Geostat Summer School at Lancaster
This week saw the running of the tenth Geostat Summer School. This event, which has also run around the globe in places such as Bergen, Split, Canberra, and Quebec, brought researchers and lecturers in open-source spatial statistics and geographic data to Lancaster for an intensive week of lectures and workshops.
A total of 55 students attended, with every continent represented apart from Antarctica. They came from a wide range of disciplines in the physical, environmental, and social sciences. The course modules, taught by world experts in the field, were all well attended and the students were often found wanting to attend both parallel sessions.
The two prize winners were Jean Gaudart for his accurate rainfall prediction for the spatial prediction contest, and Robin Lovelace for his interactive data explorer in the mapping and visualisation contest. They will both have book vouchers to spend.
Outside of the academic activities, the group enjoyed a midweek break with a party at The Gregson Institute, where some took the challenge of the open mic and musical instruments to entertain their peers. At the end of the week, the Lake District was the venue for our semi-relaxing excursion, as some strolled round Derwentwater and others hauled themselves up Catbells Fell to enjoy the view from above.
The students were left with lots to think about and incorporate into their research in the coming months, and many interesting new collaborations may well have been started at this summer school.
The event was organised by Barry Rowlingson locally, and the academic programme and global Geostat administration was by Tomislav Hengl of Wageningen University. The venue for next year is yet to be decided, but the course should be just as popular.
Updated: Tuesday 25 August, 2015