diff --git a/ci/config.yaml b/ci/config.yaml
index 2a8e7346..f07ef432 100644
--- a/ci/config.yaml
+++ b/ci/config.yaml
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ defaults:
     CXX: ~
     GCOV: gcov
     CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD: 17
+    CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE: Release
 
 setup:
   macos-14-clang-14:
@@ -68,29 +69,20 @@ setup:
       GCOV: llvm-gcov
     deps:
       packages: !extend [ *apk-packages, clang, clang-dev ]
-      mpich: ['3.3.2', '-j4', '', 'clang', 'clang++']
+      mpich: ['3.3.2', '-j4']
 
   # setup from vt
-  amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-12.2.0-cpp:
-    label: vt, gcc-9, ubuntu, cuda 12.2, mpich, zoltan
-    env:
-      <<: *env
-      CC: gcc-9
-      CXX: g++-9
-    # deps and versions to find in vt
+  amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-12.2.0-cpp: &amd64-ubuntu-20_04-gcc-9-12_2_0-cpp
+    label: vt, gcc-9, ubuntu, cuda 12.2, mpich
+    env: { <<: *env, CC: gcc-9, CXX: g++9 }
     deps:
       packages: !extend [ *apt-packages, gcc-9, g++-9 ]
       cmake: *cmake-args # 3.23.4 in vt but seems to be an error with vtk tiff build because error in Cmake CheckSize.
-      openmpi: *openmpi-args
-      zoltan: *zoltan-args
-      mpich: *mpich-args
+      mpich: ['3.3.2', '-j4']
+      nvcc_wrapper: ~
 
   amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-11.2.2-cpp:
-    label: vt, gcc-9, ubuntu, cuda 11.2, mpich, zoltan
-    env:
-      <<: *env
-      CC: gcc-9
-      CXX: g++-9
+    <<: *amd64-ubuntu-20_04-gcc-9-12_2_0-cpp
 
   # TODO: add the following
   # :
@@ -194,7 +186,7 @@ images:
     dockerfile: ubuntu-cpp-base.dockerfile
     arch: linux/amd64
     base: nvidia/cuda:11.2.2-devel-ubuntu20.04
-    setup: ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-11.2.2-cpp
+    setup: amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-11.2.2-cpp
   
 
   # TODO: add the following
diff --git a/ci/docker/base.dockerfile b/ci/docker/base.dockerfile
index fab10c5f..154d3570 100644
--- a/ci/docker/base.dockerfile
+++ b/ci/docker/base.dockerfile
@@ -18,18 +18,28 @@ ARG GCOV
 ARG MPICH_CC
 ARG MPICH_CXX
 
+ARG CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE
+ARG CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD
+
 # Environment
-ENV PATH=/opt/cmake/bin:$PATH
-ENV CC=$CC
-ENV CXX=$CXX
-ENV MPICH_CC=$MPICH_CC
-ENV MPICH_CXX=$MPICH_CXX
-ENV GCOV=$GCOV
-ENV CONDA_INSTALL_DIR=/opt/conda
-ENV CONDA_AUTO_ACTIVATE_BASE=false
-ENV VTK_DIR=/opt/vtk/build
-ENV DOCKER_RUN=1
+ENV DOCKER_RUN=1 \
+    CC=$CC \
+    CXX=$CXX \
+    MPICH_CC=$MPICH_CC \
+    MPICH_CXX=$MPICH_CXX \
+    GCOV=$GCOV \
+    \
+    CONDA_INSTALL_DIR=/opt/conda \
+    CONDA_AUTO_ACTIVATE_BASE=false \
+    \
+    VTK_DIR=/opt/vtk/build \
+    \
+    LESSCHARSET=utf-8 \
+    \
+    PATH=/opt/cmake/bin:/opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin:/opt/vtk/bin:$PATH
 
 COPY ci/shared/scripts/setup-${SETUP_ID}.sh setup.sh
 
 RUN chmod +x setup.sh && ./setup.sh
+
+RUN echo "CXX=$CXX"
diff --git a/ci/setup-template.sh b/ci/setup-template.sh
index 881a2960..37a29501 100644
--- a/ci/setup-template.sh
+++ b/ci/setup-template.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ echo "> Setup Id (SETUP_ID): $SETUP_ID"
 echo "> C Compiler (CC): $CC"
 echo "> C++ Compiler (CXX): $CXX"
 echo "> Fortran Compiler (FC): $FC"
+echo "> Build type (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE): $CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
+echo "> C++ Standard (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD): $CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD"
 
 echo "/////////////////////////////////////////////////"
 
