** Congratulations to Team BayBucks
on winning the Governor's Cup! **
Read more about all the projects
The Challenge, created by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and DataBay partners, invited participants to create data-driven applications to increase public engagement and aid in Chesapeake Bay restoration. During the weekend, the Challenge brought participants together with prominent environmental “futurists” who described some of the Chesapeake Bay’s challenges and needs. In addition, environmental scientists from SERC, the Maryland Department of the Environment and the EPA were on hand to offer their expertise. Participants worked on their own ideas or one of the challenges posted by our partners. They had access to a broad variety of robust data about the Chesapeake Bay, including decades of water samples from hundreds of locations describing everything from what fish to eat, to where to swim safely and what water bodies are under pollution restrictions.
Why Participate
Harnessing the power of new technologies, open data and innovation has the potential to reverse hundreds of years of Chesapeake Bay decline by fostering an unprecedented strengthening of public engagement and interest in restoring the Bay. Four cash prizes of $1,000 per team were awarded for the best applications, with an additional $4000 prize for the overall team winner.
What to Expect
Participants formed teams and had the weekend to flesh out ideas, culminating with presentations to the group on the final day of the Challenge. Judges awarded prizes for the best teams. On August 27, the team finalists presented their ideas to Governor O’Malley and a panel of entrepreneurs, investors and environmental scientists. The best team won a cash grand prize and the “Governor’s Cup.”
Challenges + Data Resources
Check out the Challenges posted by our partners and explore these sample Chesapeake Bay datasets and resources for inspiration and ideas to work on.
Agenda
FRIDAY Aug 1
4pm
Optional Tour of Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC)
5pm
Registration
5:30pm - 10PM
Welcome and Introductions
Inspiration from our Futurists
Dinner
Team Formation + Start Working
SAturday AUG 2
9am - 10pm
Full Day of Teams Working
Breakfast
Idea Pitches
Optional Tutorials (Socrata, iMap, EPA APIs)
Lunch
Optional Trail Walk
Dinner
SUNDAY Aug 3
9am - 2pm
Breakfast
Team Presentations + Judging
Lunch
Team Finalists Awarded
WED Aug 27
6pm
Finalists' Presentations
Maryland State House
Annapolis, MD
By Invitation Only
Futurists
Peyton Robertson
Director, NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office
Peyton Robertson has been Director of NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office since August 2007. This One NOAA office is located in Annapolis, Maryland, and supports the protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay, the Nation's largest estuary. Peyton joined NCBO in 2002 as the Deputy Director and liaison with NOAA's National Ocean Service. Prior to that, he worked for the NOS Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, leading NOAA's coastal nonpoint pollution control program. He has supported several agency initiatives, including the NOAA Program Review and development of the Ocean Research Priorities Plan. His first real job was as a field educator and naturalist, working for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The latest and greatest from NOAA is the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System. Buoys are at 11 locations around the Bay and update meteorological data every 10 minutes and wave, current, and water-quality data every hour. All data is available via website, mobile apps, toll-free phone number, data download and API.
Antonio J. Busalacchi
Director, University of Maryland's Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC)
Antonio (Tony) Busalacchi is the Director of the University of Maryland’s Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC), a Professor in the Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Science, and the Chair of the University of Maryland Council on the Environment. Tony came to ESSIC in 2000, after serving as Chief of the NASA/Goddard Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes. His interests include the study of climate variability and prediction, tropical ocean modeling, ocean remote sensing, and data assimilation. His research in these areas has supported a range of international and national research programs dealing with global change and climate, particularly as affected by the oceans.
A Few Tech Notes
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Cell Service
AT&T is the *only* cell service that works at SERC.
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Wired Access
Wi-fi will be available but we may push it to capacity. Wired ethernet access will also be available. Please bring an ethernet adapter if you need one. We will have a few to borrow.
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WinXP
Sorry, but the network will *not* work with WinXP machines.
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Display Dongles
Please bring your VGA dongles if you need one so you can use our projector to present your projects to the judges.
FAQ
Where is the event?
On August 1-3, DataBay will take place in the Mathias Laboratory on the Main Campus of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) - 674 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater, MD, 21037. Once you have arrived at SERC, there will be signs to guide you.
Are there overnight accomdations?
No, there are no overnight accommodations for this event. There are several hotels within 20 minutes of SERC.
How many people can be on a team?
Teams can have an unlimited number of members. We encourage individuals to team-up. If you do not have a team, we can help you find one at the event.
What are some ideas to work on?
Challenges and possible ideas to work can be found here. For more inspiration, check out these data resources.
How will teams submit their entries?
Teams will use the DataBay ChallengePost site to submit their entries. To get a head start, create a ChallengePost account now.
Who are the judges and what is the judging criteria?
The list of judges and the judging criteria are available on the DataBay ChallengePost site.
