Hackathon 'BirdEyes on the Wadden Sea'

In the ‘Waakvogels’ programme, we track tagged migratory birds of the Wadden Sea in space and time. How can these data be used in the most useful and accessible way possible for the management of the Wadden Sea? The answer to this depends on the answer to several sub-questions, such as: What management-relevant information is hidden in the data? What does it take to make tracking data accessible for managers to work with? What is needed to interpret tracking data? What information do managers need? What action perspectives does the data offer?

To find possible conceptual, technical and substantive answers to these questions, BirdEyes is organising an exploratory Hackathon together with the UG Campus Fryslân (CF) and the UG Jantina Tammes School of Digital Society, Technology and AI (JTS). It will take place on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 November and will be hosted by the Campus Fryslân in Leeuwarden.

Multidisciplinary teams

The proposed format is for 5 multidisciplinary teams of 5 participants each to tackle a challenge on the theme of ‘disruption on Wad’. A team consists of:

1. a content expert senior ecologist
2. a student from CF who will document and facilitate the process of arriving at knowledge
3. a ‘techie’ (programmer/data sampler, this can be a professional or a student from JTS)
4. a student from the NHL multi-media design programme, specialising in UX design
5. a representative of a Wadden Sea area managing organisation

Provided with catering, a hotel stay and creative and technical support, the teams will present their work in front of a jury and invited guests from the field at the end of the 2nd day. Any promising concepts will be supported by BirdEyes in applying for funds to develop the concept further. The data used will remain the property of the provider and created code will be open access for non-commercial purposes.