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ ls -l
 
 # Remove install scripts
 rm -rf $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR
-if [ DOCKER_RUN == "1" ]; then
+if [ "DOCKER_RUN" == "1" ]; then
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 fi
 
@@ -93,3 +95,8 @@ then
 else
     echo "No cleanup instructions defined for OS=$OS."
 fi
+
+if [ -e "opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin/nvcc_wrapper" ] 
+then
+    export CXX=nvcc_wrapper
+fi
diff --git a/ci/shared/scripts/deps/mpich.sh b/ci/shared/scripts/deps/mpich.sh
index c3c9da7d..5b849ed3 100644
--- a/ci/shared/scripts/deps/mpich.sh
+++ b/ci/shared/scripts/deps/mpich.sh
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@ mpich_name="mpich-${mpich_version}"
 mpich_tar_name="${mpich_name}.tar.gz"
 make_flags="$2"
 installation_prefix="${3-}"
-make_cc="${4:-$CC}"
-make_cxx="${5:-$CXX}"
-make_fc="${6:-$FC}"
 
 echo "${mpich_version}"
 echo "${mpich_name}"
@@ -35,9 +32,9 @@ cd ${mpich_name}
     --enable-fast=all \
     --enable-g=none \
     --enable-timing=none \
-    CC=$make_cc \
-    CXX=$make_cxx \
-    FC=$make_fc \
+    CC=$CC \
+    CXX=$CXX \
+    FC=$FC \
     ${installation_prefix:+ --prefix"=${installation_prefix}"}
 make ${make_flags}
 make install
diff --git a/ci/shared/scripts/deps/nvcc_wrapper.sh b/ci/shared/scripts/deps/nvcc_wrapper.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4f87a241
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/shared/scripts/deps/nvcc_wrapper.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -exo pipefail
+
+mkdir -p /opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin
+
+wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kokkos/kokkos/master/bin/nvcc_wrapper -P /opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin
+chmod +x /opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin/nvcc_wrapper
+
+which nvcc_wrapper
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-alpine-clang-13-clang-13-cpp.sh b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-alpine-clang-13-clang-13-cpp.sh
index 04a9feef..a0915b89 100644
--- a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-alpine-clang-13-clang-13-cpp.sh
+++ b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-alpine-clang-13-clang-13-cpp.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ echo "> Setup Id (SETUP_ID): $SETUP_ID"
 echo "> C Compiler (CC): $CC"
 echo "> C++ Compiler (CXX): $CXX"
 echo "> Fortran Compiler (FC): $FC"
+echo "> Build type (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE): $CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
+echo "> C++ Standard (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD): $CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD"
 
 echo "/////////////////////////////////////////////////"
 
@@ -74,11 +76,11 @@ wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/mpich.sh
 chmod u+x *.sh
 ls -l
 ./packages.sh "alpine-sdk" "autoconf" "automake" "binutils-dev" "ccache" "cmake" "dpkg" "libdwarf-dev" "libunwind-dev" "libtool" "linux-headers" "m4" "make" "ninja" "zlib" "zlib-dev" "clang" "clang-dev"
-./mpich.sh "3.3.2" "-j4" "" "clang" "clang++"
+./mpich.sh "3.3.2" "-j4"
 
 # Remove install scripts
 rm -rf $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR
-if [ DOCKER_RUN == "1" ]; then
+if [ "DOCKER_RUN" == "1" ]; then
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 fi
 
@@ -95,3 +97,8 @@ then
 else
     echo "No cleanup instructions defined for OS=$OS."
 fi
+
+if [ -e "opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin/nvcc_wrapper" ] 
+then
+    export CXX=nvcc_wrapper
+fi
diff --git a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-11.2.2-cpp.sh b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-11.2.2-cpp.sh
index d74a2892..9e5c5128 100644
--- a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-11.2.2-cpp.sh
+++ b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-11.2.2-cpp.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env sh
 
 #
-# vt, gcc-9, ubuntu, cuda 11.2, mpich, zoltan - Installation
+# vt, gcc-9, ubuntu, cuda 12.2, mpich - Installation
 # Note: requires
 # - `git` and `wget` installed.
 # - run as root
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ echo "> Setup Id (SETUP_ID): $SETUP_ID"
 echo "> C Compiler (CC): $CC"
 echo "> C++ Compiler (CXX): $CXX"
 echo "> Fortran Compiler (FC): $FC"
+echo "> Build type (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE): $CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
+echo "> C++ Standard (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD): $CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD"
 
 echo "/////////////////////////////////////////////////"
 
