COS Independent Work Seminar:
Apps for the Environment

COS IW06
Fall 2015


General Information:


Instructor: Alan Kaplan (office hours TBA)
Meeting time and place: Fridays, 11:00 AM - 12:20PM, Room COS 301
Links: Description, Schedule, Resources, FAQ, Piazza
 

Description:

Our environment - climate, food, health, air, water, vegetation, wildlife, etc. - is increasingly changing. And as our environment changes, so does the need to become more aware of the problems that are occurring in it. Given their sheer number - many estimate that there over two (2) billion smartphone and tablet users worldwide - mobile devices offer an opportunity to help crowdsource environmental data.

The overall goal of the independent work projects in this seminar is to explore the use of mobile technology to help better monitor environmental data and events. Specifically, projects will involve developing innovative Android apps, possibly integrated with third party sensors/devices and/or open source platforms, that help capture, analyze, visualize, and ultimately, better understand environmental data.

There are many, many possible project ideas. Here are a few. And check out some of the open source software/data, articles and other sites (below) - these should help you generate a few ideas.


 

Schedule (Tentative):

Date Topic Notes
Sept 18 Introduction
Sept 18 Information meeting for all IW students Large Auditorium (COS 104), 12:30-1:30PM
Sept 25 Develop project plans
Oct 2 Develop project plans
Oct 6 Submit a Written Project Proposal
Oct 9 Proposal talks I
Oct 16 Proposal talks II
Oct 23 Discussion and feedback
Oct 30 Discussion and feedback
Nov 2-6 Fall break
Nov 10 Submit the Checkpoint Form Checkpoint form due
Nov 13 Discussion and feedback
Nov 20 Discussion and feedback
Nov 26-27 Thanksgiving
Dec 1-4 Sign up to give an Oral Presentation Oral Presentation
Dec 4 Discussion and feedback
Dec 11 Report talks I Report talk slides due
Dec 11-14 Give Oral Presentation Oral Presentation
Dec 18 Report talks II
Jan 5 Written final report due
Jan 11-12 Poster session for all IW students Convocation Room (Friend Center), 10AM-1PM

 

Resources:


 

Frequently Asked Questions: