An Undergraduate Summer Program [ Printable flyer ]
[ Online Application ]
[ Faculty Reference Form ]
Due: Mar 15, 2011
| The Problem |
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We face serious challenges due to energy use and global climate change.
There is clear evidence to support the growing realization that changing
how we produce, use, and store energy, and how we manage emissions that
contribute to air pollution and climate change must be a top priority as
we look to our human future.
In the Explorations in Science Research workshop, students will learn about new research, instruments, data, and analytic tools that are producing results at the nexus of science and policymaking for reducing greenhouse gases and improving air quality. This seven day workshop is designed so that students learn how chemists, physical scientists, and computer scientists approach large, complex problems. Students will gain a basic understanding of computing and visualization tools. Importantly, students will get a chance to work with data. The advent of enormous repositories of information presents us with an interesting challenge: how can we represent and interpret such complex, abstract and often socially important data? |
| The Data | ||
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Students will integrate data from satellite and earth-based observations. These
data may be used to develop new approaches to verifying the locations, amounts and trends in emissions of greenhouse and air quality relevant gases.
For example, GHG and air quality sensors are currently being tested and deployed over the San Francisco Bay Area. In the figure above, locations are superimposed on space-based measurements of NO2 pollution (left) and the current NO2 emission estimates from cars, power plants, ships and other sources. The scientific and policy challenge is to assess whether the observed emissions are consistent with the estimates. Students also will have access to an unprecedented body of live and historical data related to energy usage and operational processes in buildings, which are responsible for nearly three quarters of electricity consumption and half the GHG production nationally. Much of the Berkeley campus serves as a living laboratory for data-driven development of practices for improved energy efficiency, as well as enabling deeper penetration of renewable supplies into the energy mix. |
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| Join Us! |
Dates: June 12 - June 18, 2011
Students will receive support to cover travel expenses
to attend the workshop as well as full room and board.
Only US citizens and permanent residents
will be considered.
Applicants are expected to have some basic quantitative skills, including a freshman or sophomore level background in calculus and physics. Quantitatively-inclined undergraduates majoring in computer science, physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, statistics, engineering and the behavioral or social sciences are all encouraged to apply. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. Women and underrepresented minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Our short program is designed to encourage students to attend graduate school in the sciences. It is aimed at undergraduates who are rising juniors or seniors. |
Ron Cohen, Chemistry
David Culler, Computer Science
Deb Nolan, Statistics