Title: Geodata science education at Finnish universities: What we teach, how we do it, and what we have learned in the process
Speaker: David Whipp, University of Helsinki

Abstract: Over the past decade we have been creating a suite of courses at several Finnish universities with the goal of developing quantitative skills for students broadly in the realm of geodata science. A core component of our education is a foundation in programming in Python, from which we branch out in various directions in geology, geography, GIS/spatial data science, sustainability, and more. Over the years we have both expanded our course offerings and tested numerous methods for teaching/student engagement to varying levels of success. In this talk I will highlight some of the courses we teach, some of the tools we use to engage with the students, and some of the challenges we have encountered (and still struggle with) in trying to provide a solid foundation for new geodata scientists. My hope is to stimulate discussion with the audience and facilitate learning more from one another’s experiences.

Speaker bio: David Whipp has been a Professor of Geodynamic Modelling at the University of Helsinki since 2013. He completed both a bachelor’s and doctoral degree in Geology at the University of Michigan prior to working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Rennes, France and Dalhousie University, Canada. His research interests are broadly in understanding the processes that shape mountains over millions of years, and a common theme in his work and that of his group is the integration of geological, geophysical, and geospatial data with numerical models. He is also passionate about teaching and finding ways to promote the use of quantitative tools and programming in the classroom. Dave is currently visiting CU Boulder for two months on a sabbatical.