About Us

Beaver Works Summer Institute

The Beaver Works Summer Institute will offer students the opportunity to explore the exciting intersection of data science and crisis response. During the course, the students will learn the basics of Python, Git, geospatial information systems (GIS), and image processing. Students will explore real world datasets including aerial imagery from drones and Civil Air Patrol, as well as various satellite sources. Students will develop experience in an area of data science that is poised to play a critical role in understanding our world.

Remote Sensing for Crisis Response

Imagine coordinating a response after the chaos of a hurricane or the challenges of a famine lasting years; these big problems require big data to solve. With airplanes and satellites, we collect mountains of data of affected regions, but who looks at this data? How do we turn this data into a physical response? The program’s goal is for participants to explore, leverage, and transform open source information and imagery collected from drones, airplanes, helicopters, and satellites to generate actionable intelligence to support a disaster or humanitarian response. Students will be exposed to three main components: 1) processing and extracting features from raw data, 2) data classification and analysis, and 3) developing data products to support decision making. The program will explore tools and techniques using real world operational data collected from across the globe.

The BWSI Remote Sensing program offers high school students the opportunity to explore the exciting intersection of data science and crisis response. The program consists of two components: (1) online course from January to May, open to all interested and committed students; and (2) a four-week summer program at MIT campus in Cambridge, MA. During the course, the students will learn to understand the basics of Python, Git, machine learning, and image processing. Students will explore real world datasets of aerial and satellite imagery. By participating in the online and/or onsite portion of the program, students will develop experience in an area of data science that is poised to play a critical role in understanding our world.

Instructors

Jeffrey Liu
Andrew Weinert

Teaching Assistants

Andrew Mascillaro
Cameron Mastoras
Marie Tessier

Feedback

If you have any questions or would like further information about the JEFFRIS project, let us know here.

Distribution Statement

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

© 2019 Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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