topics
Topics Overview
1. Environmental datasets – characterization by scale, detail,dynamicism and reliability. We will examine existing datasets for uniqueness, similarities and their particular requirements. We will also look at the design of artificial datasets that exhibit ideal versus non-ideal characteristics that will serve as the basis for developing new frameworks and models in anticipation of future environmental datasets.
2. Linkage – we will examine the relationships within and between environmental datasets through encapsulation, objectification and hooks. We will test the flexibility and resilience of the frameworks of linkages to evolution and perturbations.
3. Information Systems and Technologies – we will survey information systems and technologies that have been applied to environmental datasets (case studies), and analyze successes and failures. We will seek parallelism with other informatics disciplines such as bioinformatics. We will seek convergence of existing environmental information systems with emerging systems and technologies.
4. Challenges: we will identify and discuss appropriate strategies to remove, avoid or minimize challenges to the function of environmental information systems. Challenges might include: (a) crossing/closing data gaps, (b) hardware or software performance optimization, (c) scaling, (d) usability, (e) visualization, (f) help systems, (g) network storage, security and data safety, and (h) standardization vs customization.
5. Literature and Research Review: students will participate in a group effort to collect and share relevant information.
6. Innovation Project: students will conduct a project that tests the feasibility and/or efficacy of an innovative idea that addresses a challenge.
Tentative Weekly Outline:
Week 1, Meeting 1 (June 21). Course overview. Scope definition of Environmental Informatics. Overview of computing, networking and storage technologies. Nuts and bolts.
Week 1, Meeting 2 (June 23). Current research in Environmental Informatics. Environmental Informatics Challenges and Strategies. Planetary Skin Project. Primitive Model: Cataloging. Journal article review selection I.
Week 1, Laboratory (June 25). Software engineering and testing processes. Software builds and releases. Review of development platforms and hardware platforms. MRD and FRD.
Week 2, Meeting 1 (June 28). Deconstruction of environmental datasets. Linkages, encapsulation and objectification. Interoperability. Repackaging.
Week 2, Meeting 2 (June 30). Journal article review discussion I.
Week 2, Laboratory (July 2). Hands-on introduction to content management systems. MySQL introduction. Proposal (problem + concept + flowchart + justification) submission.
Week 3, Meeting 1 (July 5). Holiday (no class)
Week 3, Meeting 2 (July 7). Knowledge reliability and trust. Breadcrumbs. Information architecture and design. Collaboration and open-source issues. Human-computer interaction. Usability. User perspectives of geochemical software.
Week 3, Laboratory (July 9). Proposal review. Inititate prototyping effort.
Week 4, Meeting 1 (July 12). Guest Speaker: Stephanie Race, CEO, Earth Analytics Group. Use of remotely sensed data in eco-informatics decision support systems.
Week 4, Meeting 2 (July 14). Part I: Guest Speaker: Yi-Ju Chou, Postdoc, Stanford University. Title tba. Part II:Case Study Discussion.
Week 4, Laboratory (July 16). Project Engineering. Development candidate (skeleton) checkpoint.
Week 5, Meeting 1 (July 19). System Modeling/Engineering. Journal article selection II.
Week 5, Meeting 2 (July 21). Decision-making support and decision analysis.
Week 5, Laboratory (July 23). Project Engineering. Alpha candidate (working model) checkpoint.
Week 6, Meeting 1 (July 26). Knowledge Systems and Knowledge acquisition. Journal article review selection II.
Week 6, Meeting 2 (July 28). Knowledge integration. Knowledge management tools.
Week 6, Laboratory (July 30). Project Engineering. Beta candidate (release) checkpoint. Submit testing plan.
Week 7, Meeting 1 (August 2). Sustainable Knowledge Resources.
Week 7, Meeting 2 (August 4). Journal article review discussion II.
Week 7, Laboratory (August 6). Testing. Bug tracking, analysis, fixing and regression. Closed-Loop Corrective Action. Documentation.
Week 8, Meeting 1 (August 9). Term paper presentations.
Week 8, Meeting 2 (August 11). Laboratory project presentations.
About
Instructors
Jie WangY2E2 251
jiewang@stanford.edu
650-725-6627
Colin Ong
Y2E2 159
cgong@stanford.edu
650-736-0823
Meetings
Two class meetings per weekMW 1:15 pm-2:30 pm, Y2E2 111
Laboratory meets weekly
F 10:00 am-11:50 am, Y2E2 184
Office Hours
Colin Ong: Whenever my door is open, or by prior appointment.Jie Wang: tba
Teaching Assistants
Snetu Karaniapagli713@stanford.edu
Pasha Nahass
pnahass@stanford.edu
Grading
- Journal Article Reviews 30 points
- Term Paper 30 points
- Quiz 15 points
- Case Study Discussion 15 points
- Creativity Exercises 10 points
- Optional Laboratory 50 points
