PACE Hackweek 2025

The NASA Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Project and Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry (OCB) Program are hosting a second PACE Data Hackweek. This is a one-week social coding event that will include a combination of lectures, tutorials, and project work (data processing and analysis) that will kick-start research using the Earth science data streams generated by the OCI, SPEXone, and HARP2 instruments on board the observatory. Other projects that combine PACE data with other satellite data, such as from EarthCARE, TROPOMI, or SWOT are also encouraged. Participants will gain behind-the-scenes access to all aspects of PACE.

  • Data and compute resources will be provided on an AWS cloud platform, and tutorials will be conducted in Python. Participants must have some experience (i.e. able to work independently) with Python in order to benefit from this Hackweek. *We will also consider applicants who are proficient in a different programming language who are transitioning to Python.*
  • We anticipate accepting ~40 participants (from student to professional career stages).
  • All lectures and tutorials will be recorded and made available on the course web page.

3-7 August 2025
University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)

Visit the course website from last year

PACE Data Hackweek flyer 2025

Download printable flyer PDF

Travel & Lodging
Travel, room, and board for US-based course participants will be supported by OCB. OCB can provide a partial travel stipend for non-US-based applicants, but the remainder of travel costs to/from the class location will be the responsibility of the participant or participant's home institution. OCB can provide invitation letters for accepted applicants seeking travel support from an additional sponsor.

We will be reserving several spots for applicants from Dutch institutes/universities/companies to increase engagement with the Dutch consortium that developed the SPEXone multi-angle polarimeter on PACE. Travel funding for the selected Dutch participants will be covered by the Partners for International Business (PIB) in space and defense program, coordinated by the Dutch ministry of RVO. If you are eligible and interested, please select the option in the application. Further questions can be addressed to Bastiaan van Diedenhoven (B.van.Diedenhoven@sron.nl).

Lodging for Hackweek participants will be in the UMBC dormitories (check-in on Aug. 2, check-out on Aug. 8). To facilitate participation of those who may be restricted by family or dependent obligations, we are able to provide additional support to offset caregiver costs or to customize travel arrangements. Invited participants will be given the opportunity to email a request for support of these obligations and justification for additional costs to the OCB office (hbenway@whoi.edu).

Organizers and Instructors:
Jeremy Werdell, Anna Windle, Ian Carroll, Carina Poulin, Eli Holmes, Patrick Gray, Kelsey Bisson, Pengwang Zhai, Sean Foley, Meng Gao, Tasha Snow, Guoqing Wang, James Allen, Morgaine McKibben, Skye Caplan, Riley Blocker, Bastiaan van Diedenhoven, the OCB Project Office - Heather Benway, Mai Maheigan, Mary Zawoysky.

 

Apply by March 24