As part of the ongoing partnership between New Light Technologies (NLT) and General Assembly (GA), NLT's Chief Scientist instructed a one-day bootcamp on geospatial data science at GA's Washington, DC location.
During the bootcamp, students learned how satellite data can be used to interpret, analyze, and address some of the most challenging questions about processes on Earth — economic, social, and environmental. The bootcamp provided an introduction to geospatial data science and a set of tools for satellite image analysis and interpretation that are key for informed decision- and policy-making. It also introduced students to the JavaScript API of Google Earth Engine, a cloud-based computational platform for geospatial ML and AI analysis at scale.
Geographic data is used in almost every part of technological life — from network design to business management, from urban and environmental planning to disaster response and mitigation. As a result, there is increasing demand in today's job market for data scientists who know how to work with spatial data. This course demonstrated how satellite data can be used to track changes in economic activity, map urbanization, and understand deforestation trends in the developing world.
NLT was proud to support selected participants interested in increasing their geospatial knowledge by offering a limited number of scholarships to the class.
Takeaways from the class:
- Use satellite data to map fundamental phenomena on Earth
- Understand how Earth observation data can measure economic development, social processes, and environmental changes such as deforestation
- Gain a basic understanding of satellite imagery and how to access free satellite data
- Learn the fundamentals of satellite imagery analysis and interpretation
- Learn how Google Earth Engine can be used for geospatial analysis at scale
- Learn concepts of ML applications with geospatial data
The bootcamp was led by NLT's Chief Scientist, who brings a background in remote sensing and geospatial analysis at scale, and in developing methodologies and tools for monitoring natural hazards, land cover/land use changes, and economic development — including projects with the World Bank and support for FEMA's disaster remote sensing team.
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.