Syllabus - ESIIL Data Short Course 2026
Welcome to the Environmental Data Science Innovation and Impact Lab (ESIIL) Data Short Course 2026! We are excited to have you in class for the next 2 weeks as we introduce you to Earth and Environmental Data Science (EDS) fundamentals using GitHub and Python.
This is our second year of the ESIIL Data Short Course and we’re glad to be here with you all as the next cohort of participants. This program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF Award # 2153040).
The ESIIL Data Short Course aims to meet the following objectives through technical training and project based learning:
- Train the next generation of Earth and Environmental Data Scientists
- Answer relevant GIS and Earth/Environmental science questions
- Develop Pathways into the EDS workforce
- Build capacity to teach & learn EDS
ESIIL is a part of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) a partnership of the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). We are also affiliated with Earth Lab.
We appreciate these partnerships and look forward to working with you all!
Meet Our Team
Nate Quarderer
Lilly Jones
Curriculum
Week 1 - Monday, July 13 - Introductions; GitHub; Markdown
📝 Assignment:
- Create portfolio page using GitHub pages and Markdown
- Add name, GitHub username, link to profile to Course GitHub repository
📚 Readings:
Week 1 - Wednesday, July 15 - Mapping with OpenStreetMap
📝 Assignment:
- Create an interactive map of the University of Colorado Boulder
- Create an interactive map of your city, campus, or place that interests you
- Add your map to GitHub portfolio page
📚 Readings:
🎥 Week 1 Recordings:
Week 2 - Monday, July 20 - Open & Reproducible Science; Time-Series Data
📝 Assignment:
- Complete NOAA NCEI climate data workflow for Karachi, Pakistan
- Post link of your work to your GitHub portfolio page
📚 Readings:
Week 2 - Wednesday, July 22 - Spatial Data Fundamentals
📝 Assignment:
- Create a map of vegetation health (NDVI) for Al Jawf Region, Saudi Arabia
- Post link of your work to your GitHub portfolio page
📚 Readings:
🎥 Week 2 Recordings:
To Receive Certificate of Completion - Applications (You Pick Option 1 or 2!)
📝 Assignment
- (Option 1) Repeat one of the lessons (mapping with OpenStreetMap, NOAA/NCEI climate, NASA/MODIS/AppEEARS vegetation) for a place, time, or event that is important to you or your students
- (Option 2) Develop a lesson, module, or other example that demonstrates how you will apply these new skills in your teaching or research
- Post link of your work to your GitHub portfolio page and to the course Discussion Board
Participants
| Name | Organization | GitHub Username | GitHub Portfolio Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nate Quarderer (instructor) | ESIIL; Earth Lab | nquarder | https://nquarder.github.io/ |
| Lilly Jones (instructor) | ESIIL; Earth Lab | lijo8146 | https://lijo8146.github.io/ |
| Pauline Jackson (participant) | Sinte Gleska University | pjsgu605 | https://pjsgu605.github.io/ |
| Ramadan El Sharif (participant) | Wilberforce University | ramadanaielsharif | https://ramadanaielsharif.github.io/ |
| C. Jason Tinant (participant) | Oglala Lakota College | cjtinant | https://cjtinant.github.io/ |
| Basama Al-Kindi (Researcher) | University of Nizwa | Basmalkindi | https://basmalkindi.github.io/ |
| Aniruddha Mararthe (Student) | Independent Researcher | aniruddhamarathe | https://aniruddhamarathe.github.io/ |
| Brian Erickson | Oregon State University | ericksbr | https://ericksbr.github.io |
| Lucas Mansfield (student) | Michigan State University | lmansf44 | https://lmansf44.github.io/blog/2026/datacourse/ |
| Madhura Kulkarni (student) | Northern Kentucky University | madhuravkulkarni | https://madhuravkulkarni.github.io |
| Oladipupo Ademola Ibrahim (attendee) | University of Porto | Geophillic | https://geophillic.github.io |
| Gaurav Chakrabarty (Participent) | Student | gauravchakrabarty | https://gauravchakrabarty.github.io/ |
| Nayani Ilangakoon (student) | Earth Lab | Chathu84 | https://chathu84.github.io/nayani-I.github.io/ |
| Theresa N. Monari | Student | Iamnyatichi | https://iamnyatichi.github.io/ |
| Sonita Singh (Researcher/Start-Up) | I-STARRT; Deep South Center for Enivornmental Justice | OmshantiOm | https://Omshanti0m.github.io |
| Amelie Davis (Participant) | U.S. Air Force Academy | AmsPurdue | https://amspurdue.github.io/ |
| Sara Tabatabaie (participant) | Environmental Design CU Boulder | saratabatabaie | https://saratabatabaie.github.io/ |
| Amelie Davis (Participant) | U.S. Air Force Academy | AmsPurdue | https://amspurdue.github.io/ |
| Nishita Ivy (Participant) | Research Fellow, Earth System Governance Project | nishitaivy | https://nishitaivy.github.io/ |
| Vaasuki Marupaka (Participant) | University of Florida | vaasukimarupaka | https://vaasukimarupaka.github.io |
| Manoj Pantha (Participant) | Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, Nepal | manojpantha | https://manojpantha.github.io/ |
| Julia Siegel (she/her) (Participant) | Independent Researcher | juliasiegel | https://juliasiegel.github.io/ |
| Orlando Acevedo-Charry (he/his/el) (Participant) | University of Florida | OACColombia | https://oaccolombia.github.io |
| Döndü Sarışen (she/her) (Participant) | Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University | dondu627 | https://dondu627.github.io |
| Marjorie Huang (participant) | Independent Researcher | m-huang25 | https://m-huang25.github.io/ |
| Oumar Jaffar (Participant) | University Mohammed VI Polytechnic | OumarJaffar-R | https://oumarjaffar-r.github.io/ |
| Elijah Oluwapelumi ( ESIIL 2026 Participant) | FUTA, Nigeria | Elijah-Oluwapelumi | https://elijah-oluwapelumi.github.io/ |
| Maja Micevska (participant) | VUB, Brussels; UBI Business School | MajaMicevska | https://majamicevska.github.io/ |
| Arundhati Das (Participant) | Azim Premji University | Arundhati-shola | https://arundhati-shola.github.io/ |
| Caitlin Hawley (Participant) | Arizona State University | crhawley | https://crhawley.github.io/ |
| Manisha (Participant) | University of the Algarve | manisha1810 | https://manisha1810.github.io/ |
| Asma Mansoor (Visiting Lecturer/Independent Researcher) | NUML, Pakistan | AM-Sheikh02 | https://am-sheikh02.github.io/ |
| Mohammed (Participannt) | University of Saskatchewan | Mohammed777777777 | https://mohammed777777777.github.io/ |
| Danish Kumar (Participannt) | University of Maryland | dkumar18-umd | dkumar18-umd.github.io |
| Akashnil Kaibartta (Participant) | VBU, India | Akashnil-K | https://akashnil-k.github.io/ |
| Rashmi Dangol (Participant) | Texas A&M University | rdtamu | https://rdtamu.github.io |