New Light Technologies (NLT) and General Assembly are proud to have successfully launched their first joint bootcamp of its kind on geospatial data. The bootcamp drew participants from a wide range of industries and disciplines. Sixteen students attended NLT's Chief Scientist's inaugural class, where they learned about today's geo-analytical tools and the different ways they can be used.
Participants gained hands-on experience analyzing satellite imagery to map fundamental phenomena occurring all over the globe. The class offered a broad overview of geographic information sciences, different types of geospatial data, and the general field of remote sensing, and presented sources of free satellite data participants can use going forward. To teach through example, NLT's Chief Scientist showed case studies on temporal changes in urban nighttime-light patterns and how they linked to global deforestation trends. The rest of the evening was spent practicing machine learning applications using Google Earth Engine and walking students through data search and visualization exercises.
"As a data scientist involved in global capacity-building initiatives, part of my job involves finding ways to make non-traditional data and analytics more accessible to decision-makers and the broader public," said one bootcamp attendee. "Both the content and format of the workshop allowed participants to not only understand, but access critical geospatial insights in a matter of minutes. This is helpful for anyone wanting to better understand the utility, accessibility, and possibilities of using geospatial data to inform and improve decision-making."
NLT is continually striving to inspire a new generation of data scientists and GIS professionals. We hope to partner with General Assembly to offer this workshop again, possibly expanding it into a more in-depth, two-day course.
About New Light Technologies
New Light Technologies (NLT) is a Washington, DC-based firm with 25+ years of experience delivering:
- Geospatial systems and enterprise GIS
- Cloud-native data platforms
- AI/ML and advanced analytics
- DevSecOps and cybersecurity solutions
NLT supports federal, state, and international organizations in operationalizing data for mission impact.