Program details
The main objective of the two-year Academy program is to foster
networking, training, and collaborative research of doctoral and
postdoctoral researchers bridging Earth System and Data Science. Our
program deviates from traditional graduate school curricula in two ways:
First, we focus on peer-mentoring rather than teacher-based learning.
Secondly, we provide a core event structure (three per year), of which
the content will be determined by the fellows in an agile bottom-up
process. This way, we ensure that the events match the fellows’ training
needs. In addition to the core events, fellows will have the
opportunity to organize and host additional workshops, meetings, and
other events - with our support. We also explicitly focus on linking
fellows to existing training opportunities that are needed or helpful.
Furthermore, we ensure strong integration and linkage to other relevant
NFDI4Earth developments.
Anticipated Academy program
Below, we describe the anticipated Academy
program elements (in-person, hybrid, or virtual). However, given the
agile bottom-up structure of the Academy, changes may occur.
Core events (Year 1)
The first year of the Academy will focus on
research data management and Data Science skills and starts with a
two-day Kick-off retreat (in-person, depending on the pandemic
situation). During this retreat, fellows will get to know each other,
their research projects, and their interests in Data Sciences. Further,
together with the coordinators, they will develop a code of conduct and a
roadmap for the Academy to create a motivational and inspiring working
environment. In the span of two months during winter, there will be a
bi-weekly virtual workshop series focusing on research data management,
reproducibility, and Open Science. The workshops will be designed to be
engaging with fruitful discussion and active participation, during which
fellows describe their current practices and a pathway forward. For
training in Data Science, we will host up to three in-person/hybrid
spring or summer schools. The fellows determine the thematic focus of
the events to fulfill their specific learning and training
opportunities.
Core events (Year 2)
In the second year, the core program focuses on
collaborative and networking events. We will host “Think tank” events
designed to brainstorm and develop synergies between fellows projects,
potential collaborations, and new ideas. During Hackathons (up to three
in year 2) fellows can work on new ideas and/or their own projects,
depending on the fellows preferences. For these events, early career
scientists from other NFDI consortia, such as NFDI4Biodiversity or
KonsortSWD, will be invited to join and explore cross-link topics. The
final core event will be a joint Hackweek) of the 1st and 2nd cohort to
ensure knowledge transfer between both. By combining elements of
schools and Hackathons, these meetings foster community building,
education in data science methods, and immersion in collaborative
project work.
Additional events & possibilities
Throughout the program, fellows can join short
(half or full day) informal meetings every three to four months to
present and discuss their project progress with peers. Further, all
fellows are invited to join NFDI4Earth events, such as plenary meetings,
to present their research and be up-to-date on the developments of the
NFDI4Earth.Furthermore, we provide access to a broad range of external
training opportunities, such as the Helmholtz Academy for Information
and Data Science (HIDA) or DataTrain (Uni Bremen Research Alliance).