel/SampleRenderer.h
index eafc22e..8dde2d4 100644
--- a/example07_firstRealModel/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example07_firstRealModel/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -106,13 +106,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around
diff --git a/example08_addingTextures/SampleRenderer.h b/example08_addingTextures/SampleRenderer.h
index 02f4823..8397ae4 100644
--- a/example08_addingTextures/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example08_addingTextures/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -108,13 +108,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around
diff --git a/example09_shadowRays/SampleRenderer.h b/example09_shadowRays/SampleRenderer.h
index 02f4823..8397ae4 100644
--- a/example09_shadowRays/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example09_shadowRays/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -108,13 +108,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around
diff --git a/example10_softShadows/SampleRenderer.h b/example10_softShadows/SampleRenderer.h
index c9a4aa0..e17befb 100644
--- a/example10_softShadows/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example10_softShadows/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -108,13 +108,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around
diff --git a/example11_denoiseColorOnly/SampleRenderer.h b/example11_denoiseColorOnly/SampleRenderer.h
index ebdfcf0..bcba038 100644
--- a/example11_denoiseColorOnly/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example11_denoiseColorOnly/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -112,13 +112,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around
diff --git a/example12_denoiseSeparateChannels/SampleRenderer.h b/example12_denoiseSeparateChannels/SampleRenderer.h
index 3f4e812..26d0e6e 100644
--- a/example12_denoiseSeparateChannels/SampleRenderer.h
+++ b/example12_denoiseSeparateChannels/SampleRenderer.h
@@ -118,13 +118,13 @@ namespace osc {
 
     /*! @{ the pipeline we're building */
     OptixPipeline               pipeline;
-    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions;
-    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions;
+    OptixPipelineCompileOptions pipelineCompileOptions = {};
+    OptixPipelineLinkOptions    pipelineLinkOptions = {};
     /*! @} */
 
     /*! @{ the module that contains out device programs */
     OptixModule                 module;
-    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions;
+    OptixModuleCompileOptions   moduleCompileOptions = {};
     /* @} */
 
     /*! vector of all our program(group)s, and the SBT built around