For maintenance technician Alik Ulechong, who recently completed a data science summer institute, the knowledge gained will be used to support Palau’s understanding of its rich marine environment and how best to support it.
Ulechong is a maintenance technician at Palau International Coral Reef Center, who is also pursuing an associate degree in information technology at Palau Community College. He plans to use his data science experience to contribute to the center’s projects.
“The program was challenging and the material was very technical. It took time and hard work to complete it,” Ulechong said. “I learned a lot and had fun. It really gave me confidence with data science skills.”
Over the intensive four-week program, Ulechong took daily online classes in data science and the R programming language with a focus on geospatial applications. As a final project, he applied what he learned to develop interpretive visuals showing the size and distribution of fish stocks based on Pacific fisheries data sets.
Chaminade University’s Supporting Pacific Indigenous Computing Excellence, or SPICE, Program recently accepted students from Palau, Guam, the Marshall Islands, Hawaii and the mainland United States.
The program is a partnership between Chaminade University of Honolulu, Texas Advanced Computing Center and XSEDE with funding from NSF INCLUDES. Now in its fourth year, the program aims to help students use data science to make positive changes in their communities.
“Investing in our staff is the best way for us to remain effective and impactful as a Center,” said Dr. Yimnang Golbuu, PICRC CEO. “We’re all proud of Alik and we want support him as he furthers his education.”