@@ -68,15 +70,21 @@ mkdir -p $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR
 mkdir -p $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR/deps
 # 1. Download dependency installation script
 cd $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR/deps
-
+wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/packages.sh
+wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/cmake.sh
+wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/mpich.sh
+wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/nvcc_wrapper.sh
 # 2. Install dependency
 chmod u+x *.sh
 ls -l
-
+./packages.sh "curl" "jq" "less" "libomp5" "libunwind-dev make-guile" "ninja-build" "valgrind" "zlib1g" "zlib1g-dev" "ccache" "python3" "gcc-9" "g++-9"
+./cmake.sh "3.30.3"
+./mpich.sh "3.3.2" "-j4"
+./nvcc_wrapper.sh "None"
 
 # Remove install scripts
 rm -rf $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR
-if [ DOCKER_RUN == "1" ]; then
+if [ "DOCKER_RUN" == "1" ]; then
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 fi
 
@@ -93,3 +101,8 @@ then
 else
     echo "No cleanup instructions defined for OS=$OS."
 fi
+
+if [ -e "opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin/nvcc_wrapper" ] 
+then
+    export CXX=nvcc_wrapper
+fi
diff --git a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-12.2.0-cpp.sh b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-12.2.0-cpp.sh
index 72817cea..9e5c5128 100644
--- a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-12.2.0-cpp.sh
+++ b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-amd64-ubuntu-20.04-gcc-9-12.2.0-cpp.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env sh
 
 #
-# vt, gcc-9, ubuntu, cuda 12.2, mpich, zoltan - Installation
+# vt, gcc-9, ubuntu, cuda 12.2, mpich - Installation
 # Note: requires
 # - `git` and `wget` installed.
 # - run as root
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ echo "> Setup Id (SETUP_ID): $SETUP_ID"
 echo "> C Compiler (CC): $CC"
 echo "> C++ Compiler (CXX): $CXX"
 echo "> Fortran Compiler (FC): $FC"
+echo "> Build type (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE): $CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
+echo "> C++ Standard (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD): $CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD"
 
 echo "/////////////////////////////////////////////////"
 
@@ -70,21 +72,19 @@ mkdir -p $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR/deps
 cd $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR/deps
 wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/packages.sh
 wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/cmake.sh
-wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/openmpi.sh
-wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/zoltan.sh
 wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/mpich.sh
+wget $SCRIPTS_DEPS_URL/nvcc_wrapper.sh
 # 2. Install dependency
 chmod u+x *.sh
 ls -l
 ./packages.sh "curl" "jq" "less" "libomp5" "libunwind-dev make-guile" "ninja-build" "valgrind" "zlib1g" "zlib1g-dev" "ccache" "python3" "gcc-9" "g++-9"
 ./cmake.sh "3.30.3"
-./openmpi.sh "v5.0" "5.0.4"
-./zoltan.sh "-j4'" "/trilinos-install"
-./mpich.sh "4.0.2" "-j4"
+./mpich.sh "3.3.2" "-j4"
+./nvcc_wrapper.sh "None"
 
 # Remove install scripts
 rm -rf $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR
-if [ DOCKER_RUN == "1" ]; then
+if [ "DOCKER_RUN" == "1" ]; then
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 fi
 
@@ -101,3 +101,8 @@ then
 else
     echo "No cleanup instructions defined for OS=$OS."
 fi
+
+if [ -e "opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin/nvcc_wrapper" ] 
+then
+    export CXX=nvcc_wrapper
+fi
diff --git a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-macos-14-clang-14.sh b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-macos-14-clang-14.sh
index aa628b14..cbf1e96f 100644
--- a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-macos-14-clang-14.sh
+++ b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-macos-14-clang-14.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ echo "> Setup Id (SETUP_ID): $SETUP_ID"
 echo "> C Compiler (CC): $CC"
 echo "> C++ Compiler (CXX): $CXX"
 echo "> Fortran Compiler (FC): $FC"
+echo "> Build type (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE): $CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
+echo "> C++ Standard (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD): $CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD"
 
 echo "/////////////////////////////////////////////////"
 
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ ls -l
 
 # Remove install scripts
 rm -rf $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR
-if [ DOCKER_RUN == "1" ]; then
+if [ "DOCKER_RUN" == "1" ]; then
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 fi
 
@@ -93,3 +95,8 @@ then
 else
     echo "No cleanup instructions defined for OS=$OS."
 fi
+
+if [ -e "opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin/nvcc_wrapper" ] 
+then
+    export CXX=nvcc_wrapper
+fi
diff --git a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-clang-11-vtk-9.2.2-py-3.all.sh b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-clang-11-vtk-9.2.2-py-3.all.sh
index c0ef2a59..dd34abe3 100644
--- a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-clang-11-vtk-9.2.2-py-3.all.sh
+++ b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-clang-11-vtk-9.2.2-py-3.all.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ echo "> Setup Id (SETUP_ID): $SETUP_ID"
 echo "> C Compiler (CC): $CC"
 echo "> C++ Compiler (CXX): $CXX"
 echo "> Fortran Compiler (FC): $FC"
+echo "> Build type (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE): $CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
+echo "> C++ Standard (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD): $CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD"
 
 echo "/////////////////////////////////////////////////"
 
