HydroLearn-CIROH Virtual Hackathon for Faculty, Postdocs, and PhD Students
The HydroLearn project is pleased to invite hydrology and water resources Faculty, Postdocs & PhD students to participate in the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations (CIROH) HydroLearn Workshop & Hackathon to be held Jan 6-10, 2025 (see details below). Fellowships will be awarded to support participation in the workshop. Apply here by Nov. 8, 2024: https://forms.gle/5dY6Yw6X9Efn8rTB8
Dates: Jan 6-10, 2025
Learning Format: Synchronous online, 11 am – 6 pm EDT
Participants will use the HydroLearn online platform (www.hydrolearn.org) to collaboratively adapt and enhance one of the HL modules to meet the training needs of CIROH and its partner agencies and organizations.
Following a “hackathon” approach, the workshop will start with training on the development of content for HydroLearn and research-based pedagogical approaches, followed by collaborative work in small groups (2 to 3) on module development. The final deliverables are modules that partner agency officials could use to enhance their understanding of cutting-edge hydrology and water resources research. The workshop will also include daily check-in sessions with the HydroLearn team, with significant time allotted for fellows to collaborate and obtain feedback from the HydroLearn team and staff from USGS and NOAA. Fellows will present their finished modules in May through a webinar and/or the 2025 CIROH DevCon meeting.
This workshop supports the CIROH goals to: “co-produce research outputs, education, workforce development, outreach, and engagement with operational practitioners”, and “Promote inclusive education and outreach related to NOAA-related research and operational applications of hydrologic prediction leading to the sustained development of a diverse workforce in NOAA and the broad water sector”.
Deadline for Application:
Applications are due by Nov. 8, 2024. Decisions will be made by Nov. 22. Apply here: https://forms.gle/5dY6Yw6X9Efn8rTB8
Involvement:
Fellows will be expected to attend the virtual workshop, collaborate with their team, revise their module as needed, and provide feedback on their experience in the workshop. Additionally, fellows will be expected to present their modules during webinars and/or the 2025 CIROH DevCon.
Who are HydroLearn Fellows?
HydroLearn fellows include faculty, postdocs, and PhD students working on CIROH projects. Fellows should be willing to collaborate and have an interest in adapting and enhancing engaging online curricular materials.
HydroLearn Virtual Hackathon:
The primary goal of this project is to adapt and enhance about six of the HL modules that integrate CIROH themes to better meet the needs of sponsor and partner agency professionals (NOAA, USGS, USACE) and consultants. The modified modules will take 3-5 hours to complete, focus on more discrete skills, and contain new tools that allow for automated and/or peer feedback. These modules will be sequenced in a way that allows professionals to build upon their skills, and structured so they can complete courses within a reasonable time frame at a pace that suits their needs.
As part of the workshop, fellows will learn about the HydroLearn platform and research-based practices in engineering education. Fellows will then form collaborative teams to adapt and enhance a module in HydroLearn.
Commitment of Fellows:
- Participate in the virtual workshop from Jan. 6-10, 2025, 11 am – 6 pm Eastern to collaboratively design a module in HydroLearn
- Complete the online module HydroLearn 101 before attending the workshop (~3 hours)
- Present the module to the community through a webinar and/or the 2025 CIROH DevCon
- Revise the module as needed, based on feedback from peers and the HydroLearn team
Benefits of Participation:
- Collaboration with other researchers in your professional community on the adaptation of active-learning resources
- Access to online student learning materials that integrate data and modeling resources
- Authorship on modules created as part of the HydroLearn platform
- HydroLearn Fellow recognition
- Opportunity to disseminate your modules to the larger community
- Increased understanding of methods for developing learning material based on educational research
- Acknowledgment and possible authorship in scientific publications where you contribute
Stipends:
Fellows will receive a stipend of $2,500 for their participation in the Workshop and developing the collaborative modules. Apply here by Nov. 8, 2024: https://forms.gle/5dY6Yw6X9Efn8rTB8
Selection Criteria:
- We encourage participation from minority-serving institutions
- Expertise aligned with research to operations applications of hydrology
- Involvement or engagement with a CIROH project is preferable.
- For students and postdocs, support from their advisor or supervisor is needed to attend and fully commit to the hackathon, as well as complete reviews of the module. Strong letters of recommendation will also address the alignment of participation in this program with the long-term goals and/or professional development of the applicant.
