Program

The program includes three activities for undergraduate and master’s level students: a five-week summer camp, team research project experience, and summer internship.

Summer Camp

• Five-week summer camp for data science education, focusing on the topic of energy and energy transition. Frequently Asked Questions
• Each week (Monday–Thursday) consists of a full day of activities: instruction and seminars in the morning followed by lab and hands-on training in the afternoon.
• No pre-requisites. Open to undergraduate and master’s level students of any major.
• Curriculum consists of a combination of statistics/computational topics, geoscience, engineering, and public policy. An example of core topics and the summer camp structure is given below (subject to change):
  • Computer Science/Programming
    • Basics on Data Science Workflow
    • Basic Programming Languages (Python, R, Orange, etc.)
    • Visualization Using Tableau
    • Reproducibility
    • Computer Ethics
  • Statistics
    • Basics on Statistics
    • Time Series Method
    • Intro to Spacio-Temporal Methods
    • Geostatistical Applications for Geoscience Data in 3D/4D Domains
  • Machine Learning
    • Classifcation/Clustering
    • Dimension Reduction
    • Neural Network & Deep Learning Basics
    • Relationship Between Statistical Models & ML Methods
  • Geoscience
    • Geothermal Exploration
    • Critical Mineral Exploration
    • Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage
    • Digital Rock Physics
    • Climate Modeling
  • Policy Analysis
    • Cost & Benefit Analysis on Policymaking Decisions
    • Policy & Politics
    • Statistical Analysis of Policy Effectiveness
    • Data Visualization for Policy Examples
  • Engineering
    • Engineering Design/Project Management
    • Intro to Telecommunication & Networks
    • Digital Signal/Image Processing
• ~40 students will be admitted each year.
• Stipend provided — participants may not accept employment or take classes during the program; this requirement is strictly enforced and non-negotiable. Students must be in the program, with no exceptions.
• Program will be held in person at the University of Houston campus (subject to change due to the pandemic situation). Hybrid option may be available for out-of-town participants.
• See Application page for more details on how to apply.

After participating in the summer camp, students will be encouraged to take more advanced courses in the fall semester.

Research Project (academic year following summer camp)

• Required for summer camp participants.
• Roughly 10 teams (4 participants in each team) with a mix of different educational levels and backgrounds.
• Each team will work on a project with a real data set provided by our industry partners.
• Teams will be mentored by faculty and researchers affiliated with the program, along with experts from our industry partners.
• Teams will be required to give a presentation on their project at the end of spring 2023.
• Monetary prize and financial support to present project at conferences may be available.

Summer Internship (second summer of the program)

• Program participants will seek paid or non-paid summer internships.
• Program leaders will help participants find internship opportunities at industry partners and elsewhere.
• Limited financial support may be available for those who do not have paid internships.