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ ls -l
 
 # Remove install scripts
 rm -rf $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR
-if [ DOCKER_RUN == "1" ]; then
+if [ "DOCKER_RUN" == "1" ]; then
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 fi
 
@@ -107,3 +109,8 @@ then
 else
     echo "No cleanup instructions defined for OS=$OS."
 fi
+
+if [ -e "opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin/nvcc_wrapper" ] 
+then
+    export CXX=nvcc_wrapper
+fi
diff --git a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-gcc-11-vtk-9.2.2-py-3.all.sh b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-gcc-11-vtk-9.2.2-py-3.all.sh
index 99da5f0f..93b31054 100644
--- a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-gcc-11-vtk-9.2.2-py-3.all.sh
+++ b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-gcc-11-vtk-9.2.2-py-3.all.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ echo "> Setup Id (SETUP_ID): $SETUP_ID"
 echo "> C Compiler (CC): $CC"
 echo "> C++ Compiler (CXX): $CXX"
 echo "> Fortran Compiler (FC): $FC"
+echo "> Build type (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE): $CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
+echo "> C++ Standard (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD): $CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD"
 
 echo "/////////////////////////////////////////////////"
 
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ ls -l
 
 # Remove install scripts
 rm -rf $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR
-if [ DOCKER_RUN == "1" ]; then
+if [ "DOCKER_RUN" == "1" ]; then
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 fi
 
@@ -107,3 +109,8 @@ then
 else
     echo "No cleanup instructions defined for OS=$OS."
 fi
+
+if [ -e "opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin/nvcc_wrapper" ] 
+then
+    export CXX=nvcc_wrapper
+fi
diff --git a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-gcc-12-vtk-9.3.0-py-3.all.sh b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-gcc-12-vtk-9.3.0-py-3.all.sh
index c7bc79d8..8a5e4c51 100644
--- a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-gcc-12-vtk-9.3.0-py-3.all.sh
+++ b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-22.04-gcc-12-vtk-9.3.0-py-3.all.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ echo "> Setup Id (SETUP_ID): $SETUP_ID"
 echo "> C Compiler (CC): $CC"
 echo "> C++ Compiler (CXX): $CXX"
 echo "> Fortran Compiler (FC): $FC"
+echo "> Build type (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE): $CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
+echo "> C++ Standard (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD): $CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD"
 
 echo "/////////////////////////////////////////////////"
 
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ ls -l
 
 # Remove install scripts
 rm -rf $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR
-if [ DOCKER_RUN == "1" ]; then
+if [ "DOCKER_RUN" == "1" ]; then
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 fi
 
@@ -107,3 +109,8 @@ then
 else
     echo "No cleanup instructions defined for OS=$OS."
 fi
+
+if [ -e "opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin/nvcc_wrapper" ] 
+then
+    export CXX=nvcc_wrapper
+fi
diff --git a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-24.04-gcc-13-vtk-9.3.1-py-3.all.sh b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-24.04-gcc-13-vtk-9.3.1-py-3.all.sh
index 2f3acab8..7e3de31d 100644
--- a/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-24.04-gcc-13-vtk-9.3.1-py-3.all.sh
+++ b/ci/shared/scripts/setup-ubuntu-24.04-gcc-13-vtk-9.3.1-py-3.all.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ echo "> Setup Id (SETUP_ID): $SETUP_ID"
 echo "> C Compiler (CC): $CC"
 echo "> C++ Compiler (CXX): $CXX"
 echo "> Fortran Compiler (FC): $FC"
+echo "> Build type (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE): $CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
+echo "> C++ Standard (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD): $CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD"
 
 echo "/////////////////////////////////////////////////"
 
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ ls -l
 
 # Remove install scripts
 rm -rf $SCRIPTS_INSTALL_DIR
-if [ DOCKER_RUN == "1" ]; then
+if [ "DOCKER_RUN" == "1" ]; then
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 fi
 
@@ -107,3 +109,8 @@ then
 else
     echo "No cleanup instructions defined for OS=$OS."
 fi
+
+if [ -e "opt/nvcc_wrapper/bin/nvcc_wrapper" ] 
+then
+    export CXX=nvcc_wrapper
+fi