FAQ
Q: Who is this hackathon for?
A: This hackathon is open to all geoscientists eager to learn more about science practice and publishing to advance their own scientific goals. Attendance will be limited to 20 scholars, with priority given to US-based applicants, ECRs and people from groups traditionally underrepresented in the geosciences. We anticipate that this will mostly attract master students and junior PhD students.
Q: What is the format?
A: The workshop is in-person and will run for 4 days (June 3-6 2024), during which we will alternate between lectures, directed homework and personal study/research time. Collaboration will be encouraged at every level, and we will select attendees with a mix of interests/expertise to maximize intellectual cross-pollination. Participants will present on their research progress on the last day. The workshop will continue for 6-8 weeks after the in-person event to allow for more in-depth studying of the materials. Office hours will be made available throughout this period. Completion of the workshop will be assessed by the submission of an electronic notebook reproducing a scientific study (or part thereof) follwoing FAIR publishing principles.
Q: Do I need to know Python/R to attend this hackathon?
A: No. We will get you started. Some basic programming knwledge would be an asset but is not necessary.
Q: What do I need to bring?
A: a plan, a toothbrush, a swimsuit, and some data to work with. A change of clothes and a beach towel won’t go amiss.
Q: How much will NSF cover?
A: NSF can only support US-based applicants. Candidates from outside the US are heartily welcome, but will need to find their own sources of funding. For US-based candidates, we will do our best to cover everyone’s travel and lodging expenses, but cannot know precisely how much we will give each participant (we are budgeting for an average of $2000 per person). This is a reimbursement and you will be reimbursed up to the amount that you spent on NSF-approved expenses. If $ is an issue, please let us know in your application. Also, as a courtesy to fellow applicants, we expect you to be responsive to communications and let us know if you need to cancel your participation at any point so we can apportion funds to other participants in need.
Q: What are the technical requirements?
A: You will need to bring a laptop on which you have root permission to install Python/R. If you want to get a headstart, please insall Python through Anaconda and/or have R studio available.
Q: How do I register for the workshop?
A: Please fill out this form by March 15th, 2024.
Q: Will I be working alone?
A: No, this a team-building exercise as much as a coding rite of passage!
Q: What will I get out of this?
A: The goal is to bring your research to the next level, by learning how to use advanced techniques that you previously thought beyond your reach, or learning to apply methods to a much wider array of datasets than you previously thought possible. You will also learn publishing techniques that are required by more and more journals and funding agencies. You will also meet fellow researchers at various career stages, hopefully making lifelong friendships and building your professional network.
Q: I am in a Master program and I am not planning to apply to a PhD, is this for me?
A: Yes! You will be able to reuse what your learn in this workshop outside an academic career.
Q: I see that you have other training workshops planned for 2025. I already know the basics and would not benefit from attending PyRATES, will I be able to attend other workshops?
A: Yes. Attending PyRATES is neither a pre-requisite nor a guarantee to be accepted in future workshops. However, these workshops will assume a basic understanding of the concepts taught in PyRATES.
Q: I would love to attend but have previous committments. Is there a way for me to participate?
A: At this time we are not planning for a virtual synchronous event. However, the LeapFROGS platform will be open to any researcher interested in Python, R, timeseries analysis, and FAIR science publishing.
Q: OK, I’m sold. What happens next?
A: Once you have registered, the organizers will review applications and expect to make decisions by the end of March. If you are selected, you will be asked to:
- make timely travel bookings to minimize cost
- create/share a GitHub account with us
This is to make sure you can hit the ground running on June 3rd.
Q: My application was not accepted. What did I do wrong?
A: You did nothing wrong! There are many possible reasons, but in the past the lead causes of rejection have been:
- rationale for attending is not sufficiently articulated: You need to explain why it will advance your scientific career to do this. Vague responses to the questionnaires will be dismissed. Response such as “I want to learn Python” also often lead to a rejection. This is not a Python short course. You need to demonstrate how learning Python or R (and associated libraries) will further your geoscience career. You also need to demonstrate an enthusiasm for learning FAIR scientific publishing practices. In fact, your application should contain 50% on this subject.
- too many people from the same research group. While we are honored that some PIs are encouraging their entire labs to apply, we strive to balance opportunities between universities.